His gaze traveled down, all the way to the sharp heel of her shoe, then back up again. “Chris?” He didnt snarl it, but he wanted to.

“Mmm-hmm.”

“And whos Chris?”

“A very talented massage therapist with magic hands.” She stretched, as if under those magic hands, and added a quiet little moan. Oh, yes, she thought at the quick hitch of Jordans breathing, she had entirely new weaponry to aim at him this time around.

“A recommendation fromZoe ,” she added. “Zoesgoing to offer a variety of treatments in the salon.”

“And would that be Christine or Christopher?”

She shrugged. “I got a neck and shoulder treatment this afternoon, a kind of audition. Chris passed with flying colors.” She frowned when he zoomed past the town limits. “Were not eating in town?”

He couldnt breathe without breathing whatever shed doused herself in to drive him crazy. And by the way, he thought, in case hed forgotten she had legs that went all the way to her ears, she was going out of her way to remind him.

If his voice was a bit tight, there were good reasons for it. “Im feeding you and paying the bill. Venues my pick.”

“It better be worthy of my outfit and my appetite, or youll be paying more than the bill.”

“I remember your appetites.” He ordered himself to relax. She might be playing a hell of a game, but he hadnt come up to bat yet. “So tell me, what is the key to sexual fulfillment?”

“Read the book. You tell me, what pops into your head when you think of „key when it comes to literature?”

“Locked-door mysteries.” “Hmm. Could be another angle. How about goddess, other than in mythology?”

“Your femme fatale character. Like the mystery woman in The Maltese Falcon .”

“How is she a goddess?”

“She has the power to weave spells over a man, with sex, beauty, and lies.”

“Huh.” Deliberately, she skimmed her fingers down the long curve of her hair. “Not bad. Something to think about.” As she did, she lost track of direction and time. It was nearly eight when she brought herself back and blinked at the big white house tucked into the hillside.

Batter up, Jordan thought as he saw her eyes go wide.

“Lucianos?” Her jaw dropped. “It takes a congressional edict to get a reservation atLucianos this time of year. You have to book weeks in advance out of season, but in October you cant get in even by donating blood.”

“Youll only have to give them a pint.” He climbed out, tossed his keys to the valet.

“Ive always wanted to eat here. Way out of my league.”

“I tried to get us in for your birthday once. They didnt laugh at me, but it was close.”

“You couldnt have afforded to…” She trailed off, and couldnt help but go togoo inside. It was just the sort of thing hed have done, she remembered. Unexpectedly, recklessly done. “It was a nice thought,” she told him and kissed his cheek.

“This time I pulled it off.” He shocked her speechless by lifting her hand to his lips. “Happy birthday. Better late than never.”

“Youre being charming. Why are you being charming?”

“It goes with your outfit.” And still holding her hand, he led her up the steps.

The restaurant had once been the mountain getaway of a Pittsburgh family of some wealth and influence. Dana didnt know if it qualified as a mansion, but it certainly met all the requirements for villa with its columns and balconies and porticos.

The grounds were lovely, and in spring and summer, even early fall, alfresco dining was offered in the courtyard so patrons could enjoy the gardens and the views along with a superbly prepared meal.

The interior had been restored, and maintained the elegance and ambience of a well-appointed home.

The entrance hall offered marble floors, Italian art, and cozy seating areas. Dana barely had time to absorb the light, the color, before the maitre d hurried over to greet them.

“Mr. Hawke, were so pleased you could join us this evening. Signorina , welcome toLucianos . Your tables ready if youd like to be seated. Or if you prefer Ill have you shown into our lounge.”

“The ladys hungry, so well take the table, thanks.”

“Of course. Shall I take your wrap?”

“Sure.”

But Jordan beat the maitre d, and with a trail of fingertips along her shoulders, slipped her coat off. It was whisked away, and they were led up the grand staircase and into what she realized was a private room already prepared with a single table for two.

A waiter materialized with champagne.

“As you requested,” the maitre d said. “Is this suitable for your evening?”

“Its perfect,” Jordan told him.

