Seduced by the Night by Robin T. Popp

one to be easily intimidated, Miles, nevertheless, found himself feeling nervous. He was playing outside his league and he knew it. "As I already told your errand boy, there have been a few delays, but we should be back on schedule shortly."
    "What kind of delays?"
    "There have been several attacks on my fiancee , the lab was broken into, and one of the assistants is missing. Every time something like this occurs, naturally, it disrupts the work and puts us behind schedule." He paused, eyeing the man across from him carefully. "I don't suppose you'd know anything about these attacks?"
    "Me? No. Why would I know anything?"
    Miles let it go. This client was not the usual pharmaceutical representative or law enforcement agent that he was used to dealing with and he had no idea what the man was capable of. Wanting to bring an end to the conversation, he stood up. "If that's all, I'm late for an important engagement. You see, I'm meeting my fiancee at Nicolette's for dinner tonight."
    "Is that right?" The other man smiled politely as he pulled out a cell phone, but otherwise made no move to leave. "I'm afraid you'll have to miss it. But please, feel free to call her with your regrets. And if you'll excuse me, while you do that, I have a call of my own to make."
    Bethany couldn't keep her eyes off Dirk, walking beside her. He really did look spectacular in his dress clothes. Miles always said that clothes made a man, but he'd never looked like this, no matter how expensive his clothes. There was even a fluid grace to Dirk's movements that Bethany knew had nothing to do with clothing and everything to do with the finely honed athlete beneath.
    As they moved across the parking lot, she risked another glance, only to snap her gaze away when she found him watching her. Grateful for the darkness that helped to hide her blush, she focused her attention on the building ahead.
     
    Nicolette's was an old house that had been converted into a restaurant. It was located in Georgetown , situated some distance from the road and surrounded by trees that gave it a feeling of privacy. And intimacy. Her traitorous thoughts returned to the man beside her and she grew all too aware of Dirk's hand at the small of her back, guiding her along as they walked. By the time they reached the entrance to the restaurant, her nerves were wound tight.
    The maitre d' looked up when they stepped inside. "Miss Stavinoski , how nice to see you again," he gushed. "Mr. Van Home called earlier and your tables are ready. If you'll follow me, please?"
    They were led to a cozy booth in a private corner of the restaurant.
    "I'm sorry," Bethany said. "There must be some mistake. This table doesn't look big enough for three."
    The maitre d' merely smiled and gestured to another table a short distance away. "Mr. Van Home also had this one reserved."
    Bethany felt a flash of annoyance as she realized what Miles was trying to do. "This is unaccept —" Dirk's hand on her arm stopped her words in mid-protest.
    "This will be fine," he said. He ushered her into the side of the booth facing the back of the room while he sat opposite her, a gleam in his eyes.
    "I believe Mr. Van Home reserved this table for you," the maitre d' said curtly.
    "I'm sure he did, but I've decided to sit here. Is that a problem?"
    His tone made it clear that the only problem would be if the man tried to argue with him, and the maitre d', looking fretful but intelligent, offered a pained smile and called over the waiter, who took their drink orders.
    Left alone, Bethany stared at Dirk, trying to figure him out. "You don't like him, do you?" she asked.
    "Who? The waiter?"
    She gave him a look. "Miles."
    He picked up a menu and made a show of studying it, but she refused to let him ignore her. "Miles is a warm, caring man. He's smart, sophisticated—"
    "Look." Dirk folded the menu and set it aside to look at her. "We've already had this conversation. The bottom line is—no, I don't like the guy. The Van