“Sure.”
“I have a nice Cabernet, a Malbec, and a Syrah. Which would you like? Or maybe you’d prefer tea or soda? Water?”
Jane did her best not to cross her eyes in consternation. She could be sophisticated. He didn’t have to “water” down her choices, though honestly, she’d probably prefer iced tea. “You pick the wine. All I know is the difference between red and white. By color, mind you, not by taste.”
He grinned. “The Malbec it is.” He poured two glasses, one for her and one for him, then waited.
She looked at him in question.
“I’m trying to be polite. You taste it first.”
“Oh.” She did her best not to blush, but his smile told her she’d failed. She took a sip. “Not bad.”
He nodded and sipped at his glass. “Yep. You have good taste.”
She smiled back at him, nonplused when he focused on her mouth before hurrying back to the steak.
Probably her imagination. “So you wanted to know about the Poulsbo RA?”
“Yeah. Like I said, I spoke with your friend Grace. She’d make aheck of a manager when her boss leaves, I think later this year.” He turned to grab something from the oven.
“Good luck with that. Grace likes keeping her hands in all the pies. She doesn’t want to supervise the bakers.”
“I understand that. I’m more a supervisor myself.”
“I know.”
He chuckled, his back to her, and she realized he stood a few inches taller than her. Odd, as he’d never seemed that big before. Though he didn’t have the breadth of shoulders her uncle and most of his meaty mercenaries did, Matthew wasn’t small.
Jane could still take him down.
That knowledge pleased her, and she started to relax.
Though she tried to help, he had the meal already prepared. A nice steak, potatoes au gratin, some kind of delicious smelling veggie casserole, and salads.
They spoke about the squad while he plated the steaks, and together, they set everything on the table out back. He’d previously set it with a lovely navy-striped runner over a wooden picnic table.
Box shrubs towered at the back of the patio, bordered by wooden slat fences and thin, flowering trees with a few hydrangeas for color. In front of the shrubs roared a gas fireplace, the long hearth a nice contrast against the greenery to its back and the sapphire-blue sky spotted with white puffy clouds overhead.
They had plenty of privacy while outside under the pale swath of evening.
“This is like paradise,” she murmured, surprised to see him blush.
“Yeah. I spend a lot of time out here. Especially when it’s this nice out.”
She nodded. “I agree. It’s perfect weather.” Not too hot or too cold, but just right for her jeans and short-sleeved blouse, though she’d brought along a light jacket for warmth…also in the car, dang it.
When they’d finished bringing everything out, she moved to sit and was taken aback when he held her chair out for her.
“Oh, er, thanks.”
He smiled down at her, his blue eyes deep. “Of course.”
The meal didn’t stay awkward, though. As they ate a delicious dinner, they spoke again about work, a topic with which Jane felt comfortable. The conversation moved to Natalie Grimshaw and Matthew’s new responsibilities as an assistant special agent in charge.
Jane couldn’t believe the meal had gone by so quickly. Or that she’d eaten every bite.
“I have to say, you’re an amazing cook.”
