by Lynn LaFleur
“Oh good. I like those.”
Julian pulled the paper wrapping off one of the two he’d bought for himself. “What happens if their muffin of the day is one you don’t like?”
“I haven’t had one yet I don’t like, just some I like better than others.” She slathered butter on the hot treat, took a bite and rolled her eyes in pleasure. “Dee-lish.”
Julian chuckled at her obvious enjoyment. “You like sweets.”
“I like food. It’s a necessity of life, but also an indulgence. I indulge a lot.”
He let his gaze slowly move over her torso as he chewed his bite of muffin. “You must work out to keep your figure.”
“Actually, I don’t. I walk a lot, but that’s it. I’ve always been slim. I figure when I turn forty, it’ll all catch up to me and I’ll gain two hundred pounds overnight.”
Julian laughed. “You have a while before that happens. How old are you?”
“Twenty-six. You?”
“Twenty-nine.”
“Are you really twenty-nine, or actually thirty and don’t want to admit it?”
He liked the mischief in her eyes. She seemed more relaxed today, more at ease talking to him. “I’ll be thirty in January. And I always thought it was women who lied about their age, not men.”
“I think women lie more about their weight than their age.”
“So what do you weigh?”
“That’s none of your business.”
He laughed again, enjoying their banter. He watched her take a long sip of her latte. “Why didn’t you call me?”
Her gaze flew back to his. Slowly she set her mug back on the table. All evidence of humor disappeared from her face. “I wanted to see you again first, to make sure…”
He waited, but she didn’t complete her sentence. “To make sure of what?”
She hesitated for several moments. “To make sure you’d really come back here.”
“Did you think I wouldn’t?”
“Julian, you’re a hunk. I don’t usually attract men as handsome as you.”
“I don’t believe that.” He looked at her hair, her face, her breasts, then back into her eyes. “I thought you were pretty the first time I saw you and you’re even more so today. Your hair is different, and your makeup. You look…hot.”
Her smile returned, this time with a touch of embarrassment. “A gal can’t ask for a better compliment than that.”
Pushing aside his cup, he reached across the table and laid his hand over hers. “Have dinner with me tomorrow night.”
“I’d like that,” she said softly.
He rubbed his thumb across the back of her hand, savoring her soft skin. A scattering of freckles on her hand matched the ones on her nose and cheeks. He wondered if she had freckles all over her body. “We can go out, or you can come to my place. I’m a great cook.”
It delighted him to see the humor return to her eyes. “Frozen dinners your specialty?”
He chuckled. “Actually, my mom is Italian and she taught me how to cook. I can whip up dishes that are so good they’ll make you cry.” He slid his thumb over her hand again. “Would it make you uncomfortable to come to my apartment?”
She shook her head. “Not at all.”
“Do you have any paper and a pen?”
Molly dug in her tote again and produced the items he requested. “I’m still unpacking stuff,” he said as he wrote his address on the paper. “I don’t start my new job until Monday, so hopefully I can get my place organized before you come over tomorrow.”
“I don’t mind if there are boxes stacked around.”
“I mind.” He handed the paper and pen back to her. “Do you still have my cell number?”
She nodded.
“How about six thirty? We can have a glass of wine, then eat about seven.”
“That’ll be perfect. I get off work at five.”
Julian glanced at his watch. “Your friends should be here shortly, so I’ll go. Will you be here tomorrow morning?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll see you then.”
She smiled. “Okay.”
He picked up his trash and headed for the door, glancing over his shoulder at her twice before he reached the exit. He liked how quickly he and Molly had clicked. That had never happened to him with a woman. Usually it took time to find out if he wanted to get to know a woman better. A few minutes with Molly and he knew for sure that he wanted more time with her.
A lot more time.
*
Molly’s heart was still thumping in her chest when she saw Marci come in the coffee shop a few minutes later. She motioned her friend over to the table.
