hands in surrender. “In the interest of saving myself from the hike, I’ll confess that Keiko Matsui has my top spot.” When he looked blankly at her, she added, “Jazz pianist. Composer. Won an Oasis award.” She sniffed in mock indignation when he continued to stare at her without recognition. “You have got to broaden your musical horizons past the seventies.”
He shook his head, unfazed. “Sorry, if they’re not rocking the heavy guitars, I don’t know ’em.”
Mallory released an exaggerated sigh. “Some people just don’t appreciate good music.”
“So true,” Zac agreed with a grin.
As they finished the main course, they moved from music to movies and TV shows. They disagreed about Community . Zac thought it was hilarious. Mallory, stupid. But they both made sure to TiVo Castle . Zac admitted to buying one of the Nikki Heat books that had spun out of the series. “It was all right. The show’s better, though. Would you like dessert?”
Mallory didn’t hesitate this time. Though the sensible part of her brain warned her that spending more time with Zac would just make it harder to see him go later, her heart wanted the night to go on. She was greedy for more talk and shared laughter with this man. She’d deal with the inevitable parting later. “Yes, please. A few more calories won’t matter.”
Zac’s gaze met hers. “Definitely. I mean not. I mean—” His cheeks darkened as he looked away. “You look—” He cleared his throat and grabbed at the dessert menu card. “The strawberry wonton looks goods. Want to give it a try?”
Remembering a similar conversation in her kitchen, only with her at the flustered end, Mallory smiled and agreed.
The strawberry wonton was good. They lingered over it, Zac seeming as reluctant as Mallory to have the evening end. The conversation wandered from personal tastes to what they did in their spare time.
“You’re a mentor?” Mallory looked at the man across the table. “Zac, that’s wonderful.”
Zac ducked his head and shifted in his chair. In anyone else she would have called it squirming with embarrassment. But he didn’t need to be embarrassed.
He looked up, a deprecating smile on his face, and shrugged. “Just trying to make sure they don’t end up like I was.”
“You didn’t turn out so bad.” Mallory reached across the table and laid her hand on his. Their eyes met.
Mallory’s breath caught in her throat. The air grew taut between them, vibrating with unvoiced desires. She couldn’t look away from him, suddenly, achingly aware that not only was he Zac, but also a man. A very male man. Her fingers trembled against the back of his hand before she could control them.
Without taking his eyes from hers, Zac lifted his hand for the check.
They didn’t speak as they left the restaurant or in the car on the way to Mallory’s house. She tried. But each time she opened her mouth, she couldn’t seem to find any words. Her brain had deserted her.
She was a mass of quivering nerves, half excited, half fearful. Her earlier confidence had evaporated. If Zac gave any indication. Made the slightest move. She’d—
She didn’t know what she’d do.
She wanted—
She didn’t know what she wanted, either. And what did Zac want? That would make all the difference.
The expectant tension between them coiled tighter and tighter as Zac silently drove down the darkened streets. Mallory wanted to scream. What was he thinking?
As the car pulled into the driveway she was fumbling with her seatbelt. Almost before it stopped, she was out of the vehicle. She gulped at the cool night air, feeling her heart pound inside her chest.
Zac behind her, she stepped up to the door, her legs shaking. She clutched her keys in her hand to keep them from clattering and prayed she wouldn’t do something stupid like drop them or try to use the car key on the house lock.
She didn’t. The key slipped in and the door opened. Breathing a small sigh of relief
He shook his head, unfazed. “Sorry, if they’re not rocking the heavy guitars, I don’t know ’em.”
Mallory released an exaggerated sigh. “Some people just don’t appreciate good music.”
“So true,” Zac agreed with a grin.
As they finished the main course, they moved from music to movies and TV shows. They disagreed about Community . Zac thought it was hilarious. Mallory, stupid. But they both made sure to TiVo Castle . Zac admitted to buying one of the Nikki Heat books that had spun out of the series. “It was all right. The show’s better, though. Would you like dessert?”
Mallory didn’t hesitate this time. Though the sensible part of her brain warned her that spending more time with Zac would just make it harder to see him go later, her heart wanted the night to go on. She was greedy for more talk and shared laughter with this man. She’d deal with the inevitable parting later. “Yes, please. A few more calories won’t matter.”
Zac’s gaze met hers. “Definitely. I mean not. I mean—” His cheeks darkened as he looked away. “You look—” He cleared his throat and grabbed at the dessert menu card. “The strawberry wonton looks goods. Want to give it a try?”
Remembering a similar conversation in her kitchen, only with her at the flustered end, Mallory smiled and agreed.
The strawberry wonton was good. They lingered over it, Zac seeming as reluctant as Mallory to have the evening end. The conversation wandered from personal tastes to what they did in their spare time.
“You’re a mentor?” Mallory looked at the man across the table. “Zac, that’s wonderful.”
Zac ducked his head and shifted in his chair. In anyone else she would have called it squirming with embarrassment. But he didn’t need to be embarrassed.
He looked up, a deprecating smile on his face, and shrugged. “Just trying to make sure they don’t end up like I was.”
“You didn’t turn out so bad.” Mallory reached across the table and laid her hand on his. Their eyes met.
Mallory’s breath caught in her throat. The air grew taut between them, vibrating with unvoiced desires. She couldn’t look away from him, suddenly, achingly aware that not only was he Zac, but also a man. A very male man. Her fingers trembled against the back of his hand before she could control them.
Without taking his eyes from hers, Zac lifted his hand for the check.
They didn’t speak as they left the restaurant or in the car on the way to Mallory’s house. She tried. But each time she opened her mouth, she couldn’t seem to find any words. Her brain had deserted her.
She was a mass of quivering nerves, half excited, half fearful. Her earlier confidence had evaporated. If Zac gave any indication. Made the slightest move. She’d—
She didn’t know what she’d do.
She wanted—
She didn’t know what she wanted, either. And what did Zac want? That would make all the difference.
The expectant tension between them coiled tighter and tighter as Zac silently drove down the darkened streets. Mallory wanted to scream. What was he thinking?
As the car pulled into the driveway she was fumbling with her seatbelt. Almost before it stopped, she was out of the vehicle. She gulped at the cool night air, feeling her heart pound inside her chest.
Zac behind her, she stepped up to the door, her legs shaking. She clutched her keys in her hand to keep them from clattering and prayed she wouldn’t do something stupid like drop them or try to use the car key on the house lock.
She didn’t. The key slipped in and the door opened. Breathing a small sigh of relief
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