That single softly spoken word rendered a direct hit to her rapidly weakening resolve.
“And just so you know,” he continued, “I can keep this up for a while. I have the next two days off.”
“What about your class?”
“The semester ended last week. School doesn’t start again until after the new year.” He nudged the card closer to her. “So…are you free tonight? Please say yes. I really don’t want to come back here dressed as a circus clown.”
Her lips twitched. “Would you?”
His gaze dipped to her mouth and heat flared in his eyes. Heat that sizzled over to her like an electric current and whooshed straight to her core. He raised his eyes to hers. “Yes, I would.”
Somehow resisting the urge to wave her hand in front of her flushed face, she fixed him with a hard stare. “Just one dinner.” After all, what could be the harm in one little dinner? A girl had to eat-right?
Relief flickered in his eyes. “One dinner,” he agreed. “Tonight?”
Might as well make it tonight and get it over with, she decided. Surely this one ill-advised meal that she annoyingly couldn’t seem to resist would drive home the fact that getting involved in any way with a firefighter was a bad idea. Meanwhile, she’d just pretend he was nothing more than a teacher. A really hot teacher. A really hot teacher she already knew looked incredible all wet.
“Tonight,” she agreed. She’d give him one evening, then put him from her mind. And put her focus back where it belonged-on her business.
A huge grin split his handsome face. “I’ll pick you up-”
“I’ll meet you at Sea Shells,” she said firmly. “Eight o’clock.”
“Eight o’clock,” he agreed. After saying goodbye to Jayne, he left the store. The instant the door closed behind him, Jayne said, “Thank God you said yes. If you hadn’t, I would have told Santa to let a reindeer kick you. I would have kicked you.”
“It’s just dinner,” Toni said, trying to ignore the fissure of jittery anticipation running through her.
“Of course it is,” Jayne agreed in a calm voice. “Still, be sure to bring some condoms. Just in case you decide you want dessert.”
4
BRAD SAT in a corner booth at the bustling Sea Shells restaurant and forced himself not to look at his watch; he knew less than a minute had passed since he’d last peeked at the time. Which meant it was five minutes to eight. Five minutes that he suspected were going to pass ve-e-ery slowly.
Dammit, he was nervous. He tried to recall the last time he’d felt so jumpy about a date and realized it was probably in high school. Great. Thirty years old and struck down by teenageritis. It was just a date. Just one little dinner.
Yeah. With a woman you’ve wanted for three months. With a woman you clearly have one shot with. Screw this up and you’re finished.
No pressure.
Yet in spite of his nervousness, he felt more alive than he had in months. Because of the number of women who made themselves available to the guys at the station, it had been a long time since he’d actually had to do any pursuing. In fact, he didn’t know one firefighter who was single who had trouble finding a woman. When was the last time he’d had to put any effort into getting a date or a one-night stand? Damned if he could remember. But then, when was the last time he’d experienced the sort of wild attraction he felt toward Toni?
Never. He never had.
In an effort to relax and not glance at his watch again, he looked out the window at the foamy waves rushing onto the sand. The star-studded sky resembled diamonds tossed on inky velvet, and the full moon cast the beach with a bright silvery glow that reflected off the water. A few people walked along the sand: teenagers jostling each other, a family with two small children who chased the seabirds darting near the waves’ edge, couples holding hands. He studied one couple in particular, their arms wrapped around each other. They were chatting and laughing, smiling, completely absorbed in each other. Even though they didn’t look anything like Greg and Tanya, the love and happiness that radiated from them reminded him of his brother and his bride, and a pang of unmistakable envy hit Brad right in the chest.
“It’s a beautiful night. Can’t remember when I’ve seen so many stars.”
His head jerked around at the slightly husky feminine voice, and he found himself staring up at Toni. Toni, whose shiny dark curls spilled over her bare shoulders. Toni, whose big brown eyes were locked on his. Toni, whose full lips gleamed with a touch of gloss that looked good enough to lick. Toni, whose killer curves were highlighted by a strapless Christmasy-red dress that immediately set him on fire.
Talk about a hit right in the chest.
He stood and tried not to stare, but failed. “Hi,” he managed, feeling like a tongue-tied teen standing before his fantasy girl. “You look…Wow.”
His gaze swept over her, noting the smooth, creamy skin that showed just a hint of cleavage, the way the dress hugged her feminine form to her hips then flared to flirt around her knees, the sexy peep-toe silver heels, the red-polished toes that matched her dress. Damn, even her feet were beautiful. And those heels made her legs look endless. He raised his gaze back to hers, and noted her looking him over. He hoped his dark gray dress pants and white dress shirt met with her approval because she sure as hell met with his.
He wanted to add that she looked amazing. Gorgeous. Classy. Incredible. Instead he could only repeat, “Wow.”
Color rushed into her cheeks. “Thanks.” Her gaze wandered over him again and her lips twitched. “What happened to your high-water pants?”
“I retired them. Apparently I need to look for something by Armani.”
He stepped behind her to hold her chair, and found himself less than a foot away from her bare shoulders. The expanse of smooth, satiny skin beckoned his fingers like a siren’s call and he had to grasp the back of the chair to keep from touching her. The subtle scent of flowers wafted toward him and he couldn’t keep from leaning a bit closer to catch the elusive fragrance. She smelled incredible. Like a garden in the sunshine.
She shot him a half smile over her shoulder, murmured, “Thank you,” then gracefully sat. After pushing in her chair, he resettled himself in the seat opposite her. And wondered how he was going to make it through the meal without giving in to the overwhelming urge to touch her. The craving to kiss her. How the hell was he even going to make conversation with her when all he could do was stare? She’d done something to her eyes…applied some sort of smoky makeup that reeled him in like a fish on a hook. Made it impossible to look away from her.
“For you,” she said. He managed to drag his gaze from hers and saw that she held out a single red rose. “As the Twelve Steamy Nights of Christmas flyer promised, if you come into Blooming Pails the day you use your gift card, you receive a rose. Since you came in-several times-I thought it only fair that you get yours.”
He reached for the bloom, taking the opportunity to brush his fingers against hers. An electric tingle rushed up his arm. One that kept on going and settled in his groin. She stilled at the contact and he wondered if she felt this same…whatever the hell it was…that he did.
“No woman has ever given me a flower before.”
“How many flower-shop owners have you taken to dinner?”
“You’re the first.”
She flashed a smile. “That could be why.”
“I have something for you, too,” he said, reaching down for the small silver-and-green gift bag he’d set by his feet.
She frowned when he placed the bag on the table in front of her. “That’s a…gift.”
“Well, ’tis the season. You gave me one.”
She shook her head. “No, I didn’t. I brought you the flower you were entitled to.”
“Then don’t consider this a gift. Consider it a favor.”
Still frowning, she peeked in the bag. Then looked at him over its bright foil edge. “The gift card for the thong at Mimi’s Intimate Apparel?”