waiter. She slid into the booth and didn't stop until she'd reached the middle.
Nate moved in from the other side, sliding around until their legs touched. He glanced at her and smiled.
She looked away quickly, suddenly feeling nervous and shy. The waiter was explaining the daily specials but all she could think about was the warmth of Nate's thigh pressed against hers.
"You said something about wine?" Nate asked softly.
"One glass," she agreed.
"Red or white?"
"Um, red, please."
He pointed to a selection on the menu then requested more time before they ordered. The waiter nodded and left. Nate smiled as he went, then said to Mel, "If that boy wants a good tip, he better figure out we're not going to be rushed here today. I said leisurely lunch and I meant it."
She leaned back against the booth and sighed. "Sounds good. I haven't taken a lot of time to relax since this whole thing began. It's been a stressful couple of weeks."
"I understand the feeling. Even now, it almost seems wrong sitting here enjoying ourselves when that madman is still out there. I want to be doing something. Patience is not my strongest virtue."
She smiled at that. "What is your strongest virtue, SSA Willis?"
The waiter returned with their wine and Nate smiled. "Saved by the waiter."
The young man poured a small amount for Nate to taste. Nate did, and nodded his approval, so the waiter filled each of their glasses.
"We'll have the Antipasto for starters, and after that we'll place our order."
"Sure," the boy said, and walked off.
Nate lifted his glass and swirled the contents. "Not going to have him bring our salads after one bite of the appetizer."
Mel chuckled. "You were serious about this leisurely lunch business, weren't you?"
He gazed into her eyes. "Let's put it this way. When we leave here, I have an empty hotel room and three dead people's case files to go home to . Now, what do you think I'd rather be doing this afternoon?"
The sultry tone of his voice sent a chill right to her core. She lifted her wine glass and clinked it carefully against his. "We'll eat very slowly."
Nate smiled. "Now that I've got your undivided attention, you're going to hear my apology for last night. Whether you choose to accept it is up to you."
"Nate, really. I don't need—"
He lifted one finger and pressed it to her lips. "You may not need to hear it, but I need to say it. I'm sorry, Mel. I never drink that much and I still can't believe how badly it affected me. I'm mortified how I acted in front of you and your colleagues."
She blinked. "Is that what you're sorry about?"
He cocked his head. "Of course it is. What did you think I was going to say?"
She looked down, unsure if she should even bring it up.
Nate placed one figure under her chin and raised her face to meet his. "What did you think I was apologizing for?"
"For kissing me?"
The corner of his mouth twitched before his face split into a wide grin. "Oh God, no! I expect there's going to be a lot more kissing. I hope I don't have to apologize for that."
Her heart soared, and she couldn't hold back her grin. Before she could answer, their young waiter returned with the appetizer, some plates and warm bread. "Thank you," she said to him.
"Give us about fifteen minutes, then we'll be ready to order," Nate advised the boy.
He nodded and retreated.
Mel focused on the big plate of meat and cheeses. "This looks good." She reached for her plate but Nate scooped her hand into his.
"You were going to tell me if I needed to apologize for the kissing."
Mel faced him and squeezed his hand. "Most definitely not. More kissing is absolutely in order. I just wasn't sure, last night, I mean. We really don't know each other. When you had a little too much to drink I figured it was the stress of the day. Then I started overthinking things. Like, was the drinking a normal thing for you? It is for a lot of people in our line of work."
He tightened his grip. "You're right, you had no way of
Nate moved in from the other side, sliding around until their legs touched. He glanced at her and smiled.
She looked away quickly, suddenly feeling nervous and shy. The waiter was explaining the daily specials but all she could think about was the warmth of Nate's thigh pressed against hers.
"You said something about wine?" Nate asked softly.
"One glass," she agreed.
"Red or white?"
"Um, red, please."
He pointed to a selection on the menu then requested more time before they ordered. The waiter nodded and left. Nate smiled as he went, then said to Mel, "If that boy wants a good tip, he better figure out we're not going to be rushed here today. I said leisurely lunch and I meant it."
She leaned back against the booth and sighed. "Sounds good. I haven't taken a lot of time to relax since this whole thing began. It's been a stressful couple of weeks."
"I understand the feeling. Even now, it almost seems wrong sitting here enjoying ourselves when that madman is still out there. I want to be doing something. Patience is not my strongest virtue."
She smiled at that. "What is your strongest virtue, SSA Willis?"
The waiter returned with their wine and Nate smiled. "Saved by the waiter."
The young man poured a small amount for Nate to taste. Nate did, and nodded his approval, so the waiter filled each of their glasses.
"We'll have the Antipasto for starters, and after that we'll place our order."
"Sure," the boy said, and walked off.
Nate lifted his glass and swirled the contents. "Not going to have him bring our salads after one bite of the appetizer."
Mel chuckled. "You were serious about this leisurely lunch business, weren't you?"
He gazed into her eyes. "Let's put it this way. When we leave here, I have an empty hotel room and three dead people's case files to go home to . Now, what do you think I'd rather be doing this afternoon?"
The sultry tone of his voice sent a chill right to her core. She lifted her wine glass and clinked it carefully against his. "We'll eat very slowly."
Nate smiled. "Now that I've got your undivided attention, you're going to hear my apology for last night. Whether you choose to accept it is up to you."
"Nate, really. I don't need—"
He lifted one finger and pressed it to her lips. "You may not need to hear it, but I need to say it. I'm sorry, Mel. I never drink that much and I still can't believe how badly it affected me. I'm mortified how I acted in front of you and your colleagues."
She blinked. "Is that what you're sorry about?"
He cocked his head. "Of course it is. What did you think I was going to say?"
She looked down, unsure if she should even bring it up.
Nate placed one figure under her chin and raised her face to meet his. "What did you think I was apologizing for?"
"For kissing me?"
The corner of his mouth twitched before his face split into a wide grin. "Oh God, no! I expect there's going to be a lot more kissing. I hope I don't have to apologize for that."
Her heart soared, and she couldn't hold back her grin. Before she could answer, their young waiter returned with the appetizer, some plates and warm bread. "Thank you," she said to him.
"Give us about fifteen minutes, then we'll be ready to order," Nate advised the boy.
He nodded and retreated.
Mel focused on the big plate of meat and cheeses. "This looks good." She reached for her plate but Nate scooped her hand into his.
"You were going to tell me if I needed to apologize for the kissing."
Mel faced him and squeezed his hand. "Most definitely not. More kissing is absolutely in order. I just wasn't sure, last night, I mean. We really don't know each other. When you had a little too much to drink I figured it was the stress of the day. Then I started overthinking things. Like, was the drinking a normal thing for you? It is for a lot of people in our line of work."
He tightened his grip. "You're right, you had no way of
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