Courting Innocence

by Kimberly Dean

  ‘A pro–?’ Nina let out a cough. ‘Well, I suppose we could do that for you.’

  ‘Can you do it?’ She was impressed with this woman. She could tell she’d experienced a lot in life. She was smart, tough and sexy – all things Erin aspired to be. She was looking for a mentor, not a friend.

  ‘I’d be willing to make that part of our arrangement.’

  Erin relaxed. ‘So have we come to an agreement?’

  ‘I believe we’re on the same page.’ Nina lifted a finger. ‘But trust me, what you’ll find out in the end is that you, sweetie, are definitely not boring.’

  They spent the rest of the hour talking about Erin’s ideal man and working up a contract. Erin tried to be general, but Nina was a stickler for details. Once Erin got past her embarrassment, she had definite answers.

  She liked them dark and athletic, smart but not geeky, and tall but not too tall. She was short. She didn’t mind toughness, but she insisted on fairness. Race didn’t matter, and if a guy had a sense of humour, all bets were off. She loved to laugh.

  ‘You’ll never find someone who meets all these requirements,’ she said as she signed the contract on the dotted line.

  ‘We call them wishes, and while I’ll try to meet them, sometimes it’s someone completely opposite who’s the best fit.’

  ‘See.’ Erin passed over the pen. ‘That’s why I came to you.’

  ‘And that’s why I look forward to working with you.’ Nina shook her hand. The grip was warm and sure. ‘I’ve taken enough of your time. Let me escort you back to the lobby.’

  Erin smiled. It might have been a wild hair, but coming here had been a good idea. Luxxor had so much to offer. She was impressed by Nina’s self-assurance, and those shoes! Things could work out even better than she’d hoped.

  ‘I love the way you’ve done your offices,’ she said as they walked out together. The scheme moved easily from room to room and offered the luxuriousness she knew the company was trying to impart.

  ‘Why, thank you,’ Nina said. ‘Do you do much interior decorating?’

  ‘My major in school was design.’ Actually, she had a masters in the subject. With Marty travelling so much for work and Sienna sticking around to get her advanced degree, she’d continued her studies, too. Not that she’d worked as hard as Sienna. Design had always come naturally for her. As her mother said, she had an eye.

  ‘Are you working in the field?’

  ‘No.’ Although it was time she looked into it. She needed to buck up and decide what she wanted to do with her life. She’d enjoyed her coursework, and it had been easy for her. She just hadn’t put much value in her studies back then.

  And that had been really stupid. Her lips flattened. She’d been so dependent on others. So passive. She had a brain, and she had skills. Others took care of her, but she could contribute. ‘Rest assured, I can afford your services.’

  ‘I’m not worried about that, dear.’

  More code. Luxxor had done its homework on her. They would have had an easy time of it with Sienna on staff. Finding information on the company, though, had proven difficult. They were so low profile, they were nearly off the radar.

  Which sealed the deal for Erin. She needed the freedom and privacy to explore herself and her relationships with others.

  Rielle smiled when they reached the lobby area. She had a hopeful look on her face.

  ‘Erin has signed with us as a client,’ Nina announced.

  ‘That’s wonderful.’

  Erin shook the office manager’s hand, too. ‘Should I just wait for you to call?’

  Nina folded her arms around her waist. ‘Yes, we’ll need a bit of time to scour our database and find potential matches. Once we do, we’ll work with you to decide a time and venue for your first…date.’

  First date.

  Wow.

  Erin’s heels twisted like Dorothy’s in The Wizard of Oz. She felt like she was going back in time, yet moving ahead, finally, into adulthood. Her choice. Her terms. Her timeline.

  Empowerment, at last.

  ‘I can’t wait.’

  She left the swanky office with her head held high and her steps crisp. She strode down the hallway to the elevator and pushed the call button.

  Who would they set her up with? Dark and handsome? Blonde and boyish? Clean-cut and sexy?

  And what about that sexual contact clause in the contract? It wouldn’t possibly be needed. But what if it was? What if she was attracted to the man they paired her with? Or men?

