under different circumstances.
“What can I say? I’m a guy with a hearty sexual appetite.”
I love his honesty, and he has this rawness about him that is so damn attractive. I listen to him talk about his life, not even caring that he changed the subject on me again.
“So what about you?”
“Pardon?” I stutter, embarrassed that I wasn’t listening closely enough.
“Am I that boring?” he jokes.
“No, I was just thinking how nice it is to meet a guy I feel at ease around,” I say. As soon as the words are out there I want to grab them back. I sound like a lunatic. The guy is going to run a mile. I settle down slightly when he laughs.
“I said I could really go something to eat.”
“Ah, burn up a bit of an appetite?” I quip and he laughs again.
“Something like that. So, you know any decent eateries open at,” he glances at his watch, “three in the morning?”
“Sure, there’s this awesome place just down the road that do an awesome burger.”
He nods and drinks down the last of his drink. “I’m keen if you are. I’m parked underneath.”
“Oh, I have my car with me too. Maybe I should follow you?” I suggest.
He shrugs. “Or I can drop you back here when we’re done.”
“Okay,” I agree, ignoring the butterflies in my stomach. “Sounds good.”
**
“This is your idea of a fine eatery?” he laughs, as I direct him into the parking lot of McDonald’s.
“It’s about the only place open at this time. Besides, I promised you a decent hamburger,” I defend myself. I can hear him chuckling as we get out of his car. I follow him inside, loving how safe I feel with this tall, attractive man at my side. I’ve lost count of how many times this place has served me a very late-night dinner from the drive-thru because I was too scared to get out of my car and venture inside.
I ask for a cheeseburger while Conrad orders nearly everything on the menu. I giggle, trying to push a five-dollar bill into his hand, which he refuses to take.
“My treat. Call it our first date.”
Date? A shiver races through me, but I force myself to calm down by thinking of all the reasons why relationships don’t work for me. God. He made a joke about a date and I’m preempting our wedding.
“I’ll get us a table.” I grin.
I pick a booth near the back of the diner and slide in. I take the moment I have alone to check him out from a distance. He’s so sexy that I can’t help but think naughty thoughts when I’m around him, and his personality is infectious. I’d forgotten how nice having company could be.
I glance outside and shiver. It’s still dark and I can barely make out Conrad’s car parked in the lot. Is he out there watching me? Probably. What if seeing me with Conrad makes him break?
“Here we go.”
I smile at the tray overflowing with food and reach for my lonely little cheeseburger.
“Get eating,” I laugh.
He doesn’t need any encouragement as he piles fries into his mouth.
“So, tell me more about who you are. How long have you been a detective?”
“Three years,” he replies. “I was a cop before that. It’s the only thing I’ve ever really wanted to do. My dad was a cop, and so was my grandfather. It was kind of expected of me.”
“Are you’re parents around here?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “No, back home in LA. I’ve moved around a bit for work, but I like where I am now.” His eyes sparkle as they lock with mine. “What about you? Are you close with your family?”
“My parents died when I was fifteen,” I explain.
His face falls and I immediately feel bad.
“No, it’s fine. It was so long ago that I’m fine talking about it. We were close, but since they died my only real family is my aunt. And I don’t speak to her as much as I should,” I admit with a grin.
“I’m guilty of that too,” he says, rubbing his jaw. “Mom is always yelling at me for not calling more. I think that’s a guy thing, though.”
“Maybe,” I
“What can I say? I’m a guy with a hearty sexual appetite.”
I love his honesty, and he has this rawness about him that is so damn attractive. I listen to him talk about his life, not even caring that he changed the subject on me again.
“So what about you?”
“Pardon?” I stutter, embarrassed that I wasn’t listening closely enough.
“Am I that boring?” he jokes.
“No, I was just thinking how nice it is to meet a guy I feel at ease around,” I say. As soon as the words are out there I want to grab them back. I sound like a lunatic. The guy is going to run a mile. I settle down slightly when he laughs.
“I said I could really go something to eat.”
“Ah, burn up a bit of an appetite?” I quip and he laughs again.
“Something like that. So, you know any decent eateries open at,” he glances at his watch, “three in the morning?”
“Sure, there’s this awesome place just down the road that do an awesome burger.”
He nods and drinks down the last of his drink. “I’m keen if you are. I’m parked underneath.”
“Oh, I have my car with me too. Maybe I should follow you?” I suggest.
He shrugs. “Or I can drop you back here when we’re done.”
“Okay,” I agree, ignoring the butterflies in my stomach. “Sounds good.”
**
“This is your idea of a fine eatery?” he laughs, as I direct him into the parking lot of McDonald’s.
“It’s about the only place open at this time. Besides, I promised you a decent hamburger,” I defend myself. I can hear him chuckling as we get out of his car. I follow him inside, loving how safe I feel with this tall, attractive man at my side. I’ve lost count of how many times this place has served me a very late-night dinner from the drive-thru because I was too scared to get out of my car and venture inside.
I ask for a cheeseburger while Conrad orders nearly everything on the menu. I giggle, trying to push a five-dollar bill into his hand, which he refuses to take.
“My treat. Call it our first date.”
Date? A shiver races through me, but I force myself to calm down by thinking of all the reasons why relationships don’t work for me. God. He made a joke about a date and I’m preempting our wedding.
“I’ll get us a table.” I grin.
I pick a booth near the back of the diner and slide in. I take the moment I have alone to check him out from a distance. He’s so sexy that I can’t help but think naughty thoughts when I’m around him, and his personality is infectious. I’d forgotten how nice having company could be.
I glance outside and shiver. It’s still dark and I can barely make out Conrad’s car parked in the lot. Is he out there watching me? Probably. What if seeing me with Conrad makes him break?
“Here we go.”
I smile at the tray overflowing with food and reach for my lonely little cheeseburger.
“Get eating,” I laugh.
He doesn’t need any encouragement as he piles fries into his mouth.
“So, tell me more about who you are. How long have you been a detective?”
“Three years,” he replies. “I was a cop before that. It’s the only thing I’ve ever really wanted to do. My dad was a cop, and so was my grandfather. It was kind of expected of me.”
“Are you’re parents around here?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “No, back home in LA. I’ve moved around a bit for work, but I like where I am now.” His eyes sparkle as they lock with mine. “What about you? Are you close with your family?”
“My parents died when I was fifteen,” I explain.
His face falls and I immediately feel bad.
“No, it’s fine. It was so long ago that I’m fine talking about it. We were close, but since they died my only real family is my aunt. And I don’t speak to her as much as I should,” I admit with a grin.
“I’m guilty of that too,” he says, rubbing his jaw. “Mom is always yelling at me for not calling more. I think that’s a guy thing, though.”
“Maybe,” I
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