around her forefinger. A slight frown created a crease between her eyes, a crease he wanted to erase with the pad of his thumb. She looked ... cute was the word that came to mind. Cute and adorable. Not the usual words he’d use to describe a woman he was attracted to, but they were the only words he could think of at the moment.
Well, sexy, too. The table was small. He could see her slender legs crossed under it. With the foot not on the ground, she was bouncing her completely inappropriate red shoe on the tips of her toes. It was mesmerizing to watch. Twist the curl. Bounce the shoe. Twist the curl. Bounce the shoe.
This time his feet wouldn’t stop moving but took him straight to the table where she was sitting. When she looked up and saw him, a smile lit up her face and warmed him all over.
“You came. I wasn’t sure you would.” She indicated the chair opposite her. “Can I get you a glass of wine? A drink?”
He dropped to the chair and shrugged off his raincoat. “Ah, sure. That would be great.”
“Which?”
“Which what?”
“Which do you want—a glass of wine or a drink?”
“Whatever you’re having is fine.”
She looked around for the server, caught his eye, and indicated they needed another glass of wine. “So, did you get your problem sorted out with Nate after I left?”
“Yes, of course. But before we get to the small talk, can I explain something?”
“What do you need to explain?”
“I imagine you think I’m some sort of nut case, the way I chased you the last time you were in the office then ignored you today.”
“I’m not sure I’d describe it that way, but it did seem a bit… ... well, maybe odd is the best word.”
He could feel his face flushing slightly. It made him uncomfortable. He never blushed. How the hell did this woman put him so far off track? “I’m not sure how to explain. Where to begin.”
“The beginning is usually the best place.”
“I guess the beginning is, I’m a very organized person. I plan everything carefully. It’s how I get things done. How I feel comfortable.”
The server interrupted with his glass of red wine.
“Anyway, I’ve always been careful about my social life. The relationships I’ve had with women are usually based on friendship or a business connection. Never an across-a-crowded-room meeting. I’ve never in my life chased a woman the way I chased you after seeing you in a crowd.”
“I’d hardly say you chased me.”
“It feels like I did. I saw you. I wanted to meet you. I tracked you down. It’s as close to stalking as I’m likely to get.” He took a large gulp of liquid courage.
Although she smiled as she said it, when she commented, “I’ve never much liked the idea of being stalked,” he frowned. Had she objected to his attention? His expression must have registered with her because she quickly added, “But I didn’t feel stalked. Really.”
“Seriously? I think that’s close to what I did. Calling Marius? That’s not me. Showing up at an art gallery to meet someone I don’t know? I’ve never even had a blind date because I don’t like the uncertainty of it.” The stem of his wine glass suddenly seemed of infinite interest requiring him to study it carefully.
“Well, technically, you’re still safe there because you didn’t show up on time for the fix-up.” She was making fun of him, he was pretty sure.
“Yes, well, that’s another thing out of character. I’m never late for anything.”
He paused before looking up from his glass. “Then, I’ve always had a policy not to date my clients. It’s too complicated. Too likely to interfere with doing good work.” He drank about half of the wine left in his glass. The alcohol was making it easier to be honest with her. “And my job… ... my career… ... has always been the most important thing in my life.”
“And it shows. According to Nate, you made partner sooner than anyone in the history of the firm.”
“Yes, it’s
Well, sexy, too. The table was small. He could see her slender legs crossed under it. With the foot not on the ground, she was bouncing her completely inappropriate red shoe on the tips of her toes. It was mesmerizing to watch. Twist the curl. Bounce the shoe. Twist the curl. Bounce the shoe.
This time his feet wouldn’t stop moving but took him straight to the table where she was sitting. When she looked up and saw him, a smile lit up her face and warmed him all over.
“You came. I wasn’t sure you would.” She indicated the chair opposite her. “Can I get you a glass of wine? A drink?”
He dropped to the chair and shrugged off his raincoat. “Ah, sure. That would be great.”
“Which?”
“Which what?”
“Which do you want—a glass of wine or a drink?”
“Whatever you’re having is fine.”
She looked around for the server, caught his eye, and indicated they needed another glass of wine. “So, did you get your problem sorted out with Nate after I left?”
“Yes, of course. But before we get to the small talk, can I explain something?”
“What do you need to explain?”
“I imagine you think I’m some sort of nut case, the way I chased you the last time you were in the office then ignored you today.”
“I’m not sure I’d describe it that way, but it did seem a bit… ... well, maybe odd is the best word.”
He could feel his face flushing slightly. It made him uncomfortable. He never blushed. How the hell did this woman put him so far off track? “I’m not sure how to explain. Where to begin.”
“The beginning is usually the best place.”
“I guess the beginning is, I’m a very organized person. I plan everything carefully. It’s how I get things done. How I feel comfortable.”
The server interrupted with his glass of red wine.
“Anyway, I’ve always been careful about my social life. The relationships I’ve had with women are usually based on friendship or a business connection. Never an across-a-crowded-room meeting. I’ve never in my life chased a woman the way I chased you after seeing you in a crowd.”
“I’d hardly say you chased me.”
“It feels like I did. I saw you. I wanted to meet you. I tracked you down. It’s as close to stalking as I’m likely to get.” He took a large gulp of liquid courage.
Although she smiled as she said it, when she commented, “I’ve never much liked the idea of being stalked,” he frowned. Had she objected to his attention? His expression must have registered with her because she quickly added, “But I didn’t feel stalked. Really.”
“Seriously? I think that’s close to what I did. Calling Marius? That’s not me. Showing up at an art gallery to meet someone I don’t know? I’ve never even had a blind date because I don’t like the uncertainty of it.” The stem of his wine glass suddenly seemed of infinite interest requiring him to study it carefully.
“Well, technically, you’re still safe there because you didn’t show up on time for the fix-up.” She was making fun of him, he was pretty sure.
“Yes, well, that’s another thing out of character. I’m never late for anything.”
He paused before looking up from his glass. “Then, I’ve always had a policy not to date my clients. It’s too complicated. Too likely to interfere with doing good work.” He drank about half of the wine left in his glass. The alcohol was making it easier to be honest with her. “And my job… ... my career… ... has always been the most important thing in my life.”
“And it shows. According to Nate, you made partner sooner than anyone in the history of the firm.”
“Yes, it’s
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