28
Donatella
Donna was trying to figure out where Lincoln was taking her. But he made a left on 18thDrive, and she was even more clueless than before. The only thing that far down on 18thDrive was the Shedd Aquarium. It was well past 8 o’clock. Surely, they were closed. When they turned down a dark service road, she was certain that they weren’t open for business.
“Are you taking me back here to kill me?”
“Yep,” he quipped with a devilish smirk and a raised brow.
“Oh, well,” Donna said through a sigh. “Gotta go sometime.”
He chuckled softly and pulled over behind the building. “Here we are.”
He shifted into park and turned off the ignition. After he climbed out of the passenger seat Donna looked around. She’d never been to this part of the aquarium before. It was dark and secluded, but she was far from afraid. She felt safe with Lincoln. When he opened her door, she stepped out on black, five-inch pumps. Since she had anticipated a normal restaurant, she was wearing a simple black cocktail dress. For the Shedd Aquarium, she was definitely overdressed.
Lincoln tucked her arm in his and escorted her to the building.
Her curiosity was getting the better of her. “What is this, Lincoln?”
Without responding, he led her to a small door and knocked twice. Seconds later, the door was opened. Waiting on the other side was a short, older man wearing a crisp, black suit.
“Good evening, Ma’am,” he greeted with a polite nod. “Colonel Creed…welcome.”
“Good evening, Mr. York. Thank you.”
“If you’ll please follow me?”
The man may have been short, but he had a big voice.
They followed him up an iron staircase and through a metal door. They walked down a long glass corridor filled with every type of sea creature one could imagine. Before long, they’d turned a corner which took them to a huge, round aquarium. It wasn’t until they were halfway around the tank that she noticed the two huge sharks gliding in the water.
“Wow,” Donna marveled with a whisper.
She hadn’t been to the Shedd Aquarium since she was a child. And as an adult, she never had a desire to go. But standing in front of the giant tank staring wide-eyed at the predators made her feel like a little girl again.
“They are extraordinary creatures. Don’t you think?” York commented.
“I do.”
“This way, please,” he insisted, gesturing for them to follow.
He led them further around the tank until they arrived at a table covered with crisp, white linen. It was elegantly set for two with exquisite gold and rose-colored china, and what looked like very expensive crystal drinkware. The champagne and candlelight was setting a very romantic scene.
Lincoln pulled out a chair for Donna to sit. She took her seat and looked up at him with a smile.
“You are full of surprises, Colonel.”
“You have no idea, Detective,” he muttered, gifting her with a sexy grin.
He took the seat opposite her and placed his napkin in his lap. A young woman in all black approached, introducing herself as Jackie. She uncorked the champagne and recited the menu as she poured. Donna thought it funny, but they were sitting in an environment solely for the display and preservation of marine life and everything on the menu was seafood.
After placing their order, the conversation veered to her undercover investigation into the BOC. Normally, she would never discuss a pending case with anyone who wasn’t working it. However, Lincoln inserted himself into her case when he showed up at the Glory Gala.
“The adrenaline of working undercover must be so intoxicating,” he noted while forking a sautéed scallop.
Donna couldn’t keep her eyes off of him when he slipped it between his sexy lips.
“Umm…no, sir. Intoxicating was running into you while undercover. You were lookin’ really good in that tux, Colonel.”
