Page 25 of Disavowed

“Exactly.” He nodded, leaning forward over Nicky’s knees. “It’s all about finding something your pupil can relate to.”

“I see.” She also leaned forward. “Did the army teach you this ballistic method to do other useful things, like count your missiles?”

“As a matter of fact, it did.” He grinned, enjoying her snappy comeback.

They stared at each other, neither moving, neither giving an inch.

“Are you guys gonna kiss?” Nicky wrapped his arms around his shoulders, then pursed his lips and made smacking, smooching noises.

Daisy jerked backward, as if suddenly realizing their mouths were only inches apart.

“Hey.” Dom gave Nicky a sharp look. “Back to your homework, pal.”

“Dinner’s ready.” Alex poked her head through the open door to the kitchen. “Nicky, you can finish your homework later.”

“Okay, Mommy.” Nicky got up from the sofa and climbed over Dom’s legs, leaving him and Daisy alone in the living room.

“Dinner, you two,” Gray shouted from the kitchen.

He turned to see Gray with two beers in his hand. When he turned back, Daisy had already gotten up, a palpable look of relief on her face. He followed her, pausing to yank one of the bottles from Gray’s hand. “What the fuck are you doing?” he hissed under his breath.

“Nothing.” Gray held up his free hand.

“Bullshit.” As he turned to follow Daisy into the dining room, he noted a large white schematic on the kitchen counter, then his eyes were drawn to her hips swaying back and forth beneath that long, black skirt. He imagined his hands cupping the globes of her perfectly shaped ass.

When she pulled out a chair for herself, he automatically rounded the table and pushed in the chair for her as she sat. He was reminded of the night he’d done that in Alex’s kitchen. The first night they’d met.

She cleared her throat and glanced over her shoulder at him. “Thank you.”

He sat next to her, suddenly overwhelmed with awareness, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do to stop it. As beat to shit as he was, his skin felt prickly, and the hairs on his neck stood at attention. He didn’t know how the hell he’d survive dinner sitting not six inches from her.

Alex began ladling up heaping bowls of beef stew while Gray dished up salad and Nicky helped by passing around rolls and butter.

“I saw the drawings on the table,” Dom said, unable to just sit there or he’d go nuts. “What are you ladies working on?” He looked from Daisy to Alex.

“Daisy has a very prestigious design contract with the Piazza Hotel.” Alex accepted the breadbasket from Nicky and selected a roll. “She beat out nearly twenty other floral designers who bid on the project. That’s quite a coup.”

“Ah, yes. The Piazza.” Dom raised a brow with the intention of reminding Daisy of their conversation about that wimp, Andrew Foust. “The Piazza’s big time. Congrats,” he said to her.

“Thank you.” She gave him a quick smile and then spread a linen napkin on her lap. “I’ve been working on it for months. The grand reopening is less than a week away.”

Dom caught Daisy’s gaze. “When did you start your company?”

She turned to him, her eyes sparkling with excitement, the first look she’d given him in a year that wasn’t all fired up with anger or resentment.

“Around ten years ago, but it was just a little shop at first. A tiny corner bodega until business began booming and I moved to my current location. I’ve been in the floral industry since I was eighteen, and I love every minute of it. Anything to do with flowers and I’m hooked.”

Dom smiled. She wasn’t his, but he found himself inordinately proud of her accomplishments.

“So what about you boys?” She tore open a roll and looked at Gray. “What have you both been working on? Any interesting cases?”

He met Gray’s gaze, saying nothing.

“Daddy’s been working on something he can’t talk about,” Nicky answered with his mouth full of stew.

“Sweetie, don’t talk with your mouth full,” Alex admonished.

“Okay, Mommy,” Nicky replied, still chewing.