“What were you just thinking about?”
Shit, she noticed. “I was wondering if you have a boyfriend.”Good save, Fierro. He’d wanted to know that anyway.
Her smile began to appear, and then she schooled it quickly. “Not at this time, no. You?”
“No. I don’t have a boyfriend either…or a girlfriend,” he teased. The truth was that no one compared to her in his mind. He was well aware he came off as a player. That didn’t quite match the reality. He simply couldn’t find an open-minded lover with the right chemistry whom he could trust completely. He liked the clean slate he had with an out-of-towner like Kristine.
She tipped her head. “You’re single? How can that be? You’re handsome, charming, have a heroic job… I don’t get it.”
He shrugged. “I’ve done my fair share of casual dating. What can I say? I’m picky.” He hoped she’d be satisfied with that answer and realize he was complimenting her at the same time. “What about you? A gorgeous woman with a sense of humor? How are you still single?”
“Well, I can’t say I’ve done a lot of dating…casual or otherwise. I’m not seen the same way you are, being a female in an almost all-male profession. Some men think I’m gay. Some think I’m an overzealous feminist with something to prove, and that’s threatening to them.”
“Well, then some men are stupid.”
She laughed. “Tell me about it.” Then she sat up straight. “But not all men are like that.”
He’d let it slide. There was plenty of time to find out if she had some kind of deep-seated resentment toward men—later. “So, did you ever have a long-term relationship that didn’t work out?”
“How did you guess?”
He shrugged. “Like I said, you’re incredible. I imagine guys hit on you all the time.”
“Ha. You imagine wrong.”
That was good news as far as Jayce was concerned. Then he caught himself wondering why. This trip was supposed to burst his bubble. Make him not want her like he did. Unfortunately, his plan was backfiring big time. He wanted her more than ever.
“So…tell me about the one who got away,” he said.
She took a deep breath, then seemed to relax and compose herself. “You were right about a sense of humor being important to me. I dated a comedian for a few years, and that’s what attracted me to him in the first place. He wasn’t especially good-looking. Shortly after I moved in, he moved on.”
“Oh? Did he go to LA or Vegas?”
“No. He moved on to a blonde.”
“Ouch!”
“I guess you don’t approve,” she said.
If he wasn’t mistaken, there was a hint of hope in her voice. Being as honest as he could, he held her gaze. “No. I don’t. That’s why I don’t get into relationships unless I’m sure—”
Her eyes widened. “Sure of what?”
Oh shit. What could he say? Sure that the woman of his dreams wouldn’t freak out when he revealed his supernatural status? He was saved by the waiter bringing their bottle of wine.
* * *
The rest of the dinner went well. In fact, Kristine was surprised by how well it was going. She hadn’t dated a guy like Jayce in a long time. Their connection seemed to be almost instantaneous. It was just too bad he was a firefighter—and lived three hours away as the Acela train flies. Actually, a quick plane ride would reduce the commute to only an hour and a half, but the hassle and time it took to go through security would make the trip even longer.
Walking down the wide sidewalks of Times Square, hand in hand, sure made her feel as if the trip might be worth the hassle. His hand was warm and rough. For once she wasn’t concerned that hers were the same way. No hand cream could stand up to a firefighter’s routine. Wet gloves, rough weather, unbearable heat… All of that detracted from the soft, supple skin she longed for.
They had decided over dinner to visit the top of the Empire State Building. Jayce had never been there before, and Kristine had only visited with friends—never a date. It was supposed to be romantic. She’d never understood why. Probably because her cynical ex-boyfriend thought it was hokey. As she glanced over at Jayce, he glanced back, and they smiled. One thing she wasn’t seeing in him was a city dweller’s pessimism. Its absence was a refreshing change.
Eventually, they arrived at their destination, and as luck—or the stars aligning at the right moment—would have it, they stepped into an elevator with no one right behind them. The doors whooshed closed while they were still alone.
She spun toward Jayce with a hand over her mouth. “I guess that wasn’t very nice of me. I probably should have waited.”
He stepped right into her space. “I’m glad you didn’t.”