“Good morning,” Marci said, sliding into the chair Julian had vacated. Before Molly had the chance to return the greeting, Marci’s eyes grew large. “What did you do to your hair?”
Molly wrapped a curl around her finger. Julian had liked her new look, but Molly wondered if she’d done too much too soon. She knew Marci would be honest with her. “Do you like it?”
“It’s gorgeous! Absolutely perfect for you.” She leaned forward in her chair and her eyes narrowed. “Your makeup is different too.”
“I had one of the gals at Nordstrom do it for me yesterday. I hope I duplicated it right.”
“It looks perfect.” Sitting back in her chair, Marci gave her a mischievous smile. “Did you do all that for the major stud?”
“I did. And he liked it.”
“He was here this morning?”
Molly nodded. “He left about two minutes before you got here.”
“I’m sorry I missed him.”
“You’ll have to come in earlier.”
“And give up a naked Keefe any sooner than I have to? No way.”
Molly understood that. She wouldn’t want to leave a man’s arms—or his bed—before she had to either. “He asked me to dinner tomorrow night at his apartment. His mother is Italian and he said he’s a great cook.”
“A man who is a great cook is a gift from God.”
Molly knew that Keefe was an incredible cook, since she’d eaten at their house many times. Twyla hadn’t been as lucky with Daniel. What he lacked in cooking skills, Twyla said he more than made up for in other domestic skills…and in the bedroom.
Molly looked toward the door to see the objects of her thoughts come in. Twyla headed for the table while Daniel walked up to the counter.
“I see you brought Mr. Wonderful this morning,” Marci said with a grin as Twyla sat down, referring to Twyla’s pet name for Daniel.
“I did. Unfortunately, not for pleasure. My car wouldn’t start. Dead battery. I told him I could walk to work from here while he buys a new battery.”
“And as long as he’s here, he might as well buy your coffee too.”
“Of course.”
Molly turned her head and watched Daniel at the counter. Twyla had met him four weeks ago at a bed-and-breakfast in the foothills east of Seattle. They had fallen in love almost at first sight. The same thing happened with Marci and Keefe. He’d gone to work at Marshall Media as her newest vice president and they’d quickly fallen in love. Now they were co-owners of Marshall Media and as happy as two people could be.
Both her friends had found their soul mates. Maybe she had too.
Her tummy fluttered when she thought of Julian…those sexy brown eyes, the beautiful dark brown hair, his perfect body. She hadn’t seen his body yet, but she had no doubt it was perfect.
“I love your hair,” Twyla said to Molly. “You look very pretty today. Any special reason?”
“He was here this morning,” Marci said, a grin tugging at her lips.
“Oh. That explains the different makeup and new clothes. That’s a new sweater, right?”
“Yes. I went shopping yesterday. Blew my budget for the rest of the year.”
“It’ll be worth it.” Marci leaned closer to Twyla. “She’s having dinner at his apartment tomorrow.”
“Good idea. The
n you’re in control of how long the evening lasts. If it doesn’t go the way you want it to, you’re out of there.”
“And if it does work out,” Marci said, her grin widening, “then you can find out what kind of breakfast cook he is.”
“Who’s cooking breakfast?” Daniel asked. He set Twyla’s coffee in front of her. “Not Twyla. I can’t get her out of bed early enough for breakfast.”
“I’ve never heard you complain about keeping you in bed.”
He sat in the chair beside her and leaned close, a devilish smile curving his mouth. “Baby, you can keep me in bed any time.”
Daniel kissed Twyla. Molly sighed. Soon, she told herself. Tomorrow night I’ll taste Julian’s kiss. And maybe more than that.
*
Julian was going to kill his sister. That would solve all his problems. Never mind that he adored Jill and she was always the first one to help him with whatever he needed. When she got on the telephone, it was next to impossible to get her to hang up. The fourth goodbye had finally released him and his throbbing ear, but only after he promised he’d call her tomorrow to tell her all about his date.
