Dog Collar Knockoff by Adrienne Giordano Page A

break. Trust yourself. You might like what you find. God knows I do.”
    At that, she smiled. “Thank you, Tim O’Brien. You’re a good man.”
    One she might need to spend more time with.

Chapter Seven
    A fter dinner and meeting Tim’s brother, who— hello —made a wicked Irish stew, Lucie followed Tim back through the restaurant to the street where dusk quickly faded to darkness. He placed his hand on her lower back, guiding her around the other pedestrians as they moved toward the parking garage on the corner.
    Humid lake air surrounded them and Lucie inhaled. She loved this city and any time spent here reminded her how much she’d missed living downtown.
    A cabbie honked at a slower car and a slew of curses followed. Another Friday night in Chicago, land of the insane drivers.
    All of it somehow comforting to a girl whose life hadn’t quite turned out the way she’d planned.
    Yet.
    At the corner, they waited for the light to turn, giving them half a chance to survive crossing the street.
    Tim pointed east, toward the lake. “It’s a nice night. What do you say we head up to the lake? Take a walk and grab some dessert somewhere?”
    Wow. The man could eat. “Seriously? You want dessert after that meal?”
    And a walk on the lakefront. If the man had a Lucie textbook, he couldn’t have aced this test any better. When she lived downtown, she’d drag Frankie out to the lakefront for picnics and walks. She had loved the anonymity of it, the being able to walk outside without nosey people staring at them or pointing as often happened in Franklin.
    “One thing about me, Lucie. My appetite doesn’t quit. Total warrior. And if it means keeping you a while longer, I’m bucking up.”
    She looked up at him, a big-butt smile on her face because the cute guy liked her. High school much? She tugged on his shirt. “I’d like that. I’ll skip dessert, but coffee would be fine.”
    The light changed and Tim stepped off the curb, hesitating a moment until Lucie did the same, and once again, he set his hand on her back, just a light touch. Not possessive. More protective. She sensed that in him. That protective nature. She liked it. Liked the way his big hand—so new and different—felt on her body. Everything about Tim was different from Frankie. His height, his big shoulders, his fair skin. His attitude toward people nosing around in his life.
    They walked the two blocks to the lakefront and Lucie focused on enjoying every breath. That amazing feeling of clean, moist air moving through her lungs. If she were blindfolded, she’d know the second she got within half a mile of the lake. The moisture gave it away and her body responded, took refuge in it. Being here, despite the city noise and traffic, relaxed her.
    “Lucie?”
    “Yes?”
    He dropped his arm over her shoulder, gave a little squeeze. “This is fun.”
    “Yes it is.”
    “I’d like to do this again.”
    “Why do I think there’s a but?”
    Tim stopped and gently pulled her to the side of the lake path next to a bench. “It’s not a but so much. More of a question.”
    A biker hollered out to the folks walking and Tim nudged Lucie farther off the path.
    “Fire away, Detective.”
    “You and Frank Falcone. I know you have a history.”
    “That we do.”
    “A lot of splitting up and reconciling. From what I’ve heard.”
    “Your sources are good.”
    “Yeah, they are.”
    He shoved his hands in his pockets as if he needed somewhere to put them. On me. Her hormones were a naughty bunch tonight. Particularly since the current topic was her relationship with Frankie. Something she didn’t want to think about. Tonight she was plain old Lucie—not Lucie Rizzo, mob princess—out on a date with a nice guy.
    “Which leads to my question.”
    “Okay.”
    “This current breakup with Frankie. Is it permanent? Because I’m not a guy who wants to get in the middle of something. It’s not my style.”
    All she could do was be honest. Each time she