“Scared, outraged, disgusted.” He shrugged again. “I don’t usually take women to armed robberies.”
Now things were getting interesting. “Wheredoyou take them?”
His gaze locked on hers. He knew when he was being teased, and he knew when it was good-natured. “To dinner, to the flicks, dancing. To bed.”
“Well, armed robbery is probably more exciting. At least than the first three.” She rose, placed her hands on his shoulders and kissed him lightly on the mouth. “No hard feelings.” When his hands came to her hips and held her in place, she lifted a brow. “Was there something else?”
“I’ve been thinking about you.”
“That could be good.”
His lips twitched. “I haven’t decided that yet. Maybe we could start with dinner.”
“Start what?”
“Working our way to bed. That’s where I want you.”
“Oh.” Her breath came out a little too quickly and not quite steady. It didn’t help that his eyes were calm, amused and very confident. How, she wondered, had their positions been so neatly reversed? “That’s certainly cutting to the chase.”
“You said once that people in our professions observe people. What I’ve observed about you, McNee, is that you’d probably see through any flowers and moonbeams I might toss at you.”
Slowly she ran her tongue over her teeth. “Depends on your pitching arm. The idea isn’t without its appeal, Alexi, but I prefer taking certain aspects of my life—sex being one of them—in a cautious, gradual manner.”
He grinned at her. “That could be good.”
She had to laugh. “Meanwhile—” But he didn’t let her scoot back.
“Meanwhile,” he echoed, keeping his hands firm. “Have dinner with me. Just dinner.”
Hadn’t she told herself she wasn’t going to get involved again, fall in love again? Oh, well. “I often enjoy just dinner.”
“Tomorrow. I’m on tonight.”
“Tomorrow’s fine.”
He nudged her an inch closer. “I’m making you nervous.”
“No, you’re not.” Yes, he was.
“You’re wriggling.” He grinned again, surprised at how satisfying it was to know he’d unsettled her.
“I’ve got work, that’s all.”
“Me too. Why don’t I come by about seven-thirty? My brother-in-law’s got this place. I think you’ll get a kick out of it.”
“Lady clothes or real clothes?”
“What are you wearing now?”
She glanced down at her sweater and slacks. “Real ones.”
“That’ll do.” He stood, then tilted her chin with a finger until they were eye-to-eye. “You have the oddest face,” he said half to himself. “You should be ugly.”
She laughed, unoffended. “I was. I’ve burned all pictures of me before the age of eighteen.” Her dimple winked out as she smiled at him. “I imagine you were always gorgeous.”
He winced, though he knew he should be used to having that term applied to him. “My sisters were gorgeous,” he told her. “Are. My brother and I are ruggedly attractive.”
“Ah, manly men.”
