Down & Dirty (Lightning 1)

But the gala is for Children’s Hospital and my signature can grease the wheels for tens of thousands of dollars in donations. I think the whole thing is ridiculous—people should donate because it’s the right thing to do, not because they get something out of it. But if I’ve learned anything in the last ten years, it’s that people like to have a good time if they’re being separated from their money. And part of that good time is being wined and dined by guys like me, even though there’s only one person I want to wine and dine right now.

Eventually, though, she pulls away. “We should probably go,” she murmurs, voice husky and lips shiny and swollen. “I mean, if we’re going to.”

I sigh heavily even as I let her lead me to the door. “I know, I know.” I watch as she locks up, then, as we’re walking to my car, ask, “Are you mad and just really good at hiding it? Or am I missing something?”

Again, to her credit, she doesn’t pretend to misunderstand. “I was mad,” she admits. “Then realized the anger was more about me than it was about you. So I decided to give you the benefit of the doubt.”

“I appreciate that,” I answer, because I really do. Still, I have to ask. “Why did you send the stuff back?”

“Why did you buy it for me in the first place?” she counters, brows raised.

Of all the things she could have asked, that was never even on my radar. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, what made you go out and spend tens of thousands of dollars on a woman you barely know?”

“First of all, we’ve spent over a dozen hours together during the last three days. That’s more time than three or four normal dates, so I take exception to the whole ‘we barely know each other gambit.’ And secondly, it was only a couple of tens of thousands, so not as much as you made it out to be.” Four, but what’s twenty grand when you’re trying to get a woman’s attention? “And third, I bought that stuff for the same reason I brought you daisies. I’m trying to woo you.”

“?‘Woo me’?”

I grind my teeth, go all in. “Yes. Woo you.”

“Is that even a thing anymore?”

“Apparently not, since you seem singularly unimpressed.” I open the passenger-side door and wait for her to climb in before closing it and jogging around to my side.

“Were you really trying to woo me?” she asks as I climb in.

“Well, I sure as hell didn’t spend two hours of my life picking that dress out for you because I was trying to make you mad.”

“You picked it out yourself?”

“Of course I did. And the lingerie.” I try not to scowl as I think about all the fantasies I had of her glorious ass in those panties.

“And the Loubis?”

“And the Loubis. I was afraid they were overkill, but Tanner insisted that—”

“Tanner? You talked to Tanner Green about this?”

“He’s my best friend. Of course I did. And he said Loubis were the way to a woman’s heart.” My own speeds up as I realize what I’ve just said. Talk about tipping my hand too early.

But it doesn’t freak Emerson out the way I’m afraid it will. Instead, her eyes go big and her mouth trembles. Then she reaches for me and pulls me into a kiss that fries every single one of my once-functioning brain cells.

“Tanner’s also the one who used the word ‘woo,’?” I tell her a little hazily when she finally pulls away. “So if you want to kiss me for that, too, I’ll be sure to pass on the message—”

“Don’t push your luck.” She slaps a hand on my chest to keep me from leaning in for another kiss. “And for the record,” she continues. “It wasn’t the Loubis that did you in.”

I try to focus on what she’s saying, but it’s hard considering my blood is roaring in my ears and every instinct I have is screaming at me to take her, to fuck her, right here, right now, in full view of anyone who walks by.

“It wasn’t?” Jesus. Am I drooling? I wipe a surreptitious hand across my mouth, just in case.

“Nope. Tanner was right. I loved them.”

“Then why’d you send them back?” I ask, totally frustrated.

“Because the earrings were too much. Way too much, considering we hadn’t even had our first date.”

“Again, I call bullshit on that. I kissed you the first day we looked at houses. Made you come four times yesterday. And today I’m hoping to get to do that again—and maybe a little more, if you’re amenable. So, bullshit. This is our third date.”