“ Bene . If you wish for anything, you have only to ask. Please, enjoy. Buonappetite .”

He slipped away, leaving them alone.

“When you pull it off,” Dana said after a moment, “you really pull it off.”

“No point in doing things halfway.” He lifted his glass, tapped it gently against hers. “To moments. Past, present, future.”

“That seems safe enough to drink to.” She sipped. “Jeez. You know what old Dom meant about drinking stars when he had his first sip of the bubbly stuff.” She took another sip, then studied him over the rim. “Okay, Im impressed. Youre quite the big cheese these days, arent you, Mr. Hawke?”

“Maybe, but its more knowing to use what works. And the local boy who makes good can usually get a table at a restaurant.”

She looked around the room, so softly lit, so private, so romantic.

There were flowers and candles, not only on the table but on the antique server, on the long, carved buffet. The room smelled of both of them, and music—something soft with weeping violins—drifted through the air.

A low fire burned in a black marble hearth, more candles, more flowers on the mantelpiece above it. A wide scalloped mirror reflected off it, creating a strong sense of intimacy.

“Some table,” she said at length.

“I wanted to be alone with you. Dont spoil it,” he said, and covered her hand with his before she could move it out of reach. “Its just dinner, Stretch.”

“Nothings just in a place like this.”

He turned her hand over, ran his finger down the center of her palm while he watched her face. “Then let me try my hand at romancing you. Just for one evening. I could start by telling you that just looking at you right now almost stops my heart.”

Hers did a quick bounce, and then went thud . “Youre pretty good at it, for a beginner.”

“Sit tight. Ill get better.”

She didnt tug her hand away. It seemed wrong, a small, mean gesture when hed gone to such trouble to give her something special. “Its not going to mean anything, Jordan. Were in different places than we were.”

“Seems to me were both right here. Why dont we relax and enjoy it?” He nodded to the waiter stationed discreetly just outside the room. “You said you were hungry.”

She took the offered menu. “Youve got that one right.”

* * *

IT would, Dana discovered, take considerable effort and a great deal of determination not to relax and enjoy. And it would be mean-spirited. He might have cornered her into the date, but hed gone out of his way to make it a memorable, even magical one.

Then there was the fact that, by his own terms, he was romancing her. That was something new. As long as theyd been together, as much as theyd meant to each other, old-fashioned romance had never been particularly a part of their relationship.

Oh, hed certainly been capable of sweetness, if he was in the mood. And surprise. But no one, not even the most sympathetic, would ever have called the Jordan Hawke she remembered smooth or traditionally romantic.

Then again, shed bleed his edges. Theyd attracted her and theyd aroused her.

Still, she wasnt about to complain about being courted for one evening by a charming, entertaining man who seemed intent on providing her with a dream date. “Tell me what you want for the bookstore.“

She took another bite of truly incredible sea bass. “How much time do you have?”

“All you need.”

“Well, first I want it to be accessible. The kind of place people feel free to stroll into, just browse around, maybe settle in for a while and read. But at the same time, I dont want them to treat it like their private library. What I want to establish is the neighborhood bookstore, where customer service is the priority, where people like to gather.”

“I wonder why no one ever tried that in the heart of the Valley before.”

“Im trying not to think about that,” she admitted. “If no one did, there might be a good reason.”

“They werent you,” he said simply. “What else are you after? Are you shooting for general stock, or are you going to specialize?”

“General. I want a lot of variety, but I worked in the library long enough to know what people in this area lean toward. So certain sections—romance, mystery, local interest—will outweigh some of the more esoteric titles. I want to coordinate with the local schools, know what teachers are assigning, and see if I can get at least one book club formed within the first six months.”

She picked up her wine. “And thats just for starters. Mal andZoe and I will be working together, and ideally well overlap our customer base. You know, somebody comes in for a book and thinks, Wow, look at that terrific blown-glass vase. Its just perfect for my sisters birthday. Or someones going up toZoes for a haircut and picks up a paperback to read while shes getting done.”

“Or they come in to look at paintings and decide they could really use a manicure.”