  Heat crept up in her cheeks. She was so immersed in the daydream, she blinked when the elevator bell rang. Moving forward on autopilot, she came to an abrupt halt when someone exited.

  ‘Oh,’ she squealed. Yet the ‘Ohhhhhh’ kept right on going as she tilted her head back to look at the man who stood less than a foot in front of her.

  Talk about dark and handsome.

  Add rugged and rough-and-tumble to the list. The guy was intimidating as hell.

  ‘Sorry!’ she managed to squeak. She backtracked in a dozen tiny shuffle-steps.

  The man’s forehead wrinkled, and he frowned. One long step put him right in front of her again, and she backed up until her shoulders bumped against the hallway wall.

  ‘Foster.’ He pointed a finger at her. His dark eyes were sharp. ‘Erin Foster?’

  She sucked in a breath. ‘Yes?’

  She had a good memory for faces. His she would have remembered. Who the heck was this guy? She was as rooted in place as if she’d just been called in front of the principal.

  The sexy, disciplinarian principal.

  Erin blushed. What was wrong with her? All that talk about random touches and spontaneous kisses had thrown her off-kilter. She needed to get her head out of that space. ‘Do I know you?’ she asked.

  He pulled aside his coat and flashed a badge. ‘Detective Morgan, Metro Police. I’m investigating the assault case against Jason Sloan.’

  Her spine snapped into place, and she straightened to her full five foot two inches. ‘He didn’t assault anyone. He was protecting Sienna.’

  The man nodded as he slipped his hands into his pockets. He truly was a presence, but he could use that steely look and imposing stance all he wanted. She’d stand up for her friends.

  Even if Detective Morgan looked like he could squash her like a bug.

  ‘Easy. Don’t get upset. I’m interested in hearing what you know. I’ve been meaning to talk to you.’ He glanced down the hallway. ‘I just didn’t expect to find you here.’

  Shoot. Erin nearly groaned aloud. She’d managed to keep her appointment secret from everyone else. Now the cops were onto her?

  ‘I’m kind of in a hurry. Can we schedule another time?’ She’d talk with him. Fine. Just not here and especially not now. She glanced at her watch. Sienna could be back without warning.

  The detective was still pondering Luxxor’s door with the fancy gilded lettering. When he focused on her, he seemed distracted. ‘I promise it won’t take long.’

  Erin shifted her weight. The elevator still stood open, waiting for her, but she didn’t want to be rude. Or, worse, suspicious.

  The detective took a step to the side, effectively blocking that escape path from her view. ‘You’re Ms Blakely’s roommate, right?’

  ‘Yes, although we’ve only roomed together for a few weeks. I’ve been her best friend since we were teenagers.’

  ‘On the night of the event, Nina…Excuse me, Ms Lockwood brought Sienna back to your apartment. Is that right?’

  ‘Yes, it is.’

  ‘Did Sienna tell you what happened?’

  ‘Of course. But even if she hadn’t, it was all over the news.’

  ‘Did she say if Mr Pratt, the alleged victim, had been aggressive with her?’

  ‘Kyle is a jerk. He’s always offensive.’

  ‘But physically? Did she say he’d threatened her or touched her in any way?’

  Erin frowned. She really wanted to give the det
ective an answer that led in one direction, but she couldn’t. She was honest to a fault. Even when she tried lying, people knew she was doing it before the words left her lips. ‘I don’t remember,’ she mumbled.

  He nodded, and the frown on his lips lightened. She couldn’t say for sure, but she felt like her candour impressed him.

  ‘Had he been calling her prior to that or harassing her?’

  Again, her answer wasn’t the one Erin would have liked to give. ‘No, I don’t think they’d been in touch for a long time.’

  The detective nodded, but then his gaze swept back to Luxxor’s offices. ‘So are you friends with Ms Lockwood, too?’

  ‘We just met today.’ Erin’s guard remained high and rigid. Her father had taught her a thing or two, including that she should read a contract fully before signing it. There was a confidentiality clause three pages long in the one she’d signed with Luxxor. She couldn’t tell a soul what she knew about them – not even a cop. Or so she thought.

  She wasn’t going to chance it.

