What Happens In Vegas... Doesn't Always Stay There (11 page)

Genevieve chewed at her lower lip, considering. Could she be the one Dane wanted to settle

down with? Or was she just another amusement to him; a challenge until he moved on to the next

hot thing that caught his fancy?

“And what about you?”

He took a deep breath in and slowly released it. “I won’t lie. I prefer a physically attractive

woman, but then again, that’s a pretty subjective thing. Let’s use you for example.”

She cocked her head to the side and eyed him. “I’d rather you didn’t.” She was only halfway

joking.

He ignored her. “If I could put together a wishlist of physical attributes for the perfect woman

you’d be the result of that list.”

She was shocked at his compliment and she could tell it wasn’t being said simply to flatter

her, but he genuinely felt that way, which contributed to her speechlessness. It had to be one of the most incredible compliments she’d ever received. She knew she was somewhat attractive, but

to be the model of someone’s fantasy woman was a little surprising.

“I guess that’s part of the reason I wasn’t quick to respond to… when you…” He thrust a

hand into his hair and sighed. “In Vegas.”

Her face grew warm and she raised her hand, motioning for him to stop, for both of their

sakes. “I think I get it now.”

The look of relief in his expression was almost comical. “Yeah. So above the physical, I

really want someone who’s put together. Someone who knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to

go after it. I’m not looking for club bunnies or short-term flings – I never have. I like being part of a couple and one failed marriage isn’t going to change that.”

“So your wife?” she prompted.

“Would’ve been better off staying with my brother. I think she wanted the wedding, but not

the commitment marriage entailed. I jumped thinking she was the right one, and I made a

mistake. But I’ve learned from my mistakes and won’t make that mistake again.”

“What do you mean, stayed with your brother?”

He clucked his tongue off of the roof of his mouth. “She was with Dane first. He didn’t want

to be married and was very clear to her about it. She moved on with me a while later. But turns

out she also wasn’t ready for that commitment, just thought she was. It was a mistake and Dane

and I had issues for a while because of it. But that’s over now and we’ve since reconciled.”

“But you just said you two don’t share the same tastes in women?”

“She’s the type of woman who is whatever a man wants her to be – at first.” He looked down

at his watch. “Can we not talk about Emma right now? Lunch is almost over. She puts a bad taste

in my mouth.” He grimaced.

“Thank you, by the way.”

His eyebrows raised. “For what?”

She took a bite from her sandwich and swallowed, giving herself a moment to decide if she

was going to finish the thought she had started. “For lunch. I wasn’t sure if I’d be seeing you

again. But I was hoping I would.” She lifted her gaze to meet his.

“I told you, you would. I don’t ever go back on my word. I was just hoping you’d be open to

seeing me again.” Again, there was a sincere look in his eyes. It touched her. There were no

games with him. No second guessing. She liked it… a lot.

“I am.”

He frowned, his eyes focusing intently on her lips. A tremor rocked through her and the

desire to pull him into her and taste his lips was almost unbearable.

“You have a little something…”

Her frown matched his.
What? Where?
Embarrassed, she swiped at her mouth with the back

of her hand.
Why do I have to be such a damned sloppy eater? Can’t even eat a sandwich

without making a fool out of myself?

He reached over to her, touched her cheek and brushed the side of her lip with his thumb. A

faint smile touched his lips. She closed her eyes and pressed her cheek into his hand. So nice.

“Is it gone?” She opened her eyes to see his blue eyes had flared up with an intensity that

made her breath catch in her throat.

“Almost.” He leaned into her, moving so slowly that the seconds it took for his lips to meet

hers felt like an eternity.

She smiled as his lips touched hers and his aftershave teased her nose. He smelt so damned

good; if he wrapped her into his arms, allowing her to take in the spicy smell, she’d happily

remain there an eternity. While their kiss beside her car had been but a brief taste of what may be to come, this one wasn’t. He tugged gently at her lower lip with his teeth and lashed at her lips with the tip of his tongue. She grabbed the front of his uniform and pulled him closer, parting her lips, inviting him in.

He groaned low in his throat, kissing her with more passion. His energy and need flowed

through her, igniting the yearning between her legs. The way his tongue danced with hers was

unparalleled in skill and finesse and so natural.

When he pulled away from her, leaving her slightly lightheaded and yearning for more

intimate contact, she had to force herself from pulling him back in. A part of her was thankful

they were in a park and he had to go back to work. If they’d been somewhere secluded, she

doubted she’d have had the strength to let him go.

She slowly opened her eyes to see him staring at her, a sexy grin on his face. She reached out

to him, once more fingering the scar, wondering the story behind it. A story for next time

perhaps?

“I gotta go back to work.” The reluctance in his voice echoed what she was feeling inside.

But with a sigh he rose to his feet and extended his hand to her.

She accepted his hand, allowing herself to be pulled to her feet. “So, Officer Porter, I don’t

suppose you could play hookey for the afternoon?” She knew he couldn’t but figured there was

no harm in asking.

Graham laughed. “Nah, Dane would rat me out in a heartbeat.”

Shit. Dane.
She needed to get this situation between the brothers sorted out and find out his intentions; it appeared Graham was making his interest perfectly clear to her. She may have been

a one-time-only threesome girl, but she sure as hell wasn’t going to be the girl to come between

the two men.

Chapter 9

Two Weeks After The Break-in
–
Genevieve

“You could have just told me the news over the phone, Dane. Why make me come to Staten

Island to give me the
big
reveal?” Genevieve shrugged off her black peacoat and passed it to Dane.

“Because if I did then I wouldn’t be able to make you my homemade spaghetti and

meatballs.” Accepting the coat, he leaned over her shoulder and grabbed a hanger from the coat

closet.

