She couldn’t resist watching him, admiring him, as he stood in the slow-moving line. He was wearing his black wool peacoat again, and it was tailored superbly to his frame. It was only when he dropped his head and his shoulders hunched slightly that she realized she wasn’t the only one looking at him. Glancing around, she saw the expressions on people’s faces as they stared, saw them whispering behind their hands, and she stiffened. Something told her he could hear them, whatever they were saying, and fury for him rose inside of her. She wanted to spring out of her seat and scream at the lot of them toleave him alone!Instead, she rose and went to him. He looked at her with surprise, but she smiled up at him, wrapped her arm around his waist, and went up on her tiptoes to kiss him. “I missed you.”
A hint of a smile touched his mouth, and she could tell he knew exactly what she was up to, and also that he was grateful. With an arm around her, he hugged her closer. “We might lose our table.”
“I don’t care. I’m right where I want to be.”
Erik stood a little taller, though Chloe was well aware he was still uncomfortable. People continued to stare, kept talking, speculating, but as long as she was with him, he wouldn’t have to bear it alone. “We don’t have to stay long. If you want, we can get the coffee to go. I’m looking forward to our walk, anyway.”
His mouth tightened a bit, and he nodded. “All right.”
Outside, it was chilly, the temperature having dropped in the time they’d been inside. She probably should have brought a jacket, but she was glad she hadn’t when Erik removed his peacoat and draped it around her shoulders. “Thank you.” She snuggled into it. It was warm from his body and smelled like him. A light, clean, woodsy scent.
With her coffee in one hand, she reached for Erik’s free hand with the other and laced their fingers together. This was a nice, upscale neighborhood, well-lit by streetlamps, with wide sidewalks making it easy for them to walk side-by-side. “There’s a pretty park not too far from here.” Walking the distance in heels meant her feet wouldn’t just be cold, but sore as well, but she’d suck it up.
Erik nodded. “Heading to the park. Any sign?”
He wasn’t talking to her, and it was a sharp reminder that they had a third wheel on this date. Hell, it was a reminder that thiswasn’t a date at all. A hint of bitterness crept into her voice when she asked, “Anything?”
“Nothing yet.”
Good. Then Jackson wouldn’t hear her. “When this is over, we’re going on a real date.”
“Sure.”
Chloe looked up at him. The tight jaw, the pinch of his lips, added to the tone he’d used, made her think he didn’t believe that would happen. Did he think that when this assignment was over, she’d just let him walk away? Not happening, mister.
Stopping, she dropped his hand and grabbed the front of his sweater, pulling him down – a move that only worked because he let her, but she’d take it. “I’m looking forward to it.” She kissed him, licking at his lips for him to let her in. With a groan, he opened his mouth, his tongue dancing with hers as his arm swept around her and pulled her tight to his body. He was hard against her, ready, and Chloe had half a mind to say screw the park and go home.
When they finally broke apart, they were both breathing heavy, their gazes locked for several heart-pounding moments before Erik suddenly changed. His eyes, which had been hot with passion and need just a moment ago, turned cold and predatory. His movements would look casual to an observer, but Chloe could feel the tension surrounding him as he maneuvered her behind his back and scanned the buildings across the street.
“What is it?” Jayla had to have seen something and communicated it to Erik.
His posture relaxed, and he shook his head. “False alarm.”
Holding out his hand, she took it and they resumed their walk. But Chloe was curious. “What did she see?”
“Someone lurking in the alley across the street, but it was just a homeless person.”
At least it wasn’t one of the more aggressive ones. Chloe always felt bad for them, but it was scary when they’d walk right up to your car, asking for money when you were stopped at a red light. Worse, though, was when they approached you in the parking lot of a store as you were walking to your car.
Holding on to Erik a bit tighter, she took a tentative sip of her coffee. It had cooled enough that it wouldn’t scald her tongue, so she took a deeper drink. “I think I’d like to go for a walk on the beach,” she told him, picking up their conversation where they’d left off. She wished her feet were in the sand right now since the straps across her toes were beginning to rub. “We’ll bring a blanket and a picnic lunch. Make a day of it.”
“Going to be getting too cold for the beach pretty soon.”
That skepticism was still in his voice, but Chloe pretended like she didn’t hear it and barreled on. “Oh, I don’t know. Mother Nature may still have a hot flash or two in store for us.” Autumn down here was very different from New York. Chloe rememberedthe previous year, there’d been a couple of days, even in December, when she’d had to turn her AC on.
With a quiet, “mm,” Erik nodded and raised his coffee cup to his lips. Chloe’s eyes narrowed. Doing the non-committal thing was he? She’d see about that. “What would you like to do for a date?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. Probably something quiet. Just the two of us.”
She leaned into his side, and he let go of her hand to wrap his arm around her. “I’m on board with that,” she told him. “Paint me a picture.”
“You want me to paint something for you?”
Chloe laughed. She probably should have worded that better, considering he was an artist. “No. Well, I mean, yes, if you want to paint me something, I’d love it, but I meant, paint me a picture with words. Your perfect date. Describe it. Where would we go?”
He stopped and turned toward her, and his finger hooked under her chin. “Every moment I spend with you is perfect, Chloe. The where doesn’t matter, because, when I’m with you, you’re all I see.”
Her breathing hitched, and her heart pounded as he leaned in to kiss her. Chloe sank into the embrace, returning it. When he pulled back slightly to look into her eyes, she whispered, “Let’s go home.”
