Page 51 of By The Book
She turned toward him as they neared the bench, her hands clasped in front of her. “Denz…”
“I can see why Marsali says you need the practice.”
Claire looked insulted.
“What does that mean?”
“You’re taking what will be some outings and dinners and time spent hanging out and putting a lot of unnecessary pressure on it.”
“Because it’s temporary, and knowing that means I’m not in danger of catching feelings for you because…I know you’re leaving.” The frown cleared from her face and a laugh emerged. “Oh, my gosh, you’re right. I hear it. Okay. Yeah. I definitely need help, don’t I?”
No danger of catching feelings for him? “Yeah, but you’d be fine.”
“And you’d be okay? You wouldn’t feel used?”
“You do realize I’d get to date you, right?” His gaze narrowed on her. “It’s not exactly a hardship.”
Her teeth sank into her lower lip and she managed a smile.
“So is it official?” he asked. “Are we dating?”
Claire stepped in front of him and stopped him in his tracks, hands gripping his waist as she leaned toward him. “I think we are. Now what?”
He grinned at her and lifted his hands to cradle her face. “Now this.”
Denz brushed his lips over hers and held, just touching. He liked the way her breath hitched in her throat and felt her fingers clench into his shirt at his stomach.
He deepened the kiss, and by the time he lifted his head, he was pleased to note she looked more than a little dazed.
Yeah, kissing her wasn’t going to be a hardship, either, and he planned to do plenty of it. Well, at least as much as she’d allow.
By the time he lifted his head the second time, she looked thoroughly kissed and more than a little dazed, and he felt a kick of satisfaction at the sight. “Come on, you. Let’s go get some cake.”
The restof the wedding was uneventful. Denz and Claire danced and ate cake and sipped champagne as the sun sank deeper in the sky. The day wound down and guests began to trickle away in pairs or groups, and Denz watched as the headset-wearing Eliza did her thing and began to direct catering and the cleanup crews.
Oliver had pulled Denz aside again to discuss more security ideas, and Denz promised to work on a comprehensive plan that would cover all the bases. Oliver was worried about Marsali’s close call, and Denz knew the man would want nothing left to chance.
According to police, the guy’s motive for being in the house was anger. The guy’s girlfriend had ended things between them, and he blamed Marsali because the girlfriend had been reading Marsali’s book. It just proved one never knew how someone else’s mind worked. Or how freaky things could get when it came to domestic relationships.
A round of feminine laughter sounded, drawing his attention to where Claire sat with Amelia, Marsali, and Amelia’s friend, Izzy. Claire held Amelia and Lincoln’s baby and Denz frowned at the sight.
Claire had gotten pregnant young but she was only thirty. Did she want more kids?
A flash of jealousy stabbed him when he thought of her carrying a baby. With another guy.
“You’re looking downright moody,” Carter said, coming up to stand beside Denz. “What’s up?”
“Nothing.”
“Yeah. Keep saying that,” Carter said. “This have anything to do with Claire’s announcement that she’s agreed to let Marsali match her up?”
Truthfully, it did. Because in the time since he’d agreed to Claire’s suggestion to “test the waters” of dating, he’d found himself not liking the idea because of what would happenafterhe left town. Done right, it meant he basically wrapped Claire up in a bow and handed her off to some lucky guy from Marsali’s database. And while Marsali vetted all of her clients with background checks, those didn’t weed everything out, and Denz hated the idea that someone would slip through the system and not treat Claire right.
“Ah, man. You’ve got it bad,” Carter said, clapping a hand hard on Denz’s good shoulder.
“She’s different,” he said simply. Because it was true. Claire wasn’t like the single women he’d dated. Those women were typically more into their jobs or themselves. Claire… She had a son, had a life, plans and goals. Boundaries. And he liked that about her. Respected that about her.
“The good ones always are, buddy. The good ones always are.”
