Are you sure you don’t mind?” Krys couldn’t seem to convince herself that she wasn’t encroaching on Kylie’s time with Jordan, or on their lifestyle, by leaving Amy with them. The week had gone by, and she’d talked to Dex a couple of times on the phone, with him insisting they go out Friday night. She could have found a sitter for a few hours, but she didn’t know if she trusted herself to send him home at the end of the night, so she’d called for backup. Kylie had convinced Jordan it was her idea to keep Amy overnight and most of the day Saturday, for which Krys was grateful. She didn’t want to deal with whatever it was he had against Dex.

And Kylie seemed genuinely pleased. “Of course we don’t! In fact, we’re going to get our nails done this evening, and we’re going out for coffee and hot chocolate for breakfast. I’m super excited, and all I ask in return is that you give me all the luscious details.” Kylie elbowed her as they walked out of the office together.

“I appreciate it.” Krys purposely ignored the request, knowing that Kylie had a way of getting under her skin. The woman could make anyone squirm. She was good at reading people, and that might come in handy, Krys realized. “You know, I’d really like to hear what you think about Dex. I don’t understand why Jordan has such a problem with him. Do you?”

Kylie shrugged. “I know a lot of the guys on the team have had their fair share of love ‘em and leave ‘em moments. They like to play the field, and one or two of them have different women in every city they visit. And I know Dex has a reputation, but to be honest, I’ve never seen real validity in it.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, even Marcus had his shining moments, being seen in public with a different woman on his arm every other day. Turns out, it was all for show, but it still looked bad. Dex doesn’t get that sort of media attention, and I don’t think he’s brought a bunch of different dates to team events. And since I’ve been around, I haven’t seen him with anyone, steady or otherwise. Jordan has a rougher past with women than he does, as far as I can tell.”

Krys nodded. “So, you think it’s just a misunderstanding. Or maybe he’s just concerned with me bringing anyone at all into Amy’s life.”

“That could be true. But Krys, you can’t make all your decisions based on what Jordan thinks. In fact, you can’t rest your romantic life on what your daughter needs. I mean, that should be a factor, but it can’t be the only factor.” Kylie sounded truly concerned.

With a sigh, Krys told her, “You know, the only thing Jordan and I ever argued about was that he feels I have an unnatural attachment to motherhood. He thinks it’s unhealthy for me to worry so much about Amy and that I should let go a little. But I keep telling him how precious every day is, how terrifying it was for me to almost lose her. What if I made a decision that took away her happiness, and then she relapsed? I want to make sure she lives every minute as happy as possible.”

Kylie shook her head. "But you're missing the point here. That's a wonderful sentiment. At the same time, what good does it do to make her happy if you're not? If, heaven forbid, something like that did happen to her, and you looked back, you don't want to look back and think, ‘that was terribly hard, and I wish I'd been happy while she was still here.'" Kylie stopped walking and faced her. "I'm not judging, and I'm not trying to be harsh. But you deserve to enjoy your time with her, and you can't do that if you're unknowingly building up resentment."

As much as it made Krys’ stomach churn, she had to admit Kylie had a point. She’d even worried about that from time to time herself. “I can’t guarantee that this thing with Dex is going to change my world, you know.”

Kylie chuckled. “It might. But that’s not the point, either. You had to break down those barriers sometime, and you were never going to do that without a push. Dex is, if nothing else, that push.”

“I guess you’re right.” She took a deep breath and turned the corner toward the subway entrance while Kylie continued on toward the afternoon program where she would pick up Amy. “Wish me luck, then. I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon?”

“Of course. Call me if you need anything!” She waved and turned the other corner, leaving Krys with her thoughts as she descended toward the train. She had to get home, shower, change, and do her hair and makeup before Dex showed up, and she had precious little time. Thankfully, the train was on time and running smoothly, and she was home in twenty minutes.

She had no idea what to expect. She hadn’t been on a date in so long she couldn’t remember how they worked, and she didn’t know Dex well enough to guess where he might take her or what they might do. It made picking an outfit difficult. Should she dress up? Go casual? Wear heels to accent the shape of her legs or boots for a hike through the park? Grunting in frustration, she flipped through the clothes in her closet and finally settled on a pair of designer jeans she never wore with a nice, fitted blouse that showed just a little cleavage.

That didn’t help with shoes, and she left that till last, doing her makeup and hair first. She had just put the finishing touches on her lips when she heard the knock, and she frowned. She didn’t like that she wasn’t ready yet. Then again, it would give her a chance to ask Dex what his plans included so she could pick the right shoes.

