Page 9 of Blood Money

“I wasn’t?” He was right, but she hadn’t realized he’d picked up on that. She shouldn’t be surprised, though. As a seasoned detective he was exceedingly perceptive. Something she both admired and feared.

Perceptive people—detectives, more specifically—were too good at digging up secrets.

“Nope.” Gray set his glass down and took her free hand in his. “You needed time to settle in and get to know me. You were a little standoffish,” he continued. “Secretive, even.”

Secretive? Alex swallowed.

“So what secrets are you hiding?”

Alex’s stomach lurched. His lips were smiling, but she wasn’t certain it made it to his eyes. “I-I don’t have any secrets.” She pulled her hand from his and took a long sip of wine. “I’m the proverbial open book.”

Liar. And great way to start a relationship.

Gray’s eyes sharpened. “When you first got here, you had more secrets than Pandora’s Box. It took you two months before you put your son’s photo on your desk, then another month before you started talking to me.”

“I’m sorry.” And she was, truly. But being careful about letting people into her and Nicky’s lives had become automatic. She had felt an insanely strong attraction to Gray from day one, but she’d forced herself to keep him at a distance. It was safer that way. It not only protected her heart, but her past.

“Only recently,” Gray said as he swirled his wine, “did I start getting vibes that you might actually say yes if I asked you out.”

Part of her heart melted into a pool of warm honey, but she also knew Gray dated a lot. She’d seen some of the glamorous women waiting for him outside One PP. One was even a movie star from one of those Law and Order TV shows.

“Do you still date a lot?” Alex didn’t really want to hear the answer, but she needed to know if he played the field.

“Still?” Gray grinned. “I never dated a lot.”

Alex shook her head. “That’s not what I hear.”

“Was there a department memo I missed?”

“No. I just pick up on things. Here and there.” Alex inwardly rolled her eyes. She could not believe she was actually having this conversation. Sniffing around like a jealous teenager.

“Where exactly?” He narrowed his eyes. “Fess up, or I’ll go all detective on you. Like you said, I have a way with people.”

“Fine.” She laughed. “It was in the break room. The other women were talking about all the dating you do.”

“I wouldn’t call it dating, exactly.” A sheepish look came over his handsome features.

“So it’s just sex for you?”

“I wouldn’t say it’s that, either.”

“Then what would you say it is?” No matter what she felt, she refused to get involved with a man—even Gray—who was only interested in sex.

“Unimportant.” He clasped both her hands.

Beneath his hands, Alex tightened hers into fists. “So you’re saying you have sex with women and it doesn’t mean anything?”

“That’s not what I’m saying.” Despite her clenched fists, he managed to pry her hands open so he could thread his fingers through hers. “I care about every woman I’ve ever had sex with, but as far as a lasting future with them, they’ve all been unimportant, and I’ve known that before spending a single minute in their beds. Until now I haven’t found anyone I wanted to really spend time with, let alone sit and talk with as much I do with you.”

He shrugged before continuing. “If it goes beyond that, I’ll consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth.”

Alex canted her head, his words triggering a distant memory. Feminine instinct warned that this was a classic line used by every man throughout history. But Gray wasn’t every man. She knew him, and she believed what he’d just told her. Still… “Where have I heard that line before?”

“You got me,” he admitted with a smile. “Lou Gehrig, during his farewell speech.”

“Ah, Pride of the Yankees. You really are a Yankee fan.”

“To the core.”