Be Mine: Sizzle / Too Fast to Fall / Alone with You

“The new guy on twelfth. I thought he’d spot you.”

“Chris, the perfume needs work.”

“So does our relationship.”

“We don’t have a relationship,” she told him. “We haven’t had a relationship for two years. You’ve been married and divorced since then. Now about the perfume—”

“Which only goes to show how much work our relationship needs.”

She took his hand and put the bottle in it. “We want it to sizzle.”

“Sizzle?”

“Tingle a little on the skin. Heat up a little. Can you do it?”

“Sure.” He shrugged. “When do you need it?”

“Yesterday.” Emily began to back toward the door. “As soon as possible.”

“You got it. Now about dinner...”

“You cannot possibly take me to dinner. You’ve got to put some sizzle in that bottle.”

“I’d rather put some sizzle in you.”

“Thank you, Chris.” Emily backed out the door. “Let me know when it’s done.”

One thing you can say for Richard, she told herself as she escaped. He’s never that asinine.

She was actually beginning to look forward to dinner.

* * *

THE EVENING STARTED well. Emily brushed her hair in a cloud around her shoulders and wore her new black lace underwear, one of two sets Jane had splurged on with her money.

“Always have a backup set,” Jane had told her. “You never know, he may rip this stuff off you with his teeth in the throes of passion.”

Emily visualized it. “Sounds good.”

She topped the underwear with her best short black dress, dabbed on some nonheating Sizzle, and was just congratulating herself on how sophisticated and adult she looked when the doorbell rang and she went cold with nerves.

This is just dinner, she told herself. He’s a Hun. You don’t care. This is meaningless.

It didn’t work.

As much as she hated to admit it, the anticipation she’d felt earlier had grown the more she’d thought about Richard. For the first time in a long time, she was really looking forward to an evening with a man. “So much for a meaningless fling,” she told herself, and fought down another little spurt of panic as the doorbell rang again.

Her panic subsided when she answered the door and saw him there, solid and familiar. He stood still for a moment when she opened the door, and then he swallowed and said, “You’re beautiful.” He brought her gardenias. He handed her into the cab as if she were made of porcelain.

This is good, Emily thought. He looks like a god, and he treats me like a goddess. This could work.

He took her to the Celestial for dinner.

“George said this was your favorite restaurant,” Richard told her as they sat down.

Emily clamped her lips together. You could have asked me where I wanted to eat, she thought, and then sighed. Be nice, Emily. He’s being nice. And you need him on your side. And he’s paying; he has a right to choose the restaurant. Besides, it is your favorite. Besides, he’s gorgeous.

“I’m starving.” He motioned to the waiter. “Let’s skip drinks and go right to dinner.”

“I wouldn’t mind a glass of wine,” Emily said, but Richard was already ordering.

“Sweet and sour soup. Mongolian beef.”

“I don’t care for Mongolian beef,” Emily said politely.

“Mu-shu pork.”

“I like garlic chicken.”

“Su-san shan.”

“I really hate su-san shan.”

“Princess prawns.” He beamed at her. “How does that sound?”

“Have you had your hearing checked lately?”

Richard was already handing the menus to the waiter. “That’ll be fine.”

“Plum sauce on mu-shu pork?” the waiter asked.

“No,” Richard said.

“I like plum sauce,” Emily said, and the waiter smiled at her and nodded.

Thank God, she thought. I was afraid I’d suddenly gone mute.

“We needed to get away from the office.” Richard smiled at her. “Too many aggravations there.”

The only aggravation there just ordered dinner for me here, Emily thought.

“Your hair looks wonderful.” He looked at her, his eyes shining, and then smiled that sexy boyish grin that made her breathing quit every time. “You’re lovely in the office, but tonight you’re absolutely gorgeous.”

He’s not that aggravating, Emily thought, remembering to inhale. He has potential. Be nice, Em. “This is really nice of you.” She leaned forward. “It really shows me how much you want our partnership to work. And I’m glad you’re concerned about our working relationship, because I think we can do much better.”

“Absolutely.” Richard took her hand. “I agree with you absolutely.”

His touch startled her. He had nice hands. Nice warm hands with tapered fingers. His nails were beautifully manicured, she noted, trying to concentrate on details so she could ignore the warmth spreading into her from his fingers. She breathed a little harder and met his eyes. He was looking at her with naked adoration. He really was sweet.