  ‘Were you here to see your roommate?’ he pressed.

  She rubbed the toe of her shoe hard against the floor. Darn it, if only she could lie!

  ‘No,’ she said simply. He would have caught her in that one too easily anyway. If he went in there, he’d quickly discover that Sienna was out.

  He lifted an eyebrow at her. And waited.

  His authority, his age and his willpower all bore down on her. She would not…She couldn’t…

  ‘I had an appointment,’ she blurted.

  That brought his chin up fast. ‘As a client?’

  She pressed her lips together stubbornly, and the glint in his eyes brightened. He folded his arms over his chest and leaned forward an infinitesimal amount that she felt right down to her squished toes.

  ‘So what is it, exactly, that Nina does?’

  Oh, no. The heat in Erin’s cheeks moved to the back of her neck. She’d already let too much slip. Secrets were gold to her, but this man wanted her treasures. She wiggled against the wall, looking desperately for a way around him.

  ‘She’s so secretive,’ he said. ‘It makes me curious.’

  Erin knew how that felt. Sienna had kept her in the dark for a long, long time.

  The detective waited patiently, unmoving as the Rock of Gibraltar.

  ‘What’s that confidential?’ He swept a hand through his hair. ‘I have my suspicions, but I never would have suspected you to be a client.’

  That opinion seemed to be going around. Erin’s nose scrunched. She had just as much right as anyone to use a matchmaker.

  ‘That’s my business,’ she said, lifting her chin.

  The humour in his eyes faded, and she fought not to shiver.

  The man was tough and grumpy as they came. And nosy and tricky. He needed to ease up. Relax and enjoy life a bit.

  His expression clouded, and this time the way he leaned in wasn’t imagined. ‘Is it illegal?’

  ‘No!’ she squeaked, flustered. ‘They’re services that you could use, in fact.’

  His head snapped back. ‘Oh, really?’

  ‘Detective!’ Nina stood in the hallway outside Luxxor’s entrance. She had one hand still on the doorknob, and her fingers were white.

  The man eased back from Erin. His attention swung away from her and zeroed in on the powerful woman facing him like a well-postured gunslinger. ‘Ms Lockwood,’ he said, his voice somewhere between a purr and a growl.

  Erin saw her opening, and she hurried past him.

  ‘I don’t remember us having an appointment,’ Nina said, unbowed.

  ‘I remembered a few more questions I wanted to ask you.’

  ‘You couldn’t have called?’

  ‘No.’ His voice was smooth as silk now, and he’d started wandering down the hallway. ‘I couldn’t.’

  Erin darted into the elevator and jabbed the button for the first floor. She held her breath as she waited for her escape to be ensured.

  ‘Thank you for your time, Miss Foster.’ The words slid through the thin crack between the closing doors before they sealed tight.

  Drat. She hadn’t escaped. He’d let her go.

  ‘Men.’ Erin sagged against the wall of the elevator as it started downwards.

  You couldn’t live with them.

  And it was sexually frustrating as heck without them.

  Chapter Three

  Erin smiled at her date, but passed on dessert. Dinner had been enjoyable. He’d taken her to the Bossa Bistro, a lounge club in the Adams Morgan district that served Brazilian cuisine. Their table was in a corner, lit by candles, but the place was packed and lively. It had a sexy vibe. The music from the Latin band upstairs filtered down to their table and made the date easy and relaxing.

  Maybe too easy.

  She took another drink of her mojito and surveyed her companion over the rim of her glass. He was good-looking. Clean-cut, with a side of understated sexiness. She liked him. He was pleasant and charming. He’d been flirting with her, and she felt herself responding to the attention. He’d been a perfect date so far and a perfect gentleman.

  Just like the last four Nina had paired her with.

  Erin rolled the white rum around on her tongue and finally swallowed.

  What was wrong with her?

  He was great. He was interested in what she had to say. He’d given her compliments, and the banked heat in his eyes told her he meant them. So what was she waiting for? What did she want? A spark? Some friction?

  He held out his hand, palm up. ‘Dance?’

  She perked up. ‘I’d love to.’

