Shaken (5 page)

Doctoring her coffee to perfection, Zip shook with a snort of amusement.

“What?”

“If you told me this morning when I headed into the office that I’d be sitting here overwhelmed because you noticed my smile, I wouldn’t have believed it.”

“I’ve noticed a hell of a lot more than your smile.” The information rocketed through her. His eyes were the prettiest color of blue, and being the focus of all that intensity sent shivers racing over her skin.

“Wow.”

Everything he did fascinated her. From the way he stroked his thumb along the coffee cup to the ease with which his mouth quirked. “I noticed you my first night on the job and every Friday since.”

Stirring her coffee slowly, she thought of and discarded a dozen responses to that, finally settling on the most honest one. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Because you were on the look-but-do-not-touch shelf. And I like you. Didn’t want to screw that up.”

“Look-but-do-not-touch?”

A gleam filled his eyes, and his gaze swept over her. “Beautiful. Sweet. Sexy. Funny. You touch, you risk screwing it up. But I was free to look all I wanted.”

Nibbling her lower lip, she was holding her next question when the food arrived. The steak and eggs smelled divine. The meal looked even better on the plate than she’d imagined, and the hash browns were crispy brown. Her stomach let out another growl, and they all laughed.

A great waitress, Marge served them and didn’t linger. Through mutual consent, they adjourned the conversation so they could tackle eating. Normally, she’d pick at it, but she thought "to hell with it" and tossed caution. If she got to enjoy their time together only once, she planned to enjoy every single moment of it. She cut into the steak, sampled the potatoes, and groaned in happiness at the texture and flavor.

“See? Good stuff.”

Awareness of him blanketed her. He spent more time watching her than he did eating. She swayed to bump his shoulder. “Eat. You’re the one who’s been on your feet for hours.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Their knives and forks scraped cheerfully on the plates. After polishing off the first cups of coffee, Zip got hold of the carafe first, refilling his cup and then her own.

They talked about school, trading stories about professors. They’d both studied business. Tony wanted to open his own bar. Zip had always been good with numbers, but she lacked that pulsing drive of a dream. She’d fallen into her career as an accountant, and it seemed to fit her capabilities.

He offered her a bite of his pancakes, and she retaliated with an offering of steak. She mentioned her favorite musical,
Kinky Boots
, but Tony disagreed.
Book of Mormon
was the one for him. For all their eating, they didn’t lack conversation, and she thought the muscles in her face would cramp from all the smiling.

Marge swung by and bussed away their plates, leaving them to their coffee. Zip settled sideways, slid off a shoe, and braced her leg on the seat. Tony mirrored her position, stretching his arm along the booth behind her. Their knees touched, and another grin stretched her mouth.

“You really have the best smile.”

“Thank you. I think it’s working overtime tonight, but I can’t stop.” She’d devoured wine, martinis, and a steak in front of him. Apparently, grinning like a loon wasn’t off the table either.

“Good. Maybe you’ll feel like seeing me again sometime.”

“You’re not done seeing me now.”

Tony’s amusement dimmed a fraction, a serious crinkle narrowing his eyes. “Are you and anyone…you know…dating?”

“Nope. Not for about three years now.” To overshare or not? Considering a lack of honesty had torpedoed her last relationship, she settled on bluntness. “My last boyfriend was also my boss, and he forgot to mention a few things; like his engagement and beautiful fiancée.” Zip lifted her coffee cup with a rueful shrug. “So I promised myself no more office romances, but when you’re always in the office….”

“It’s hard to meet someone. Yeah. Sorry he was a dick. But I’m kinda glad you’re not involved, casually or seriously.”

“What about you?” She held her breath and watched him over the rim of the coffee cup. A wild herd stampeded nervously through her insides. She’d probably crawl face first into a gallon of ice cream if he said yes.

“No.” But he’d hesitated, and her gut clenched.

When he set his coffee cup down, she pushed the air out of her lungs and forced herself to take another breath. She hadn’t imagined the flirting.

Please don’t let me have imagined the flirting….

“I was involved—but you knew that.” Zip had, but she’d also heard that rumor. “We lived together for a long time. But we broke up about six months ago.” Pain surged in those words, a deeper hurt that shimmered under his guarded surface. Sympathy for the ache in his voice swamped her, along with immediate relief he wasn’t involved.

