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***
Zack listened to the messages on his phone and chewed his lip. He was relieved Annie had called him although her apology for slapping him made him feel guilty. She had nothing to apologize for. It had been his fault. The kiss and the subsequent explanation were uncalled for. He'd felt like a cad and wanted to call her, but he wasn't sure if that was wise. Maybe they should just let it go, never see each other again.
All that flew out the window at the sound of her voice. Bob's call just added to his resolution to call Annie back.
"What did you do to Annie?" Bob said.
"Nothing. Well, okay, something, but I'll fix it."
"You'd better, DiMarco, because I've never seen her like this."
Oh hell, he'd rubbed Bob the wrong way and hurt Annie's feelings. "Maybe it's best I don't see her for a while." He said it partly to test the waters and partly because he felt it was the right thing to do.
"Crap. It's not the best thing. You better see her, and soon." Bob hung up, leaving Zack confused. What should he say to her? How could he make it up to her?
They needed to put the previous night out of their minds. The best way to do that was to go out, away from the privacy of home, but somewhere where they would be left alone...
He knew the perfect place. But knowing Annie, she wouldn't have anything appropriate to wear and he didn't want her to use that as an excuse.
***
At five, Annie left the office. She'd had enough of the day. If Zack didn't call, she'd curl up with a good book and forget about him. Forever. But a good dose of misery was boring without chocolate fudge ice cream so she stopped on the way home and purchased a tub. She also bought two Snickers bars and some Cheetos. No point doing things by halves.
When she got home, the red light on her answering machine flashed wildly. She pressed the button and listened as she put her groceries away.
"It's me," said Zack's sultry voice. "Call me when you get in."
The next message was also from him. "Bob said you left the office half an hour ago so either you've changed your mind about talking to me and you're listening to this right now, or you've stopped on the way home from work. I'm going with that option because my ego's too fragile today to cope with the other one. How about dinner?"
The machine beeped for the third message. "I'm on my way," Zack said. "If you're there and you've chickened out, don't even think about leaving or I'll just visit you tomorrow at work and embarrass the hell out of you. Besides, I've got something I want to show you."
Oh boy. She suddenly felt weak at the knees and had to sit lean against her kitchen bench to steady herself. Zack wanted to see her. Why? Probably he wanted to get revenge for last night. If she had any sense she'd leave the house right now, but she was sorely lacking in the sense department lately. Besides, she'd made the first move by leaving messages on his phone and now she had to face the consequences.
She thought about all the things she could possibly say to him. 'Sorry' sounded lame but it was all she came up with in the end.
She flipped open the lid on the ice cream tub. Situations like this called for serious thinking and she could only think if she was calm. Ice cream had that effect on her, especially the chocolate kind.
When the doorbell rang, she jumped, knocking the ice cream tub off the bench. Chocolate fudge splattered on the floor. She returned the tub to the bench but left the ice cream that had fallen out for Snoopy to lick up.
She opened the door. Oh boy. Zack wore a tuxedo. He looked hot enough to melt any woman's defenses and Annie could feel hers pooling in the pit of her stomach. His hair was combed back into sleek waves and his chin was hairless, quite an achievement considering he seemed to have a permanent five o'clock shadow.
"Wow," she breathed, then bit her lip because she hadn't meant to say it out loud.
He lifted both eyebrows. "Do I pass your inspection?"
She nodded. "But you're going to look a little over dressed next to me. I haven't exactly got anything that meets those standards."
He held up a bag which she hadn't noticed him carrying. "Don't worry. I bought you something."
"Zack, you shouldn't have."
"Well, I can't go around with a shabby looking woman on my arm, can I?"
"Shabby! I might look ordinary, but shabby's taking it a bit far."
He grinned and chucked her under the chin. "Teasing you is like taking candy from a baby." He pushed past her and held out the bag. "Try it on."
"What if it doesn't fit?"
He held out his hands and shrugged his shoulders in a gesture typical of his Italian heritage. "I spent an entire day shopping with you, I think I know your size."
She still didn't move so he took her by the shoulders and steered her toward the bedroom door. "Promise I won't walk in on you naked." He handed her the bag, gently shoved her through and closed the door before she could protest.
But that wasn't going to stop her. She opened the door and poked her head round. "This could take a while. I have to put makeup on and do something with this hair."
"I know. The booking's for eight. Snoopy will keep me company until you're ready."
"I doubt it. He's in the kitchen licking my floor clean of chocolate fudge. He's in doggy Heaven."
Zack put one arm against the door frame and leaned towards her. He smelled edible. He looked cheeky. "So that's why you were late? Stopped off for ice cream, eh? That a comfort thing?"
Annie had the great satisfaction of slamming the door in his smiling face.
***
Zack felt like a teenager as he waited for Annie to finish dressing. He paced the cleanly licked floor of her small kitchen, then stopped mid-stride as Snoopy cocked his head to one side and looked up at him.
"You're right. I'm behaving like an idiot." He helped himself to the tub of ice cream. "This isn't a date. It's two friends having a nice dinner."
Half an hour later, he'd flipped on the TV but not even sport could soothe his anxiety. Last night had been an embarrassment, a blow to his ego. He thought he'd ruined everything with his smartass comment about the kiss being part of her training. He regretted saying it and he wanted to make it up to her. But he'd been worried all day about how she'd react. It had been an enormous relief to hear her voice on his answering machine that afternoon. Now all he had to do was explain why he'd kissed her in the first place. That wouldn't be easy.
Finally, the bedroom door opened and Annie made her entrance. Zack released his breath and stood.
Her strapless black dress, flecked with gold, shimmered in the waning light. It hugged her petite frame, enhancing the nip of her tiny waist and the gentle roundness of her hips. Her breasts swelled over the top of the dress and he wished he could place his lips on the exposed flesh. She wore her hair up with sexy tendrils falling from her temples down her cheeks. Her makeup was subtle yet perfect for her naturally pretty features.
She was, by far, the most stunning woman he'd ever seen.
"You look incredible," he said quietly, his voice sounding unnatural to his ears.
"Thanks to the dress," she said in that self-deprecating way of hers. Why did she do that? What made her think she wasn't good enough?
"No. The dress is just a piece of material. But you..." He took her jacket and placed it around her shoulders. He caught a whiff of her perfume and had to hold himself back from burying his face in the hollow of her throat.
"Ready?" His voice caught. He coughed to hide it, but she'd noticed.
A small smile crept across her lips and he was damned if he didn't feel himself blushing. He must be, because her intense blue eyes sparkled with laughter.
"The bike's parked outside," he said.
The sparkle disappeared. "The bike! You don't expect me to—"
He grinned. "No, I've brought the Aston Martin."
"I didn't know you owned a Aston Martin."
"There's a lot of things you don't know about me."
"I'm beginning to realize that."
Annie told Snoopy not to wait up then closed the door behind them. Zack opened the car door for her then got into the driver's seat.
"So where are we going?" she asked.
"Jacques. It's a nice little restaurant—"
"I know where it is."
"You've been there?"
"Not recently." Like never. She couldn't even afford the hors d'oeuvres. "So what's the big occasion? Is this part of the curriculum?"
He shrugged. "Sort of. Our kiss last night got me thinking. I suppose it was part of your training. All eighteen-year-old guys love it when an older woman comes onto them."
"But I don't want to come onto him! He's a kid and he's annoying." And she didn't like Zack encouraging her to kiss other men...er, boys. Besides, there'd been more to that kiss than he'd let on. She was sure of it.