Why was she fretting so much? She rolled her eyes at her own reflection before going to answer, reminding herself this was supposed to be fun and freeing rather than intimidating. As she opened the door, she smiled, and her shoulders sagged with relief. Dex had put himself together nicely but casually, with a green button down, jeans that showed off his soccer player legs, and a pair of dress shoes. He’d slicked back his hair, but it was already falling roguishly out of place, and he had shaved but left the start of a goatee that suited him well.

“Come in,” Krys told him, suddenly a bit breathless. “I just need to put on my shoes, and I’ll be ready to go.”

His expression questioned the merit of it, as if he would rather take off what clothes they wore and hop in bed. But he nodded shortly and said, “I’m not in a hurry. We’ve got all night.” She heard the insinuation and knew without a doubt she’d made the right decision in sending Amy to stay with Jordan and Kylie. She definitely wouldn’t be able to turn Dex down tonight, even if she wanted to. He had a solidly arousing effect on her that she couldn’t douse.

Hurrying to her bedroom, she slipped on a pair of flats and grabbed her purse, then met Dex back in the living room, where he stood, relaxed with his hands in his pockets. “You ready?”

She nodded. “So, what’s the plan?”

He shrugged. “I thought we might walk around, find a nice little hole in the wall place to eat, and then maybe head to a club with some live music or something. Not too loud so we can talk but invigorating.”

Krys liked that idea. “I’m game.” She followed him out and locked the door, and they took the elevator down. “Did you take a cab?” she asked.

He pointed to a reasonable – if expensive – BMW parked a couple of parking spaces away. “I drove. But it’s a nice evening, so I thought we could walk.”

“That’s fine with me.” She’d grown accustomed to the New York lifestyle and didn’t see why so many people felt the need to own a car. It took longer to drive almost anywhere than walk or take the trains, considering the horrific traffic. At the same time, she liked that Dex had the option. “What sort of cuisine are you in the mood for?”

"I like it all. I'm from Texas. I have a pretty well-rounded palette. Maybe some Puerto Rican or Italian food, something with a little spice to it."

“I know the perfect place. It’s about eight blocks from here. It’s a privately owned Puerto Rican restaurant with some of the best food I’ve had since I moved here.”

Dex smiled and reached for her hand as they left the building. Something about the gesture felt very intimate as his fingers laced with hers. “I like it. Lead the way.”

They took a right and rounded the block, walking south, before she said anything. “Tell me what it’s like in Texas. Is it very different from here?”

Dex laughed, a loud guttural sound. “It’s almost polar opposite. You’d think southerners would have courtesy and kindness. It’s the old stereotype. But there’s a lot more acceptance, a lot less judgment, and even a lot more friendliness here than there. It’s hot there all the time, except for the freezes that happen a couple times a year that shut everything down because no one can drive on ice. Everything’s slower, but not for any real purpose. And if you don’t have a car, you can’t get anywhere. The public transportation is awful. But the food is good, and when you find the right friends, you make your own fun. You have barbeques every weekend and drink beer and watch sports. Or in some cases, play them.”

It was the most she’d heard him talk about himself – or anything, really – since she’d known him. It prompted her to be more open. “Everything in Australia is the same. I mean, if you want to live in the Outback, it’s different. But a city is a city. They’re all on the coast, and they’re all built and run the same. I love it, really, but it’s not as culturally diverse as here.” She took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of the city. “Like this. You can’t walk down the street and smell the different foods or walk into one of six tiny shops that sell all sorts of random things.”

“You can’t do that in Dallas, either,” he nodded. “So, you’re a fan of New York.”

“I’m a fan of things to explore, a fan of convenience. New York offers both. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of discovering new places and new things to do here. And I can’t wait to start going to the theatre. I think Amy’s going to love stage plays and musicals and opera, just like I do.”

“Maybe we can make a date,” he said, as if it was an offhanded comment. “We’ll go see something family-friendly, like Aladdin or Wicked or something, and see if she likes it.” Krys blinked at him, realizing it was the first time he’d shown interest in being involved with Amy in any way. Did he mean it? She couldn’t tell. He was staring forward, glancing around and not really focusing on anything.

Don’t look too hard at it, she thought. He could just be musing aloud, looking for ways to draw her in, and he wasn’t really alright with a child being involved. It shouldn’t matter, though, not at this point. She had to stick to her guns. For now, this was just a date and nothing more. Trying to sound as casual as he did, she said, “That could be fun.”

“Good. I’ll keep it in mind.” Then, he turned to her, his eyes alight. “You know, I have some connections around here. We could even do something like have a private event at the zoo, have her invite some of her friends to join her for a day there without all the clusters of people. And they would do special feedings and things like that for entertainment.”

Something about the offer made her stomach churn, as if Dex was trying too hard. “Dex, I…” she started, but he held up a hand to stop her.