“You mean, homemade spaghetti sauce?”

He put the coat on the hanger. “It would be easier to hang up your coat you’d…” he motioned

for her to step back.

A grin spread across her lips. “It would be. But I’m not going to.” She could have moved

away as he reached around her, but didn’t. Having his muscular chest brush against her and

getting the opportunity to bask in the aroma of his cologne made it too tempting to stay where

she was.

He returned her grin, a brow cocked. “I can make you.”

“You can try,” she countered, placing her hands on her hips, a part of her really wanting him

to do just that. His looked turned heated as his eyes locked to hers. Why she was provoking him

she didn’t know. After her picnic date, she’d been on a couple more dates with Graham and

thought she’d made her decision. But God help her, it was harder than she imagined to keep from

tempting Dane. He was so much fun to tease.

“Is that another challenge?”

“Maybe.”
Don’t start something that you can’t finish Genevieve
, the voice at the back of her mind warned. She’d been on several dates with Graham already and each one made her more

convinced he was the one.

Slipping an arm around her waist, he pulled her tight to his chest and lifted her out of the way

while hanging the coat up in the closet. He didn’t release her straight away; he kept her locked in his arms for the span of several beats, until her heart began beating rapidly in anticipation. It looked like he was going to kiss her, but just when she thought he was going to make a move, he

released her and stepped back.

She knew she shouldn’t be disappointed, that she should be relieved, but she wasn’t.

He cleared his throat. “Now back to the dinner. I mean, it’s from scratch, even the noodles.

All by my own hands.” Taking her hand, he led her through the townhouse to the back where the

kitchen was located.

“Wow, I’m impressed. Did you learn from your mother?” Well before they entered the

kitchen the delicious aroma of herbs and spices drifted to her nose, causing her stomach to

grumble softly.

He paused, giving her a funny look, and then smiled. “Yeah. My mother is an amazing cook.

Really old school Italian. She hates packaged anything; if it can be broken down and made by

hand that’s how it’s done in the house I grew up in.” He shrugged. “I usually don’t have time,

but on special occasions I make the time.”

She took her position sitting on a wooden bar stool behind the kitchen island and watched as

he checked on the sauce that was sautéing on the stove. She was impressed watching him as he

worked away in the kitchen. And he looked incredible with his faded blue jeans riding low on his

hips and a black t-shirt clinging to his torso and chest, showing an outline of the muscles

underneath. She remembered running her fingers along those fine contours and longed to do it

again.

Wrong brother, wrong brother!
the voice of reason screamed out in her head.

We still haven’t made any commitments to each other
, she reasoned back, but still a sliver of guilt crept into her consciousness. She growled at herself; she wasn’t the one to call Dane, he

called her! And it wasn’t like she’d kissed him. They were friends. Just friends. Nothing wrong

with that. It was okay to have a little crush over a friend as long as she didn’t
do
anything about it.

“Something on your mind?”

“Huh?” She looked up, met his gaze and then shook her head. “No, nothing. So what was the

surprise?”

“Taste this first.” He scooped up some of the sauce and passed her the wooden spoon.

Taking the spoon, she sampled the sauce and moaned. “This is delicious. I mean…
really
…

delicious.”

A self-satisfied smile spread across his lips. “Good. Glad you like it.”

“I don’t like it. I
love
it. Seriously.” Taking the spoon back, he placed it on the counter and wiggled his finger at her. “Hold on a second. I’ll get your surprise before we eat. Stay put.”

“Yes, Sir!”

He disappeared from the kitchen and returned several minutes later with a wide grin on his

lips and holding something behind his back. “Now, for the record I’m going to expect something

in return for what I’m about to give you.”

Tilting her head to the side, her eyes narrowed at him. “Like what?”

“I’m not at liberty to say right now, but just let it be known that sometime in the future, I’m

not too sure when, I’ll be calling in my reward.”

“Oooookay.”

“Agreed?”

She quickly nodded, squirming on her stool, anxious to see what he had for her. She felt like

a child at Christmastime. “What is it?”

He pulled the item from behind his back and her mouth dropped as she slipped from the

stool.

“Oh my God!” Tears welled up in her eyes and her body trembled as she took a few hesitant

steps toward him. In his hands was her most valuable and prized of items that was stolen from

her boutique: a red crocodile skin Birkin that she’d been selling for fifty thousand.

With a little squeal of excitement she rushed to him, throwing herself into his arms, nearly

toppling his large frame backward from her excitement. She placed a series of kisses across his

jaw and as she was about to pull away he pulled her closer and claimed her lips with his.

Her body froze at first, but then quickly responded remembering his body and a low moan

rumbled in the back of her throat. Parting her lips, she invited him in. She loved the taste of the spices from the sauce on his lips and tongue. But more than that she loved the feel of his body

against hers as she pressed tight against him.

The sound of the bag slipping from Dane’s fingers brought her back to the reality of the

situation and she pulled away from him, feeling breathless and confused. She’d been flirting with Dane, teasing, but she didn’t intend for things to go beyond harmless flirting – or did she?

She’d decided it was to be Graham. Didn’t she?

“So sorry. I –” He bent and picked the bag from the floor and passed it to her. “I hope I didn’t

damage it.”

She accepted the bag and clutched it to her chest. “No. It’s perfect.” She couldn’t believe

she’d gotten it back. Under the ruse of pretending to examine the bag for any damage she took a

moment to gather her emotions. “How did you get it?”

His smile returned. “It was a fluke to be honest. We were investigating a store for another

crime and we came across the bags in the back, getting ready to be shipped overseas. I

remembered your stolen bags and matched them up with your stolen list. You’ll have to come to

the station and claim them all and fill out the paperwork, but you should have them back within a week or two.”