Prologue
Naomi listened to her date,nodding and smiling politely at the right moments, while she idly twirled some spaghetti around her fork. Stifling a sigh, she had to admit that her first date since moving to New York a few months ago, was a total bust. It wasn’t that she was bored so much. His stories were actually pretty entertaining. It just wasn’t exactly what she’d anticipated.
She wasn’t looking for a romance, or a relationship, but she’d been lonely. Last week she’d joined the crowds in the streets to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. She still remembered the thrill and excitement of that, and the tang of the chill air on her cheeks, the occasional snowflake landing on her nose. The Parade seemed to have set off the festive season in a big way, with Christmas carols filling the air from every side, Santas on the corner, people shopping for gifts.
She had never experienced anything like that before, Christmas hadn’t been celebrated in her family. Nor anything else, to be honest. So she hadn’t been prepared for the surge of longing that swept through her, the loneliness. She’d always been alone, except for her twin sister, who was lost to her now. So when the son of the corner bodega’s owner had asked her out for dinner, she’d accepted.
She’d looked forward with enthusiasm to an evening of conversation… that is, conversation going both ways. Instead, Wayne went on and on, with story after story, without even enough pause for her to insert a comment. But dinner was nice. He’d brought her to a lovely little Italian restaurant a few blocks from where she lived. It was simple, offering the traditional fare, nothing fancy, but so tasty! This was going to be one of her favorite places to come eat out.
When the waiter brought their bill, she rummaged in her purse for her wallet.
He waved a hand dismissively. “Nah, I’ve got this, babe.”
Naomi winced. Babe? Still… she felt weird letting him pay.
“I’d expected to pay my half,” she ventured. But again he waved her offer off. She didn’t know whether to keep pushing or let him pay. For heaven’s sake, she didn’t even know what to expect on a first date! Feeling uncomfortable, she put her wallet back in her purse, sliding the strap over her shoulder in preparation for leaving.
“That was lovely,” she told him with real appreciation as they left the restaurant, Wayne holding the door for her to exit. “I hadn’t discovered this restaurant yet, so I’m glad you brought me here.”
“Yeah, it’s a good place. Hey, do you mind if we stop at the bodega? I told my dad I’d go by and check to be sure everything’s secure before I head home.”
“Yes, of course,” she agreed, and they turned their steps back home. “Have you lived in New York all your life.”
“Yeah, born and raised. You?”
She thought his “yeah’s” were going to get on her nerves, but she bit back the momentary irritation. “I’m from near Miami,” she said. “I moved up here this last summer.”
Drawing in a deep breath, she sniffed the crisp night air appreciatively. Apparently the snow did wonders for tamping down the smog. “We didn’t have snow, so I’m loving this.”
“There was snow on Thanksgiving,” Wayne commented.
“Yes, but just a few snowflakes, like this.” She laughed, turning her face up to catch some snowflakes on her face. “I can’t wait for a real snowfall!”
He snorted in derision. “You’ll get what you asked for, for sure. Just remember you wanted it.”
Naomi grinned. “I’ll remember.”
Bypassing the front of the closed bodega, Wayne led her around the corner, down a dark, narrow alley. Naomi wrinkled her nose at the smells coming from the trash cans lining the alley. Yuck, couldn’t they have gone in the front door. But he unlocked the back door and opened it, and she followed him inside. Never having been in the back part of any kind of store, she looked around with interest. There were the expected shelves with stock, and a large walk-in freezer. A desk, overflowing with papers, was placed in one corner, with a couple of chairs in attendance. One door led to the store, and another door to, presumably, a bathroom.
An arm sliding about her waist startled her, and she half turned to look questioningly at Wayne. His face was uncomfortably close, and she shrank away. His arm tightened, keeping her close. Her heart began thumping an alarmed beat at the heated look in his eyes.
“So, babe,” he said.
She tried taking a step back, but he pulled her close. His free hand came to cup her chin, and his mouth descended on hers. She recoiled from the open, wet kiss, his thick tongue forcing its way between her lips. She pushed at him, struggling to free herself, and inside, her cat raised her head, hissing, ears folded back. Wayne raised his head, and she gasped for air, struggling not to gag.
“Let me go!”
A look of anger flashed in his eyes, his face darkening. “Don’t play games with me. You know you want it.”
Want it? It took a minute for his meaning to sink in.
“It was just a dinner date,” she protested.
An unpleasant grin stretched his lips, and his eyes glinted. “Yeah, and now I’m gonna have the dessert I paid for.”
Oh, god.
“I offered to pay my half,” she whispered, shaking. Her knees were trembling so hard she could hardly stand. Her cat watched, silent, but lurking closer to the surface.