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m not.” He shook his head, seeming to come to grips with something. Reaching out, he captured one of her curls, and wound it around his finger. “If I were one hundred percent honest, we hadn’t been working out for a while, but I hung in there because…because of my little girl.”

The world dipped below her, like a roller coaster at Coney Island taking a turn too fast. He had a child.

Tony’s expression softened; maybe he saw the panic on her face—she’d never been good at hiding her own emotions. “Hey, we weren’t working out, and we’re not together.”

“But you might want to get back together again.” It happened all the time, especially where kids were involved. She didn’t like the idea, but she couldn’t
not
be happy for him.

“No.” He gave a negative headshake. “Not gonna happen. Wasn’t happening before tonight, and sure as hell won’t happen now.”

“No?”

“Uh-uh.” His smile chased away the shadows of the past. “I like you, Zip. I’ve liked you from afar, but I like you a hell of a lot more close up.”

“Me, too…like you, I mean.” She ran a hand over her face. The heat in her cheeks seemed to be a permanent condition. Shyness coiled through her, but she refused to give in to it. Not after daring so much already.

“Do you need to get home?” The hopeful note in his voice beckoned her. Zip glanced at the wall clock across the room. It was two in the morning—long past the point when she’d normally be asleep. But, oh, was she glad she wasn’t.

“Nope.”

“Okay, then. So, tell me what you think about skiing….”

“Skiing?” She was a little dizzy from the one-eighty, but he waggled his eyebrows.

“Yep. I want to know everything about you.” And how the hell could she say no to the sincerity in his charm?

“I’ve never been.”

“Any sports you like?”

“Well, the Yankees….”

He groaned. “Oh, you’re killing me.”

“Oh, God. You’re a Mets fan.”

“Guilty.”

Chapter Four

The promise of the sun lit the eastern sky as Tony reluctantly guided Zip out of the diner. Marge sent them off with fresh cups of coffee to go and two thumbs up in his direction. A second mother, she’d been the first one he’d told about Robin’s bombshell. After giving him an hour to feel sorry for himself, she kicked him square in the ass to do something about it. She’d acted the part of confidante, best friend, and drill sergeant all rolled into one.

The February morning chill carried a harsh bite when they left the diner. Zip huddled in his jacket, looking three times too small for his peacoat. He didn’t mind. Where it barely skimmed his thighs, the coat fell below her knees. Shouldering both of their bags, he waved to the cab Marge had called after she declared it too early to risk catching one on the corner.

Opening the door, he helped Zip before climbing in after her. “Address?”

“You don’t have to pay for a cab to take me all the way home.” They’d already had that argument. He planned to see her to the door and nixed her subway suggestion. The cab would be far warmer for one, and, even if Brooklyn meant a twenty-dollar fare, it gave him an excuse to spend more time with her.

“Fine.” She gave him the street address. Her nose wrinkled, but her chuckle crashed relief through him. He was acting like a teenager with a crush on his teacher, and he didn’t give a damn. The cab driver seemed skeptical until Tony gave him an advance on the tip.

“You got it.” The cab driver accelerated out of idle, and Zip bumped against Tony’s chest.

He wrapped his arm around her, steadying her, and held on past the point she needed the help. They were both balancing coffee cups, but, rather than pull away, she cuddled into his side.

“Warm enough?” He ducked his head, inhaling the sweet misty morning scent on her hair. Her scent and company were like a cinnamon sugar cookie on a warm plate with hot cocoa and a dash of cayenne. Sexy, sweet, and spicy.

“Yeah, actually.” She tilted her head, and wisps of her hair caught on his stubble. Her hair was as soft as it smelled. “You?”

“Oh, I’m toasty.”
Burning. On fire. Overheated. Steamed up.
He could go on, but he tamped the thoughts down, trying to smother the desire that had ramped higher as soon as he touched her. A decade past the need to crawl into every good-looking woman’s panties, he knew damn well it was all Zip that made his palms itch.

