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“Just any steak and ale place will do,” he said.
She chuckled. “Any one, huh?”
He gave her a curious look, and she grinned on the way to her room. Toya left the door open and stripped before stepping into a warm shower. The stresses of the day melted away. As she washed her body, she kept thinking Tripp would come bursting in. She half hoped he would, but he never came. The sharp disappointment had her wondering if he hid anger at how she’d interacted with Kel. Perhaps she should have pushed to make him talk about it.
After she did her makeup and hair, she slipped into an off the shoulder sweater dress and pulled on grey high heeled boots. Tripp whistled seeing her stroll into the living room.
“Thanks.” She smiled. “Do you need to freshen up?”
“Please.”
He passed her with his overnight bag and swatted her on the ass. Toya couldn’t shake the chill of delight at having a man in her place again, a man who would be spending the night. Damn, letting him stay was a bad idea. She should have stuck with the hotel.
“Won’t be long,” he called.
She yanked the door closed with a bit too much force.
Later at dinner, he searched the restaurant she’d chosen with a slight frown on his face. “I think I might be underdressed,” he said. “Every other man seems to be wearing a tie.”
She looked around. “No, it’s fine. The dress code here isn’t that strict. I think everybody might be just coming in from work. That seems to be par for the course here.”
He tugged at his shirt collar anyway. The man couldn’t know how good he looked with hair curling at his nape in a way that made her want to run her fingers through it.
“This is what you like?” he asked.
“You don’t? I’m sorry. Would you prefer to go somewhere else?” She could kick herself for not listening to what he said earlier. They were so different. “You wanted to keep things casual. I’m so used to doing it up. We should go.” She stood.
He caught her hand and gently pulled her back into her seat. “No, it’s fine. How about ice skating after we eat?”
She tossed him a look of doubt, and he laughed.
“I can skate. I grew up near a pond that was excellent for ice skating in the winter.”
Toya leaned her chin on one hand and sighed. “Wow, that seems so…I don’t know, small-town homey and warm.”
He leaned forward and touched the outside of her knee, which was visible beneath the table since she’d turned slightly sideways in her chair. “Are you making fun of me?”
“No, of course not. I think it’s cool, a huge difference from what I’m used to.” She lowered her eyes a second and then looked back at him. “You’re different from what I’m used to.”
His gentle caress became a suggestive squeeze, and she pressed her legs together.
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“Do.”
Their dinner arrived, and they ate over companionable conversation. Toya laughed at his more bizarre arrest stories. “So you’re telling me this fool hid in the crawlspace in the attack and got stuck to avoid going to jail?”
Tripp held up two fingers as if doing the scouts swear. “He was a big guy.”
She stuck her foot out under the table and ran it along his leg. “But I bet you took him down with no problem.”
“Naturally.” Tripp caught her foot and caressed the outside of her boot and then higher to her thigh. Her breath caught in her throat. Good thing she had eaten all she was going to. His attention reminded her of what a bad idea it had been to wear heels tonight.
She frowned. “I’m not sure about ice skating. I’ve been on my feet all day, and they’re achy. I shouldn’t have worn these boots, especially when you suggested walking. Real smart, Toya.”
Concern replaced the smile on Tripp’s face. “Your feet hurt? Why didn’t you tell me?” Without a second thought, he scooted to the side of the table and began lowering the zipper on her boot.
Toya scanned the area around them. “What are you doing?”
