any women by those names, and for some reason she was glad.
"So what happened after Dean?"
"After Dean came Harold. Harold and I didn't have the same problem because he was also a cop. Harold was the best damn traffic cop on the beat. Trouble was , he was content to be the best damn traffic cop on the beat. When I made detective and moved to homicide, it irritated the hell out of him. He thought I should have been content along with him. He couldn't understand that I wanted more. He asked for a transfer, and now he's probably the best damn traffic cop walking some beat in Kansas City."
Nate smiled sadly. "I'm sorry, Mel." He covered her hand with his and squeezed. "Well, really I'm not. Because if Harold had stayed, you might have worked things out. You'd be Mrs. Harold Traffic Cop and we wouldn't be sitting here eating Antipasto and Veal Parmesan."
"You're right." She nibbled at her salad but couldn't eat much, and eventually pushed it away. "Too much food. It's wonderful, just too much."
"I know. I always have the same problem. Fortunately for me, I can eat my veal leftovers in the hotel."
Mel decided to go for it. Her hand found his kneecap again. "I've been thinking about the hotel. Really doesn't make much sense, what with my having the extra room and all. If you're comfortable there, you might as well stay at my place."
His eyes lit up. "Are you serious? Because I have to tell you, even though I promised not to go wandering last night, I'm not positive I could make the same promise tonight."
She smiled. "I was going to suggest that you might be even more comfortable in my room. The bed is firmer, and the pillows are softer."
Nate leaned in and nuzzled her earlobe. "Just two of the room's many fine features, I'm sure."
The waiter approached to remove their salad plates. "Your meals will be out in a few minutes."
Nate didn't move his face, just replied, "Better hurry them up, Skippy. We don't have all day here."
Mel pushed him away and smiled at the waiter apologetically. "That will be fine, thank you."
He left and she slapped Nate's chest lightly. "You're going to owe him a really good tip."
"I always leave good tips," he assured her. "Maybe not as good as you. Christ, how much did you pay the waitress last night? My wallet is nearly empty."
"That wasn't because of the tip!" Mel laughed. "It was the never-ending rounds of beer!"
"Oh, yeah." He smiled sheepishly. "Anyway, seeing as how my prospects for the weekend just took a turn for the better, I'm ready to get this show on the road. Shall we ask for our meals to go?" His grin turned devilish.
"We will not," she insisted. "We're going to sit here and eat like civilized folks. When we're through, I might even order dessert."
His foot nudged her leg and wrapped around it. "Okay, if that's what you want. I like dessert."
She worked one knee over the top of his leg and rubbed their legs together. "You're gonna like it."
Nate groaned. He found the waistband of her jeans and unfastened the snap.
Mel stared straight ahead. "You wouldn't dare!"
His fingers pried her zipper down as he glanced around the room. "Is that a challenge?"
"Stop that!" she whispered out of the side of her mouth.
"Nope, I've been double-dog dared. I can't stop now."
The waiter chose that moment to return with their plates, and the pair of them froze. He set the steaming dinners in front of them and asked, "Would you like extra cheese on those?"
"Yes, please." Nate smiled pleasantly, and feigned interest as the boy shredded fresh cheese on top of the veal.
"For you ma'am?"
Mel could barely speak. Nate's hand had made it inside her jeans and one finger was rimming the edge of her panties. "No thank you," she squeaked.
The waiter left, and she looked at Nate. "You are evil!"
"And you are gorgeous! All I can think about is making love to you. I can't wait to get you home so I can count the ways I'm going to cherish you." One finger dipped through her folds.
It was her turn to
"So what happened after Dean?"
"After Dean came Harold. Harold and I didn't have the same problem because he was also a cop. Harold was the best damn traffic cop on the beat. Trouble was , he was content to be the best damn traffic cop on the beat. When I made detective and moved to homicide, it irritated the hell out of him. He thought I should have been content along with him. He couldn't understand that I wanted more. He asked for a transfer, and now he's probably the best damn traffic cop walking some beat in Kansas City."
Nate smiled sadly. "I'm sorry, Mel." He covered her hand with his and squeezed. "Well, really I'm not. Because if Harold had stayed, you might have worked things out. You'd be Mrs. Harold Traffic Cop and we wouldn't be sitting here eating Antipasto and Veal Parmesan."
"You're right." She nibbled at her salad but couldn't eat much, and eventually pushed it away. "Too much food. It's wonderful, just too much."
"I know. I always have the same problem. Fortunately for me, I can eat my veal leftovers in the hotel."
Mel decided to go for it. Her hand found his kneecap again. "I've been thinking about the hotel. Really doesn't make much sense, what with my having the extra room and all. If you're comfortable there, you might as well stay at my place."
His eyes lit up. "Are you serious? Because I have to tell you, even though I promised not to go wandering last night, I'm not positive I could make the same promise tonight."
She smiled. "I was going to suggest that you might be even more comfortable in my room. The bed is firmer, and the pillows are softer."
Nate leaned in and nuzzled her earlobe. "Just two of the room's many fine features, I'm sure."
The waiter approached to remove their salad plates. "Your meals will be out in a few minutes."
Nate didn't move his face, just replied, "Better hurry them up, Skippy. We don't have all day here."
Mel pushed him away and smiled at the waiter apologetically. "That will be fine, thank you."
He left and she slapped Nate's chest lightly. "You're going to owe him a really good tip."
"I always leave good tips," he assured her. "Maybe not as good as you. Christ, how much did you pay the waitress last night? My wallet is nearly empty."
"That wasn't because of the tip!" Mel laughed. "It was the never-ending rounds of beer!"
"Oh, yeah." He smiled sheepishly. "Anyway, seeing as how my prospects for the weekend just took a turn for the better, I'm ready to get this show on the road. Shall we ask for our meals to go?" His grin turned devilish.
"We will not," she insisted. "We're going to sit here and eat like civilized folks. When we're through, I might even order dessert."
His foot nudged her leg and wrapped around it. "Okay, if that's what you want. I like dessert."
She worked one knee over the top of his leg and rubbed their legs together. "You're gonna like it."
Nate groaned. He found the waistband of her jeans and unfastened the snap.
Mel stared straight ahead. "You wouldn't dare!"
His fingers pried her zipper down as he glanced around the room. "Is that a challenge?"
"Stop that!" she whispered out of the side of her mouth.
"Nope, I've been double-dog dared. I can't stop now."
The waiter chose that moment to return with their plates, and the pair of them froze. He set the steaming dinners in front of them and asked, "Would you like extra cheese on those?"
"Yes, please." Nate smiled pleasantly, and feigned interest as the boy shredded fresh cheese on top of the veal.
"For you ma'am?"
Mel could barely speak. Nate's hand had made it inside her jeans and one finger was rimming the edge of her panties. "No thank you," she squeaked.
The waiter left, and she looked at Nate. "You are evil!"
"And you are gorgeous! All I can think about is making love to you. I can't wait to get you home so I can count the ways I'm going to cherish you." One finger dipped through her folds.
It was her turn to
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