“No one here is from the office.” He gestured around the tourist-filled room.
“Except you.” She gave him a penetrating glare.
Both the look and the point grated. “So you trust my silence for whatever happens between us at night, but you don’t trust me during the day?”
Mallory let out a long-suffering sigh. “You miss the point. No one else from the office is here, but Lederman is due back soon and he’s unpredictable enough to show up unexpectedly. He works with the higher-ups and would probably love to talk. Then there’s Mrs. Lederman. Though she’s accommodating now, she can turn any time when she realizes it’s in her best interest.”
“And last night’s show?”
She dropped her shoulders in resignation. “I wanted information but I won’t risk going out in public like that again.”
Jack hated to admit she had valid points, only because it meant suffering through the torment of waiting till evening to see his Mallory again. With the ball in her court, he had no idea if or when he would see her again.
Frustration filled him. “Omelette for you, too?” he asked, changing the subject.
“Pancakes with a side order of bacon. A glass of orange juice. Oh, and coffee, please.”
The waitress, who had made her way over, jotted down their orders, then took the menus back from Mallory.
“Worked up an appetite last night, did you?” he asked.
Mallory pursed her lips, obviously wanting to smack him in his inflated ego. Jack grinned, enjoying teasing her and knowing she wouldn’t stay mad long. He waited for her carefully worded barb.
“Being carried off by a macho male has that effect on me,” came out of her mouth instead. A blush crept onto her cheeks at the unexpected omission. “And the coffee’s for you.”
He let out a loud laugh and the people at the neighboring table turned to look. She narrowed her eyes and glared, but instead of sobering, the more frustrated she got, the harder he chuckled.
“Can I help it if that scene you made brought out the worst in me?” Jack stopped laughing. His feelings last night were no joke.
“I had no idea you’d show up.”
“But once I did, you enjoyed it.” His stare never wavered.
“Maybe for a minute.” She bit down on her lower lip and leaned closer. Her honest blue eyes bore into his. “And only because I thought that jealousy bit was an act,” she said.
Surprise at her admission caught him off guard. His self-confident colleague had turned into a vulnerable woman. He’d never have believed it if he hadn’t heard her say so out loud.
He leaned closer, too, until their lips were inches apart and their breaths mingled. “That was no act.”
“At some point I realized that. But I never thought you’d react that way about me.”
“I sure as hell didn’t expect it either. Not at first glance.”
She tipped her head to the side, a serious expression crossing her face. “I appreciate the honesty.”
“Good. But I’m not finished yet.” Unable to get closer as she physically withdrew across the table, he grabbed for her hand instead. “I wasn’t jealous only because I’ve seen the seductress in you. I was jealous because I’m intrigued by you. By all of you.”
Her mouth opened and closed but no sound came out.
“Care to tell me why you wouldn’t think I’d be interested enough to get jealous?”
Considering the physical sensations that arced between them, Jack couldn’t understand why she’d doubted the sincerity and strength of that emotion.
She shrugged, then said simply, “Because no one’s ever reacted possessively with me.”
“Then I’d have to say you’ve had a string of stupid men in your life.”
She grinned. “And I’d have to agree with you.”