The impact of that realization had hit like a ton of bricks, nearly making him miss a step. And now that she was back here in his home, and she had agreed to talk, he had hope.
“I’ll take your jacket.” She slipped off the stylish blazer and handed it to him. Seeing the way her blouse fit over her breasts made his mouth water.
“How long will it take to thaw the pasta out?” she asked, standing before him in an oh-so-tempting beige blouse and an olive-green pencil skirt that clearly defined her curves and brought out the radiance of her hazel eyes.
He breathed in deeply, then said, “You’re in luck. I took some out of the freezer this morning to eat for dinner. At the time, I hadn’t known I’d be dining with Tez.”
“Are you sure?” she asked. “I wouldn’t want to take what could be your lunch for tomorrow.”
“You won’t be since I’m meeting a client for lunch.” He shoved his hands in the pockets of his slacks. It was either that or give in to temptation and pull her into his arms. But he knew the worst thing he could do was assume anything and rush her. They needed to talk, so this sort of misunderstanding wouldn’t happen again.
“You look nice, Desiree. But then, you always look nice.”
“Thank you. So do you.”
“Thanks. Come on, I’ll warm up the pasta.”
“Alright.”
When they passed through the living room on their way to the kitchen, she paused for a moment, and he knew she had noticed the packet on the table, still in the same place she had tossed it. “Would you like a glass of wine?” he asked when they reached the kitchen.
“That would be nice.”
“White or red?” he asked.
“You decide.”
He nodded. “Since I cooked it with a tomato sauce, red is usually suggested. At least, that’s what Mom always says.”
After placing the food in the microwave, he reached into the cabinet and pulled out two wine glasses and a bottle of wine.
“And you’re sure that you’re not hungry, Cobra?” she asked.
He turned around and smiled. “I’m positive.”
If she only knew what he truly hungered for, she might just hightail it away from the brownstone. He had spent the last five days remembering each and every moment he had spent with her, starting with Colton’s wedding.
So, in a way, he should not be surprised that each time they’d been together had brought him to this moment. He had finally met a woman who could capture his heart. A woman he doubted he could live without. A woman he wanted desperately.
“I took full advantage of the fact that Cortez was paying the bill, and I ordered whatever I wanted. So, I’m not starving.”
She laughed, and the throaty, sexy sound touched him deeply. He had been so sure—and so afraid—that he would never hear that laugh again. Especially not here.
The microwave dinged, and he took out the food while she poured them both glasses of wine. He actually liked this. A woman sharing space with him in his kitchen. But this wasn’tjust any woman. This was a woman who, without really trying, had done the impossible.
He had always figured that one day, like his brothers, he would eventually fall in love and get married. After all, his parents had been childhood sweethearts who had gotten married after college and, to this day, still loved each other deeply. His father had always said that there was a moment in every man’s lifetime when he’d meet his destiny, a woman who was meant to get into his soul. And no matter what that man did, that woman would stay there, bound to him.
Of course, at the time, Cobra had assumed that his father had been speaking to Tez and Colt, since he was extremely doubtful that such a woman existed for him. And if there was someone who was meant for him, he was sure he’d be in his fifties—or even older—before he met her. Boy, he had been wrong.
After pouring the wine, Desiree followed him into the dining room. While she ate, he sipped his wine, thinking of everything he wanted to say to her. Things he had never said to a woman. But first, there was the issue of that damn investigative report between them. And that needed to be resolved.
They made small talk while she ate. She told him about a project Saul gave her to spearhead and how excited she was about it. He told her about his best friend’s upcoming wedding, about how he and Sheriff Liam Strawberry had been friends since they were toddlers, and that their parents had been childhood best friends, as well. Before she left tonight, he would ask her to be his plus-one for Straw’s wedding and hoped she would accept.
When Desiree finished her meal, she cleared the table and loaded her dishes into the dishwasher. Returning to the dining room, she picked up her wine glass and said, “Dinner was delicious. Thank you.” She paused. “You said we need to talk. Is this a good time?”
Nodding, he stood, and after grabbing his glass and the bottle of wine, they strolled to the living room, then eased down on the sofa. They were sitting in the same place they had been the last time she’d been here, with the sealed packet in front of them.
“As you can see, I haven’t read it.”