His cock had taken notice of her all evening, and, after hours together in the diner, Tony was sure to have zipper imprints on the erection he sported. Hell, the physical reaction would be fine—the first he’d evidenced since Robin gutted him with the news he wasn’t Lindsey’s biological father. She’d delivered it with a sheriff at the ready to serve a restraining order and a fuck-you-very-much for three years of financial, emotional, and mental support.

“Hey.” Zip nudged him, a yawn punctuating the word. “You sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine.” He rubbed her arm soothingly. An act to comfort both of them.

“Then why the scowl?”

Tony sighed. “Long, and very boring story. Not worth spoiling a great night with the dirty details.”

Get it together, man. She’s flirting, cuddly, and sweet. Thinking about Robin is killing the mood.

She shifted under his arm. The fabric of her skirt swished lightly and rustled every time it brushed his dress slacks. “You know the great thing about friends?”

“What’s that?”

“They like the long and boring as much as they do the fun and exciting.” Her expression softened, the lines around her mouth quirking as though keeping a secret. “I happen to remember you listened to me one rainy night when the girls were late and I had a totally stinky day at the office.”

He snorted. Only Zip could make the word
stinky
sound like a curse. The city gave way to the brownstones and residences of Brooklyn. The sun drenched the morning landscape, reflecting off the frost littering the sidewalks, fences, and steps. A jogger here and the occasional dog walker there disturbed the Saturday morning stillness. The city that never slept lay drowsily waiting for its first cup of coffee.

At the corner, the cab slowed, and Zip pointed toward her house. The plain, white-faced building had six steps leading up to a door boasting a stained glass window. Simple, elegant, with just a hint of flash—it suited her perfectly. She was the girl a guy could bring home to Mom.

“Here we are.” He was strangely reluctant to get out of the cab, to call an end to a great night, particularly on a sour note like Robin.

“Tony?” Zip escaped from under his arm and twisted on the seat. He felt the absence keenly. She already had her purse open, and he urged her to close it again with a shake of his head.

“No. This is my treat.”

She wrinkled her nose at him again, but he juggled his coffee cup and pulled out his wallet. Slotting the credit card in the reader, he paid the driver for the ride to Brooklyn then opened the door, climbed out, and set their bags on the curb.

“Hang on a sec, okay, buddy?” he asked the driver. The man waved in acknowledgement. Tony extended a hand to Zip and helped her onto the pavement. The morning cold bit at his skin, and her cheeks went ruddy in the chill.

They stared at each other, and he chuckled. “Too smooth for school.”

“I don’t want to say good night,” Zip admitted.

Neither did he. Nor did he want to ignore the reluctance in her voice, but they’d had only the one date and not even a real one for that matter. Tony stroked her cheek. She was so fucking soft, he wanted any excuse to touch her. “I don’t want to make a mistake.”

He let the words hang out there. He didn’t. He liked Zip.

Really liked her.

He didn’t go home with Coveted customers, and he sure as hell didn’t pick them up.

But there he was, at dawn, in Brooklyn, fumbling for a damn good reason to leave her with a kiss and get in the cab. It flew in the face of the deeper desire to follow her home and see if she’d keep him like a stray.

“Let me ask you this…if you could come inside and stay, no strings, no questions, no pushing…would you?”

He swallowed a groan. Her pale pink lips reddened where her teeth bit into them, pulling at her lower one in a habit as adorable as it was telling. She was nervous.
God, she’s so damn tempting….

“If I said yes, would you want me to?”

Her laugh rose musically, and she angled her head back as though the sky fascinated her. “Without a doubt. But I am not good at this.”

Tony chuckled. “Me either.”

“For one day, I don’t want to be me…to be practical and to think about all the ways this could go wrong. I just want to feel and to laugh.”

The cab idled next to them, puffing white exhaust. He had time to get back inside the vehicle, call an end to their crazy night, and even make a date to see if the spark humming in his blood remained present past their first attempt.

Or he could seize the moment.

“I like you.” Zip said stretched on her toes and brushed her mouth in a featherlight caress against his. Her touch, effervescent and gentle, tasted of
more.
“I’ve never invited a guy in before, but I am inviting you. If you want to leave, I won’t be insulted. If you don’t call…well, I guess I can see you on Friday.”