The sound she made was half gasp, half laugh. “You have a glass-fronted office.”
“I know.” There was an edge to his tone. “A design decision I’m now regretting. So it will have to be my place. Fifteen minutes?”
A zing of excitement shot through her body. “I have a meeting across town.”
“Rearrange it.”
“Jake, I can’t! This is my business, and thanks to you the phone is finally ringing off the hook.”
“I never should have let you organize that event.” He dragged his hand over the back of his neck. “Fine, take your meeting. But come to my place straight afterward. Don’t go home first.”
She couldn’t breathe. “But if I’m seeing you, then I want to change, and—”
“Whatever clothes you put on, I’m going to strip them off and whatever makeup you wear I’m going to kiss off so don’t waste time.”
Her heart was pounding. This was Jake, Jake, talking to her as if she were a woman. He wasn’t holding back and he certainly wasn’t protecting her.
“I thought—we weren’t—” She was torn between elation and confusion. “It was an amazing night, Jake, but I thought we agreed that it was just one night.”
“You said that. I didn’t.”
“I assumed it was what you wanted.”
“It isn’t what I want. I’ve driven myself crazy protecting you and keeping my distance. You don’t want that, and I don’t want that, either.”
Her heart was pounding. “So—”
“So that’s settled. I’ll see you later. As soon as you can make it. Oh, and Paige—” his voice stopped her in the doorway “—there won’t be other people.”
“Excuse me?”
“You said that we were both free to see other people, but when I’m with a woman, I’m with a woman. She is my starter, my main course and my dessert. There are no side dishes.”
The breath left her lungs in a rush. “I didn’t know you had a possessive side.”
He dug his hands into his pockets and gave a wry shrug. “I guess we don’t know everything there is to know about each other. In some things, I don’t share well. This is one of them.”
“Neither do I.” She could have told him that he didn’t need to worry about sharing her. Not only would she never dream of being in a relationship that wasn’t exclusive, but her love life was more of a calorie-controlled diet than a feast.
“I’ll take my meeting,” she said huskily, “and then I’ll see you at your place.”
* * *
THE FOLLOWING FRIDAY, Jake strolled into Romano’s to talk to Maria and saw Paige at their usual table in the corner, talking to Frankie and Eva.
Jake only saw Paige. The late-evening sun sent light dancing across her dark hair and she was laughing with that wide, generous smile that always made him want to smile, too.
He’d been in San Francisco for the past couple of days, and he’d thought of her every minute. His concentration was shot. People had to say things to him twice.
For years he’d kept his hands off her, and he had no idea how.
It was a wonder he hadn’t blown out a few mental circuits.
He wanted to haul her into his arms and make up for lost time, despite the fact that they’d spent every spare minute of the past week doing exactly that.
“Hi, Jake.” Matt stood up, and Jake realized with a start of shock that he hadn’t even noticed his friend.
Paige had filled his field of vision.