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“You still want to leave,” Alexander said once Matteo was out of earshot. It was a statement, but his eyes were questioning.

I didn’t want to leave, but in the end, I knew it would be safer than staying here and facing the blatant sexuality between us. Much safer.

“Yes. I really should go,” I said, summoning up the will from the depths of who knows where.

Alexander acknowledged me with a nod and pulled his cellphone from his pocket.

“Hale, we’ll be out in two,” he said in a clipped voice to someone over the phone before pocketing it again.

“Who’s Hale?” I asked.

“My driver. The one who brought you here tonight. Come on, I’ll walk you out,” he said, taking hold of my hand.

We made our way through the empty restaurant to the front doors. When we stepped outside into the cool night air, I wrapped my arms around myself to ward off the evening chill. Alexander’s car was waiting at the curb to take me home.

“Hale will be by your place to pick you up tomorrow, same time,” Alexander said as he opened the door of the SUV.

“Alex…” I trailed off as he placed a finger over my lips to silence me. I shook my head in a forced attempt to deny him.

“Tomorrow,” he repeated seriously. “My place. No frills this time. No fancy dinner. Just drinks and conversation. A lot was left unsaid tonight. We’ll talk some more and see where it takes us.”

“This is a bad idea, Alex. You don’t know anything about me. I’ll be too much trouble for someone like you,” I said quietly, trying to dissuade him once more.

“Baby, I already know you’ll be nothing but trouble for me,” he said with a chuckle, leaning down to place a light kiss on my forehead. “But the taste of your lips has persuaded me to go for it anyways. Have a goodnight, Miss Cole.”

“Good night, Mr. Stone,” was all I could muster before climbing into the SUV.

I looked up at him once I was seated. That devilish gleam was back in his eyes.

“Wear a skirt again tomorrow. When I look at those long legs of yours, I like to imagine them wrapped around me,” he said with a wink before closing the door of the vehicle.

Alexander

I watched the car pull away, frustrated that things had ended so suddenly. Just when I thought I was starting to close the gap between us, she made for the door.

I scared her. She thinks I’m a freak in the sheets.

A smile tugged at the edges of my mouth at her terminology.

Oh, baby. You have no idea.

Krystina didn’t know how close to the mark she had hit. My usual direct tactics weren’t going to work. I would have to tread more carefully. One wrong move and I’d blow it. I needed to change the game if I wanted to find my way into Krystina.

“Well, well…Stone dining with a woman. I thought I’d never see the day,” Matteo said from behind me. I turned to find him leaning against the doorjamb of the restaurant entrance, scratching his head in disbelief.

“Christ, not you, too. I’ve already been getting sideways looks from Hale. It’s not what you think, Matt,” I denied weakly.

“I gotta admit, when you called to ask me to set this night up, I was a little surprised. I just didn’t say anything because I wanted to see this girl for myself first,” he said with a knowing smirk.

I glared at him.

“Weren’t you supposed to be going home?” I snarled. However, Matteo knew my words carried no real heat.

“I was just on my way out. But I’ll stay and have a drink with you if you want?”

“Make it a stiff one,” I said and followed him back inside.

I pulled one of the stools down from the bar and took a seat. Matteo ducked down behind the counter, and I could hear the clinking of glass. When he stood, I saw he had managed to produce a couple of old-fashioned lowball glasses and a bottle of Knob Creek, despite his limited stock.