He glanced at the clock on the stove and winced. 6:25. Molly would be here any minute and he hadn’t finished the main course. He’d planned to have everything ready when she got here so they could have a leisurely glass of wine and talk before they ate.
He’d missed seeing her this morning at Jennie’s Java. His cell phone had rung as he was about to enter the coffee shop. His heartbeat had sped up at the sound of Molly’s voice. One of her coworkers had called in sick and her supervisor asked Molly to go in early. He’d understood and admired her for working extra hours, yet didn’t like that he wouldn’t see her until dinner.
Shaking his head at his impatience, Julian began to lay the battered chicken breasts in the hot olive oil. He’d added the last one to the skillet when the doorbell rang.
“Shit,” he muttered. So much for having everything ready before Molly arrives. He grabbed a dishcloth, wiped off his hands and hurried to the door.
He forgot about the time, dinner, breathing, the moment he saw Molly. He thought her pretty in red yesterday morning. She looked even better in gold. Her long-sleeved sweater flowed over her breasts and stopped at the top of her thighs. It was the same color as her leggings. The formfitting pants showed him exactly how her walking shaped her slim legs.
“Hi,” he said.
“Hi.” She held up a tall paper bag. “I wasn’t sure which wine to buy since I don’t know what you’re serving, but figured we couldn’t go wrong with Chardonnay.”
Julian smiled at her thoughtfulness. He opened the door wider and stepped aside. “Come in.”
He took the bag from her after closing the door. “I got behind schedule, so I’m still cooking.”
“Can I help?”
“You can keep me company in the kitchen.”
She laid her tote and coat on the recliner. “Lead the way.”
Julian stepped back into the kitchen just in time to turn the chicken breasts to keep them from burning. He gestured toward the two tall chairs at the island in the middle of the room. “Make yourself comfortable. I’ll pour the wine as soon as these are done.”
Molly slipped onto one of the chairs. “What are you making?”
“Chicken with lemon sage sauce. One of my mom’s specialties.”
“It sounds delicious.”
“It’s pretty easy to make, but I always get compliments on it.”
“Is there anything I can do?”
He looked at her over his shoulder. “Just sit there and let me look at you.”
She leaned forward and rested her folded arms in front of her. “You’re a flatterer.”
“Nope. Just telling the truth.”
Julian placed the chicken in a glass dish and put it in the oven. “Okay, those have to bake about six minutes. Ready for a glass of wine?”
“Please.”
He splashed the Chardonnay into two crystal wineglasses Jill had given him for special occasions. He couldn’t think of an occasion more special than being with Molly. After handing one to her, he held up his glass. “What shall we drink to?”
Her nose scrunched up as she thought for a moment. “How about to new beginnings?”
Julian clinked his glass against hers. “To new beginnings.”
Chapter Four
The wine hit Molly’s empty stomach and gave her a gentle buzz. She’d been so busy at the store with customers, she hadn’t taken a lunch break. She doubted if she would have been able to eat anyway. She didn’t think she’d ever been so nervous about a date. It meant a lot to her for the evening to be perfect.
She took another sip as Julian poured the lemon sage sauce over the chicken breasts. “I’m surprised you didn’t make something with a red sauce since you’re half Italian.”
“I figured you’d expect a typical Italian dish, so I decided to make something a little different. You like lemon, don’t you?”
“Oh yes. Very much.”
“Good.” He added a sprig of fresh parsley to each plate. “Ready to eat?”
“Definitely. It smells incredible.”
“Will you grab the bowl of salad from the refrigerator?”
“Sure.”
She followed him to the table next to a large plate glass window that faced west. He lived on the fifth floor of the six-story apartment house close to Puget Sound. It was too dark to see the scenery now, but the city lights below looked like diamonds sprinkled across black velvet. She would bet he could see for miles. Molly couldn’t help feeling jealous. The view from her apartment dining room consisted of an alleyway and trash bins.
