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“I hate to tell you this, but you only had one and you didn’t have any wine with dinner. I think you needed to vent.”
Mateo’s voice was gentle. It matched the look in his eyes. “Is that why you don’t live in Charleston?”
“Yeah. It’s why I want to be a banker. Lionel Security and Trust Bank does a lot of loans for small start-up businesses. They do strenuous evaluations and I would really like to learn everything I could from this side of the business on what they require.”
“Why?”
“I checked it out. I would only need fourteen more credits to earn an MBA in nonprofit leadership. If I knew what banks needed for start-up businesses from their side of the table, and I had a firm foundation of nonprofit education, then I should be able to help people.”
“So, no Charleston charity luncheons for you, huh?”
“God, no,” she laughed. “I’d have to diet. That’s a four-letter word I abhor.”
He frowned. “I can’t imagine why anyone would think you would need to go on a diet. Your body looks perfect to me.”
Lainey blushed.
“Okay,” she finally said. “That’s nice. In that case you won’t mind when I say that I want to see the dessert menu.”
“You can have dessert. I’m saving my appetite for more alfajores and milk when we get back to your home.”
“I’m glad you liked them.” Lainey looked down to where their forearms were touching and Mateo did what he’d wanted to do all night. He took her hand and laced his fingers through hers.
“Like is too lackluster of a word to describe how I feel about those cookies. Instead of me just liking them, how about I lust after them, I’m in love with them, and long for them?”
This time, she didn’t just laugh. She threw back her head and really laughed. As she tried to control herself, she snorted, and she turned beet red.
“Well, there you go. You’re never going to want to go out with me again. I snort when I really laugh out loud.”
“Yeah, and it’s adorable,” Mateo said, as he gave her hand a comforting squeeze.
“Hmm hm. I believe you. I’ve got your number now. You’re just after me for my treats.”
He brushed his thumb over the top of her hand. He watched how her pupils got bigger and she shivered. “I definitely want a treat from you.”
“I don’t give out the kinds of treats I think you’re talking about on the first date.”
She didn’t pull her hand away from his, which was a good sign in his book. “How about a kiss? Do you give those away on the first date?”
Lainey’s gaze dropped to his lips and Mateo felt it in his groin. God, what was he thinking? He just wanted information; he didn’t want to seduce this woman. She was the enemy.
Supposedly.
“Why don’t you take me home and find out?”
“How about we take your dessert to go?” Mateo suggested.
Lainey blushed and nodded.
Mateo grinned when Lainey didn’t move to open her car door. She had definitely been brought up in the South. It worked out well, because he liked opening doors and doing all the gentlemanly things for ladies. It was how his mother raised him and Luis. The Argentine way. The rare times that his mother would go out on a date, she would often come home disgusted with the lack of manners that American men displayed.
Mateo held out a hand for Lainey to grasp as she unfolded out of his Dodge Challenger.
“You know how you feel about the alfajores?” she asked as he brushed the small of her back and guided her toward the entrance of her building.
“Yes.”
“That’s how I feel about your car.”