“I’m just thinking out loud, okay? These are things I can do to make sure your daughter feels included, if you want to keep this going. I’m not great with kids, but I don’t have a problem with them. And your girl has quite a big personality. It makes it easier, I think.”

That made Krys relax a little, and she laughed. “She does have her little quirks. And she’s smarter than I care to think about sometimes. She makes me feel like I never reached my full potential most of the time and sometimes like I’m just plain stupid.” She hesitated and then told him, “She asked if you spending the night meant she was going to have a little brother or sister because when adults have sleepovers, they make babies.”

Dex looked like he might choke as he guffawed and shook his head. “That’s hysterical. And far too intuitive.” He squeezed her hand. “She’s a winner, that’s for sure. What did you tell her, by the way?”

Krys blushed, remembering the conversation. “I told her that we don’t always make babies, sometimes it’s just for fun. She thought that was pretty stupid.”

Dex stopped walking and pulled her against him, making her heart race and her breath come in little gasps as he captured her gaze. “That was a very smart response. And for the record, whether it’s me or someone else, when you find the man of your dreams, I think you’d be selling yourself and the world short not to have another one.”

Before she could respond, he leaned down and placed a sweet, drawn-out kiss on her lips, leaving her trembling with desire and excitement. She blew out a long breath and told him, "If you do that again, we might as well turn around and go home."

“Is that what you want?” he asked, his voice a growl as he nuzzled her ear.

“I wouldn’t mind, but I think it would be more appropriate to stick to the original plan.” She couldn’t let herself fall into that routine, the one that negated all activity that led to real understanding and closeness between two people and focused solely on sex. That would just be a recipe for disaster.

“I think maybe you’ve got the right idea,” he agreed easily. “But just so you know, I’ll be thinking about your body and the way you wrap it around me all night long, and I don’t think I’ll be satisfied unless we end up tangled in the sheets again.”

That made two of them, but Krys didn’t say it out loud. Instead, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath to try and settle her nerves. When she felt like she could walk without gushing all down her legs, she pulled away from him and tugged on his hand. “Come on, if we take too long, we’ll have to wait forever to get a table. It’s a popular place, and it’s small.”

This time, they walked in complete silence, and Krys wondered what was really on Dex’s mind. He seemed content enough, but his promises to be thinking about her swirled around and around in her head. She had a clear image of him in all his brilliance, too, and she couldn’t help but conjure it, wondering if she would be just as in awe of his physique a second time around. There was a high likelihood. He was built to perfection.

Thankfully, there was an open table at the restaurant, and they were seated immediately. Dex perused the menu, and Krys pretended to look at hers, instead watched him through her lashes. She knew what she wanted to eat already, and she preferred to inspect the nuances of his expressions, the tiny changes to his face as he studied the options. It didn't take long to learn the slight change between surprise, confusion, and delight. And she knew the moment he settled on something, the corners of his mouth tilting up almost imperceptibly and his eyes lighting up.

When they both folded their menus and laid them on the table, the attentive waiter showed up at their sides with a large grin, taking their orders and racing back to the kitchen to put them in. “Did you ever have Puerto Rican food in Australia?” Dex asked, popping the paper off his straw and putting it in his glass of water.

“Definitely not. I found out just how sheltered I was in terms of food when I came here. There are so many different things to try, and even a lot of what I had in my small town wasn’t authentic. I’m sure more options are available in the city, but I didn’t venture into Victoria very often. I stuck to my little corner of the world.” And that might have contributed to her poor history with men. There weren’t a lot to choose from without exploring more populated areas.

He stared at her for a long moment, and she grew uncomfortable, shifting in her seat. She had a feeling there was a question in that gaze, one she didn’t necessarily want to answer. Finally, he leaned forward with his elbows on the table and asked, “Are you ever going to tell me what the deal is with you and Jordan, or are you really going to make me face his wrath to find out?”

Krys winced internally. This subject would never go away, not until she admitted to Jordan that she was seeing Dex. And she wasn’t ready to do that. But she also didn’t want to have this barrier between them, keeping them from finding that closeness and intimacy that might be lurking beneath the surface. As much as she wanted to respect Jordan’s privacy, she needed to clear the air. And truthfully, now that she seemed to be closer to Dex than Jordan, she felt she had a right to explain things. After all, it was her story to tell, too.

Taking a deep breath, she blew it out slowly and folded her hands in her lap. “Jordan is my stepbrother and one of my closest friends. Our parents married when we were seniors in high school, so we never really lived together or anything, but we were already like siblings anyway. After college, I was going through a bad time, and I couldn’t figure out what would help me, what would make me happy. I’d had a terrible breakup with someone I thought cared about me, after a string of bad attempts at relationships. I’d sort of given up on a happy romance.