He placed their plates on the table. “I’ll be right back with our wine and bread.”
A small autumn floral arrangement sat in the middle of the table with a white taper candle in a wooden holder at each end. He’d gone above and beyond to make everything look nice for her. That included the living room. She’d only had time for a quick peek, but she hadn’t seen any packing boxes stacked around. She wondered if Julian was always this neat, or if he’d cleaned especially for her.
She sat in the chair closest to her as he returned with a napkin-covered basket and their wine. “I hope you’re hungry,” he said, sitting down across from her.
“Famished. I didn’t have lunch.”
“Why not?”
“Too busy with customers.”
He scooped a generous amount of salad from the bowl and placed it on the saucer by her plate. “Then it’s a good thing I made a lot.”
He smiled again and she smiled back at him. He seemed so considerate, so nice…almost too much so. She wondered why a woman hadn’t already snatched up a man as handsome and charming as Julian. Molly had never met a man so perfect.
There had to be something wrong with him.
She cut into the tender chicken and took a bite. The combination of flavors danced across her tongue. She moaned with pleasure. “Oh wow. This is wonderful.”
“I’m glad you like it.”
“Is everything you cook this good?”
“Of course,” he said, his eyes shining with humor.
“And you’re still single? How can that be? Or is there an ex-wife around somewhere who didn’t appreciate good food?”
“No ex-wife. I’ve never been married.”
“Why not?”
Julian shrugged. “Never clicked with anyone well enough to want to pursue a relationship.” He took a piece of warm bread from the basket and tore it in half. “What about you? No ex hanging around?”
Molly shook her head. “Just former boyfriends. Actually I can’t even call them boyfriends. They were more like…temporary pastimes.”
“I’ve had some of those too. That’s part of the reason I moved to Seattle from Bremerton, plus I found a much better job.”
“What do you do?”
“Computer security. I had a good job in Bremerton, but had gone as far
as I could in the company. It was family owned and promotions seemed to go to family members instead of the most deserving. So I started looking around.” He splashed more wine into each of their glasses. “I stopped looking when I applied for a job with Ellison-Miller Insurance. I start there on Monday.”
Molly laid her fork on her plate and sat back in her chair. “You aren’t serious.”
“Why not?”
“That’s where Twyla’s boyfriend works. Daniel is VP of Finance at Ellison-Miller.”
“She’s one of your coffee buddies?”
Molly nodded. “Twyla is the one with black hair.”
Julian chuckled. “Small world, huh?”
“Very.”
She stared into his eyes for a moment before returning her attention to her food. She ate silently while thinking about how she and Julian had met. It seemed as if they were destined to meet…if not in Jennie’s Java, then later at a Christmas party or some kind of get-together at Daniel’s workplace.
Her heart beat a little faster at that thought.
Don’t rush things, Molly. You’re still getting to know each other.
“Where do you work?” Julian asked.
“At Nordstrom.”
“Full-time?”
“Thirty to forty hours a week. There have been more forty-hour weeks lately. That’s been nice for my paycheck.”
“Do you like your job?”
“It’s not my life’s dream, but it’s okay.”
“What’s your life’s dream?”
Molly hesitated. She’d had guys smirk when she told them what she wanted to do with her life. “To be a writer.”
Julian smiled. “Hey, that’s great. Have you finished a book?”
She breathed easier at his obvious enthusiasm for her dream. “Two. I’m working on a third. No nibbles yet from an agent or editor.”
“That doesn’t mean you won’t get one soon. Don’t give up.”
“I won’t. I’m too stubborn to give up.”
“Don’t say stubborn. Say…” He looked up, as if he could find the answer floating above his head. “Determined.”
The playfulness in his eyes made her smile. “I’m definitely determined.” She pierced the last bite of chicken on her plate and popped it in her mouth. “Julian, this was incredible. The salad, the chicken, the bread. Everything was wonderful.”