  He took her hand, and she followed him up the side staircase. The restaurant was long and narrow, squashed in a long row of buildings holding bookstores, clubs and other restaurants. The somewhat scandalous Madam’s Organ blues bar was right next door, and she had to admit she was curious about it. This place was fun, though, with art on the walls and photographs of musicians. Her date led her through the maze of bodies and tables to the dance floor. The band was playing a slower song that still had a definite Latin rhythm. Turning, he swept her into a glide across the floor that was almost professional. At least trained…

  ‘You’re good,’ she said, smiling up at him.

  ‘So are you.’ His white teeth glinted in the soft spotlight the club had set on the dance floor.

  ‘I should be,’ she said with a laugh. ‘My parents dragged me along to a lot of affairs where dancing was the only outlet I had from stuffy grown-up discussions. How did you learn?’

  His smile faltered a little. ‘Lessons. I was told it would help polish me on the DC scene.’

  ‘Trying to get ahead?’ Erin teased.

  Their gazes locked. ‘How am I doing?’

  Fine. Just like the rest of them had.

  He spun her around him, and Erin’s dress lifted around her thighs. She was being too picky and analytical. She needed to stop thinking and enjoy herself. And she loved to dance. She navigated a quick turn and seamlessly moved back into her date’s arms. He had the hip action of the dance down.

  He really was handsome, well-spoken, polite and perfect.

  Too darn perfect.

  She frowned. Was that it?

  ‘What made you turn to Nina?’ she asked. She didn’t know if the question was taboo, but the truth was that both of them had turned to a matchmaker. She couldn’t see him not being able to pick up women. Not when he looked like he did – and could dance.

  ‘I’m sorry?’ he said, his eyes widening.

  ‘Luxxor’s dating service. Does your banking work keep you too busy to meet people?’ He’d told her he worked as a financial adviser. She’d always heard that bankers’ hours were easy, but stereotypes were hard to break.

  Understanding lit his eyes, and he nodded. ‘It’s difficult to meet women, especially in all the bustle of DC.’

  But the bustle was caused by people. Erin couldn’t imagine living anywhere without the energy of DC.


  He dipped her and pulled her close. ‘Would you like another drink?’

  ‘No.’ She ran her hand along his shoulder. ‘Let’s just dance a while.’

  He’d deflected her every time she’d tried to get him to talk about himself. It had all been about her – which, she supposed, should have been flattering. There had been more than one flash of interest in his eyes, but he’d been so, so…gentlemanly. Accommodating.

  There it was. That was the source of her disappointment.

  He wasn’t helping her understand herself any better than the other men Nina had set her up with. All of them had been friendly and doting. It was a confidence booster, but it wasn’t helping her grow.

  They’d all acted like she was fascinating, which she knew wasn’t the case.

  The band moved on to a sexy rumba, the music slow and sinuous. She moved closer to her date as the rhythm overtook them. Maybe if she could fan that spark she’d seen…

  Their bodies brushed, moving in synchronicity. He led her into the corner, close to the band but away from the light. Erin arched over his arm, and their bodies meshed, inch by inch, as she rose. She could feel his ribs expanding and releasing with each breath he took until her breasts were pressed tight against him. The contact was pleasurable. She wrapped both arms around his neck and felt his hands settle at the base of her spine.

  His hips rolled again, and her breath caught when he brought them into full contact. She hadn’t been wrong about that spark. He was hard.

  Time expanded in that moment, the dance forgotten.

  She looked into his eyes, and finally saw a crack in that gentleman façade. Hunger burned in the blue depths. He was going to kiss her.

  Did she want him to?

  Curiosity got the better of her. His head dipped, and she stood on tiptoe. Her nipples felt stiff where they rubbed against his muscled chest. Her nerves were humming as his lips settled across hers.

  The kiss was long, thorough and…OK.

  ‘That was nice,’ he whispered into her ear.

  Right, nice. He stroked his hands up and down her sides. Erin closed her eyes and let the music move her. It was pulsating and sensual. His hands slid lower until they closed over her bottom. She lifted her hair, and his mouth settled against the pulse on her neck.