New York, Actually (From Manhattan with Love 4)

“I’d love to, but Lucas is locked in front of his computer and I have some work I need to do. Another time? Call me if you need anything else.” Eva vanished and Daniel closed the door and turned to Molly. The look he gave her made her head swim.

“Daniel—”

“Are you afraid of me, or yourself?”

“Excuse me?” She was beginning to wish she hadn’t drunk the wine on an empty stomach.

“You invited Eva to join us because you didn’t want to be alone with me, but you didn’t need to do that.” He walked to the kitchen and put the food down on the counter. “When we eventually take this further it will be because you’re ready and because you want it as much as I do. And that isn’t going to be when you’re feeling fragile and vulnerable.”

“I’m not vulnerable.”

“Valentine is sick and you’re staying in the apartment of a man you barely know. That makes you vulnerable.”

“Maybe. A little.” It was the truth. Why deny it?

“You don’t need Eva to protect you from me, Molly.” He spoke softly. “When we get together it’s going to be because of what we’re feeling for each other, and nothing else.”

The fact that he made it sound like a foregone conclusion made her heart bump against her chest.

She should probably argue, but the words wouldn’t come. Instead she chose a safe topic. “I didn’t know you knew Eva.”

His eyes held hers for a moment and then he gave a faint smile and accepted the change. “I don’t know her that well. Eva, Frankie and Paige run Urban Genie. I happen to be friendly with Paige’s brother, so when I found out they were offering event and concierge services, I put them in touch with Fliss and Harriet. Plenty of people in Manhattan need dog walking. I’ve seen more of Eva since she moved in with Lucas, my neighbor.”

She blinked. “Small world.”

“It is. But she’s gone back to her little world, leaving us in ours. So here’s what I suggest. We’re going to pretend we’ve forgotten about that kiss. If I don’t look at your mouth, and you don’t look at mine, I figure we might manage it. We’ll ignore the chemistry and the fact that keeping my hands off you is becoming a challenge, and tonight we’ll focus on getting to know each other a little better.”

“You’re right. We should forget about it totally.” Except that trying not to think about the kiss made it the only thing in her head.

“I never said anything about forgetting it totally.” His eyes gleamed. “I have every intention of revisiting it once you’re not anxious and worried and thinking about Valentine.”

“We won’t be revisiting it.” But she liked the fact that he didn’t say “your dog.” He made it seem as if he cared.

“I like you, Molly.” His honesty was disarming. “I liked you enough to borrow a dog to get to meet you.”

“You hadn’t spoken to me then, so you couldn’t have known you liked me.”

“I admit that it might have been your legs I noticed first. And your hair—the way it swings. I want to pull it down and—never mind.” His voice was raw. “It doesn’t matter what I want to do with it.”

“You borrowed a dog because you liked my hair?”

“And the way you ran. As if you were killing the tarmac. Damn it, can we talk about something else?” He paced back to the kitchen, grabbed plates of food and took them to the table in the living room. “Have you ever been to Antarctica?”

“No.” She was startled by the question. “Have you?”

“No.”

“But you want to? Why mention it?”

“Because I was trying to have cold thoughts. I started off thinking of crushed ice in a margarita but it wasn’t enough. Neither was winter in New York. I was trying Antarctica, but I think I might have to give in and settle for a cold shower. No, don’t sit next to me—” he gestured with his hand “—sit across from me. I feel safer with a table of food in between us.”

Unsettled and more than a little flattered, she sat down.

The sofas were deep and comfortable and had been arranged to make the most of the view. This late, all she could see was darkness and sparkle.

“I always wondered how it would feel to have a view of the park.”

“It feels good. When I have time to look at it.” He added a few more things to a plate and handed it to her. “Eat. And tell me about Valentine. How did you find him?”