“But I wasn’t ready to give up on a family, and I realized that I desperately wanted a child. I didn’t want some random folder in a donor center for a father, and I thought long and hard before propositioning Jordan. The idea scared him, but he also got really excited and agreed to donate. A few months later, I was pregnant, and I had Amy.”

She couldn’t read Dex’s expression, and that worried her. She bit her lip, wondering if she’d misjudged and shouldn’t have said so much. “So, you never slept with him?”

Krys wrinkled her nose. “No, never.” She shook her head. “I know he’s a really attractive guy, but that’s like if Charlie Hunnam had a sister and someone asked her what she thought of his looks. I’m glad Amelia has some of his characteristics because he’s quite handsome, but I was never attracted to him in that way.”

“Well, that makes me feel better,” Dex said, relaxing in his chair. “I mean, I couldn’t quite understand why he was so protective of you, especially if he’s moving on. It’s one thing to have a kid with someone, but he’s as bad as a jealous boyfriend.” With a chuckle, he reached across the table for her hand, and Krys let him take it. “I guess the big brother act makes just as much sense. More, really.”

“Does it matter?” Krys asked, suddenly a bit up in arms at the way he’d reasoned that out. Had he been holding back because he thought there was something between her and Jordan? Or maybe because he thought of her as sloppy seconds?

“Only because, if there was anything between the two of you, I wouldn’t want to interfere. I love Kylie, too, and I’d have to say something to her, if that was the case.”

It relieved her to hear that. “I would expect nothing less of any man I intend to put my trust in.” especially if she wanted to share her body with him. “On that note, I’m just going to ask if you’re seeing anyone else.”

“Nope,” he answered instantly. “I’m a one-woman man, whether it’s the beginning of something or forever. I feel like making one woman happy is a big enough challenge. Why the hell would I want to try to please several and end up confusing them all in my head?” He laughed, and Krys joined him, but he squeezed her fingers lightly. “Seriously, though, I don’t care what anyone says about me. I’m not a womanizer. I don’t mistreat them. And even if I do get a little crazy when I’m really attracted to you, I strive to be a gentleman.”

She’d noticed. Dex opened doors, guided her around with a hand at the small of her back, and worked to make her comfortable when they were together. He’d even crept out of the party with her while Jordan was occupied without questioning her need to slip past. If she could just hold onto these precious moments and not let herself start seeing stars and hearing wedding bells, she might have found a keeper.

The food came quickly, and they chatted a little while eating but mostly enjoyed the food. Krys hadn’t realized how hungry she was until she tasted the cuisine, and Dex seemed to be just as ravenous. They finished quickly and ordered a flan to share, something she’d never done before. It seemed like a really intimate gesture, and when Dex forked a bite and held it out to feed her, she blushed, taking it softly.

He grinned boyishly. “I don’t think I’ve ever gotten to feed a woman before. It’s kind of nice.”

Gazing down at her hands shyly, Krys nodded. “I agree. It is sort of .” Her stomach fluttered as he did it again, brushing his thumb over her cheek in a caress.

“I grew up in a home where my father took care of my mother until they came to blows. I was pretty young then, but I remember him always feeding her the first bite of dinner and the first bite of dessert. I didn’t understand back then, but I think I’m starting to.” It was a very personal memory to share, and Krys liked his openness. It was something that had always been lacking in the past, when she’d tried to make something out of nothing.

“I saw it after my mom married Jordan’s dad. They were sweet on each other like a couple of kids in grade school. For teenagers on the verge of adulthood, it was embarrassing and disgusting,” she laughed. “Looking back, though, it’s the sort of relationship I strove for and never found.”

“Still time. And opportunity.” He held out another bite, and she locked gazes with him as she took it, his meaning clear. His eyes were intense, filled with determination and meaning, It went a long way in assuring her she wasn’t wasting her time. Even if things didn’t work out romantically, she knew she’d at least found someone she could trust, someone she would want as a friend for life.

Needing to lighten the mood before her thoughts ran away from her, Krys cleared her throat and said, “I think I’m ready for a drink now. How about you?”

“That sounds perfect.” He offered her the last bit of flan, but she waved it off, and he swallowed it. “There’s a place in the Village that has live music, usually swing or jazz or something fun. And the bartenders are top notch.”

Krys quirked a brow at him. “I hope you don’t want to walk all the way there. That’s some sixty blocks. It’s a great night, but I don’t think these flats will make it that far.”

Dex laughed heartily as he stood and reached for her hand, pulling her to her feet. “No, I don’t think walking is the answer. I’d like to dance, so I can’t wear your feet out before we get there. We’ll take a cab.”