“Why would it matter if his wife found it?" I ask, puzzled. I confess that I don’t know much about diamonds – or any precious gems – but I always thought that the jeweler, or broker, presented such things in tiny velvet boxes with satin linings. Why would this friend hand it over unprotected? Particularly since the thing looks like a freaking golf ball. It must be worth a fortune.
“He… ah, well… he wants to surprise her with a custom-made piece. And he doesn’t want her to see it before it’s ready.”
I raise my eyebrows in surprise. “Wow. A rock that size would be a surprise to anyone.”
Sam shrugs his shoulders. “Yeah. He’s a generous guy.” He closes his hand around the jewel again. “I’d better put this away. Don’t want to lose it.” He turns and walks out of the kitchen. I lean a hip against the counter and pet Munchkin as I watch him leave the room. I’m almost certain that he’s hiding something, but I’m not sure how to broach the subject. Or if I’m even in the position to question him. I’m just his cat sitter. Although… he did just ask me out on a date.
Holy crap! He asked me out!
And I’d been too focused on the diamond to give him a proper answer. My heart pounds with excitement. I’ve gotten to know Sam over the last couple of months – not face-to-face, sure – and I’d be lying if I said I couldn’t imagine him being more than just my boss. He’s nothing like I imagined.
He’s a hundred times better.
Although, he does have a dark side. Which, I admit, is incredibly sexy. I wonder if I’m getting a glimpse of that dark side now.
What’s he up to?I wonder, then try to convince myself to drop it. Part of me doesn’t want to question the wisdom of what I’m feeling for him. Even without knowing about his connection to the elderly gray cat sitting next to me, Atticus Colt had set a fire blazing inside me. Whenever I think about the kiss in the parking lot on my birthday, I get a rush of desire in the pit of my stomach. Knowing that one man is both tender and caring – and panty-meltingly sexy… Well, that’s the whole package, isn’t it?
Sam returns five minutes later. I’ve finished my glass of wine, but don’t pour another since I need to drive home soon. He’s changed out of his show gear into a pair of low-riding sweat pants and a sleeveless t-shirt. His bare arms are covered in dark swirling tattoos that disappear underneath the fabric. I desperately want to trace those black lines with my fingertips, feel his skin smooth beneath my touch. But instead, I tear my eyes away and smile as he retrieves his beer bottle from the counter and takes a long pull.
“Ah, much better,” he says and wipes the back of his hand over his mouth. He turns to me. “So, you did say yes to a date, right?”
I try to compose myself, but it’s difficult when he’s so close. “I did…kinda. But I’m not sure if it’s a good idea. I mean, you’re my boss. Dating in the workplace is never recommended.” I can feel the blood heating my cheeks with a blush. I don’t remember dating being this awkward or unnerving. Then again, I didn’t date much before I got married, and that was over ten years ago.
There’s a gleam of mischief in his dark eyes as he says, “I could fire you if it would make your decision easier?” He stops abruptly. “Who am I kidding? I could never!” He takes another drink of beer. When he looks at me again, his eyes are serious. “I’m not going to force you to do anything you don’t want to, but I like you, Arielle. And I’d like to spend some time getting to know you better. But only if you’d like that too.”
“Can I think about it?” I ask. “I just… I have…”
“You have a son to think about, and you need this job. I understand,” he says gently. There’s a haunted look that flits across his face as he speaks.
“Okay then, I’ll let you know. I’d better go.” I gather my keys and purse and head for the door. Munchkin usually walks me to the door when I leave, but before he can jump down from the counter, Sam scoops him up and accompanies me to my car. “I’ll be in touch,” I say as I get into the driver’s seat.
“I’d like that,” Sam says with a smile.
In my rearview mirror, I can see them standing in the light of the entrance, watching me drive away. I smile and raise my hand in a wave. Sam waves back until I’m out of sight. I turn my attention to the road and wend my way through the quiet neighborhood streets back home. When I think about going on a date with Sam, my stomach flutters with nerves. Spending a few hours with a gorgeous, interesting man is an exciting prospect. But I’ll definitely have to get someone to watch Austin while I’m out.
Ordinarily, I wouldn’t hesitate to ask Tim. He loves spending time with Austin – he’s a great uncle. But since I turned down his offer of a date a couple of weeks ago, I just don’t feel right about asking him to make it possible for me to go out with another guy. And I know that he doesn’t like Sam, even though the two have never met. Tim has been very protective of me since Steve’s death. It’s a cop thing – if your partner falls, especially in the line of duty, their family becomes your responsibility.
It’s been a great comfort to me for the past two years, knowing that I have someone to lean on when things get tough. Tim’s seen me in my pajamas with bed hair, he’s held me when I sobbed my heart out, he’s even gotten me drunk on one occasion when I really just needed to let loose. He drove me home and tucked me into bed – a real gentleman. I’m not sure he’s ready to see me date – particularly when I already have him watching Austin tonight. But I know someone who is – and she’s quite likely to be up for a chat at this hour. I place a call via my car’s Bluetooth phone connection.
“Hey honey, how’s it going?” asks a bright, cheery voice. Anna Fairbridge’s daughter, Jamie, is in Austin’s playgroup at the hospital. We’ve bonded over being young single mothers to special needs kids. She’s divorced, not widowed, and her ex-husband is a great co-parent, but Anna still likes to think that she’s raising her daughter alone.
“Can’t complain,” I say, “but I would like to ask you a favor.”
“Sure, hon. What can I do for you?”
I take a deep breath and dive into the question before I chicken out. “Would you be able to watch Austin tomorrow? I’m thinking of going on a date.”
“A date!” she shrieks. “Are you serious? You finally have a date? Who is he?"
I’m very glad that I don’t have to tell Anna the whole truth. She met Atticus Colt at the bar the night I kissed him. Well, not so much met as threw herself at him. He hadn’t taken kindly to her offer and rather rudely rejected her. And when I told her about Sam, I hadn’t met him yet, so she doesn’t know that Atticus the magician and Samuel Foster are one and the same. “My boss.” As I say the words, the butterflies in my stomach take flight again.
“Your boss? The one you’ve never met before? How on earth did you snag a date with a guy you’ve never met?” Part of me thinks her words are pretty rich. Anna has hooked up with more than one Tinder match, but that’s her choice, not mine.
“I did meet him. A few days ago. And today, he asked me out.”
“Holy crap! Tell me everything!” Anna says.
“I can’t talk now. I’m heading home to Austin. But if you can watch him on Saturday, I promise I’ll fill you in when I fetch him.”
