The husky note in her voice sent his pulse kicking higher. He drew in a slow breath, forcing oxygen into lungs that suddenly felt too tight, and stepped inside when she moved aside to let him enter.
“Just give me a minute. I need to grab my purse.”
He nodded, but his attention followed her as she hurried down the hall toward her bedroom. The graceful sway of her hips nearly undid every ounce of composure he had left. How he was supposed to survive an entire dinner without making a complete fool of himself—or walking around in a very obvious state of discomfort—was beyond him.
Tilting his head back, he drew several steadying breaths and willed his body to cooperate.
Something brushed against his leg. Startled, he glanced down to find a sleek gray cat weaving figure eights through his ankles. Relief washed through him at the distraction. A grin tugged at his mouth as he crouched and ran a hand down the animal’s back. “Hey there, little guy. Who might you be?”
“That’s Rico.”
Sean rose as Grace returned, a silver clutch in one hand and a light black cape draped over the other arm.
“I didn’t know you had a cat. He wasn’t here the other night, was he?”
Her face lit with an easy smile. “He wasn’t. Today’s his first day home. I stopped by the shelter this afternoon and fell in love with him.” Her eyes softened as she looked down at the cat. “The second I brought him inside, he strutted through the house like he owned the place.”
Sean chuckled. “Sounds about right.”
She handed him the cape and turned so he could drape it across her shoulders. His fingers brushed the bare skin at the nape of her neck, and the fleeting contact sent another wave of desire through him. He hated seeing the fabric cover those beautiful shoulders.
He opened the door while Grace bent to scratch the top of Rico’s head. “Be good while I’m gone, okay?”
The cat answered with a soft meow and leaned into her hand.
Sean smiled at the exchange, then stepped aside as she straightened and moved through the doorway.
The air had taken on the first cool edge of evening as he closed the door behind them. Resting his hand at the small of her back, he guided her toward his car. Even through the layers of silk and wool, he could feel the warmth of her beneath his palm.
When she gave a small shiver beside him, he glanced down. “Cold?”
Without waiting for an answer, he opened the passenger door and offered his hand.
As she lowered herself into the seat, the hem of her dress slid several inches higher along her thighs.
His breath hitched, and he forced his gaze upward, silently pleading for divine intervention. This night was going to test every ounce of self-control he possessed.
Chapter Nineteen
The Elegant Swan was an upscale restaurant located in the heart of Kill Devil Hills. Sean thought it would be nice to go somewhere new for both of them, and Brad had suggested it when Sean asked him for ideas. There was no way in hell he was asking his brother to recommend a place. He didn’t want Brian to know he and Grace were out on a date—hell, Uncle Dan and Bonnie didn’t even know. For now, he just wanted to keep her to himself, at least until he was sure things would work out between them. The last thing he wanted was for anyone else to make things awkward.
He held the door open and followed her through. The place was nearly full, and Sean was glad he’d made reservations as Brad had advised. The host greeted them and then led them past the bar into the rear dining room. Sean didn’t miss the appreciative looks Grace garnered from several men along the way, and he placed his hand at her lower back, staking his claim.
After they were seated and their drink orders were taken, they both perused the menu. “The chateaubriand sounds delicious,” he commented. “So do the lamb chops. What looks good to you?”
“The Chilean sea bass,” she said. “I can’t remember the last time I had that, and I love it.”
Their waiter returned with their drinks and took their meal orders. A busboy placed a basket of warm rolls and butter on the table before hurrying away again.
Grace took a sip of her wine, and Sean noticed she suddenly seemed as nervous as he was, but as he tried to think of a conversation starter, she beat him to it. “I… um… how was work today? Did you find out how that reporter got her information?”
“No,” he answered, giving his head a small shake while he buttered a roll. “But at least I got a little revenge and banned her from all the future press conferences about the case.”
She grinned. “Good for you. So what were you planning on doing these next few weeks if you hadn’t gotten called to duty?”
Glad she was steering the conversation away from the murders, Sean swallowed a small bite of his roll. “Well, I was hoping to get caught up on a few books I’ve wanted to read, do a little fishing, and just relax. It’s been a while since I’ve had some serious time off.”
“Fishing? Gee, I haven’t done that since I was about twelve, and your uncle invited me along on one of your fishing trips.”
