“I’ll follow you,” Marina murmurs with a shocked expression on her face at the fact that I’m waiting for her. I’ve watched her for the past two hours, evading me like a rabbit does a fox. Her sorrow every time she was left alone for a moment was palpable. I felt to my soul her desire to experience something she deems unattainable. I don’t know what it is just yet, but I’m hell-bent on finding out.

“How about I follow you home, then we’ll drive together the rest of the night.” My offer is only customary. I have no intention of not finding out where she lives tonight. I’m also not letting her drive further than her house.

She blinks like she’s processing my words and the hidden meaning behind them. Her mouth opens and that perfect pink tongue darts out quickly before she closes it again. “Alright,” she finally agrees.

Taking her keys from her, I open her door and get her buckled in before starting the car for her. “Drive safely,” I instruct, kissing her neck lightly before she can dispute what I just did.

Jogging back to my truck, I wait for her to pull out and follow her the short fifteen minutes to her tiny apartment complex. Once she’s parked in her designated spot, I get out of my truck and wait with the passenger door open for her to come over. Marina still has a puzzled expression on her face as she climbs into my vehicle. Grinning at her, I close the door. I think I’ve confused her more because I don’t buckle her in this time.

Rounding the hood quickly, I’m in the truck and lifting up the center console before she can put her seatbelt on. Grabbing her thigh, I pull her over to the middle seat and wrap the belt across her body. I click it into place before doing my own.

She looks from the passenger seat to me and back again before she finally asks, “What was wrong with that seat?” Her petite body fits perfectly against mine. Because of her smaller frame, her legs aren’t crowded by the control panel, and I can touch her.

“Nothing. It’s a perfectly fine seat,” I say, pulling out into the light traffic. “For a friend.”

“I’m not a friend?” she asks, processing my words.

“Nope.”

“Oh.” She sounds disappointed. I can’t tell her just yet that she’ll be much more than a friend. She’s not ready for it. I can feel her watching me as I drive, my hand still settled on her thigh. Her subtle shifting in her seat doesn’t go unnoticed by me. I like that I’ve got her nervous. It means she’s aware of me.

I’m not sure of her food preferences, so I take her to a little café my partner Rod takes his wife to and raves about. They serve every kind of soup, gluten-free crap, salads, and hearty sandwiches. There has to be something on the menu she’ll like.

“Here we are,” I say, looking to her to find the most adorable scowl on her face. Rubbing my thumb up the center of her forehead, I smooth the lines out. “You keep pouting like that and it’ll leave a mark.”

Her frown deepens. I chuckle and shake my head as I open the door, helping her out of the vehicle. She follows along quietly, and I wonder, briefly, if I’ve over-stepped some imaginary line with Marina. Fuck do I love that name. As soon as the thought hits, I dismiss it. She hasn’t pushed me away yet, and until she does, I’ll keep going full-steam ahead.

“Detective Daniels!” I hear a feminine voice call as soon as we enter the café. Marina’s hand in mine stiffens, so I ignore whoever’s calling me and pull the woman at my side into my arms.

Burying my face in her hair and neck, I breathe in her scent. She’s like that first day of spring, full of life and fresh as a lily. “Damn girl, you smell good enough to eat.” I pull back smirking when her breath hitches.

“Arsen?” That same voice sounds closer.

Marina’s eyes cloud over.

“Yeah,” I snap, turning around.

The girl smiles up at me, ignoring Marina completely. “Do you remember me?” Her face is eager.

I’m not one to forget faces very often, but I can’t place her. “Nope.” If it weren’t for the fact she knows my name, I’d walk away.

“Rod and Emily set us up on a blind date last year.” Her grin turns predatory as she steps forward.

It finally clicks. All she could do was talk about herself. I think, throughout the entire evening, I spoke about a dozen words. That led to her talking gossip and other shit that I tuned out. There was a reason it was only one date. Go fucking figure she’d be here today of all damn days.

“Right. How are you?” I don’t even remember her name.

“Fabulous. I’d love to go out with you again. It was such a memorable evening for me.” Her smile is so wide I can see her molars.

“Obviously not for him,” Marina mumbles from beside me, and I have to stifle my laughter.

“Oh, hi.” The nameless woman looks snidely at Marina. “You must be his sister.” This chick couldn’t buy a clue.

And I’m fucking done with this now. “Girlfriend, actually.” I tug Marina closer to my side.

“What?” They both gasp at the same time.

“See you around,” I reply as I guide Marina to an empty table for two in the corner. I have zero desire to be near that woman any longer than necessary.

I can hear her huff and foot stomp as she leaves, and I roll my eyes. Concentrating on Marina as she watches the woman walk away, I try to assess how she’s feeling now. If she were reluctant before, I could only imagine she’s not too impressed now.

“Got a fan, huh?” Her tone is neutral.

“No.” I look out the window. “Just someone who wanted different things than me.”

“But she wanted them with you.” It’s not a question.

I shrug. “Maybe.”

“What is it you want, Arsen?”

I hold nothing back. “You.”

* * *

You. The word reverberates through my mind on repeat.

You. His voice, the possessive growl in the single word makes my skin tingle.

You. Sweet heavens, I’d be lying if I didn’t want that, too.

Even with the desperate girl’s attempt at ending our evening before it began, I’m still drawn to Arsen. He calls to me in a way I’m unfamiliar with.

“Does that, umm, happen a lot?” I ask with a small smile, half teasing, half curious.

Scowling, his gaze strays to the door I assume the woman left through. “No. Rod, my partner, and his wife set me up on a blind date, and to get them off my case, I went. I don’t even remember her name.”

“Do they do that a lot?” Could Arsen be as lonely as me?

“First and last time, actually.”

“Hi there.” A perky waitress interrupts before either of us can say more. “Can I start you off with our specialty drink of the day?” She grins at us both. “It’s a wonderful blend of vanilla, cacao, and mint topped with whipped cream and a sprinkle of powdered sugar.”

“That sounds delicious.” I smile at her. “No caffeine?” I found out a few years ago my heart doesn’t like the extra jolt.

“Nope.”

“I’ll take one of those then, please.”

“Make it two,” Arsen says, his eyes never leaving mine.

“Be right back with those and to take your order.” She leaves and, even as noisy as the café is, quiet surrounds us in its cocoon.

“Not a coffee drinker?” he asks.

“When I was born, I had a heart murmur that turned out to be nothing I couldn’t live with, but as I’ve grown, there have been a few things I can’t have. A few years ago, coffee and caffeine made their way onto that list. My heart beats too fast on occasion, and sometimes, it skips a beat or three.” I try to joke about it, but it had been terrifying before I knew what was going on. “So, anything with chocolate or cocoa I have to ask. Tea, too.” Looking down, embarrassed by one of my many medical conditions, I tell him, “I don’t actually eat out very often because of it. I’d like to see tomorrow, you know?”

His hand reaches across the table, gripping mine. The warmth, the understanding, the safety in the small act warms my heart. “Sounds like it was scary.” His perceptive understanding has me looking up to him slowly. “I don’t imagine it was anything you were prepared for.”

“It wasn’t.”

“What do I do if it happens?”

Floored, I stare at him for a moment before recovering. Rolling the sleeve of my sweater up, I turn on my apple watch and say, “If it starts going haywire, I have Ativan in my purse. One goes under my tongue. I can do that myself, normally. But just in case.”

He looks thoughtful as he processes my words. It’s a lot for anyone to take in, especially on a first date. Is this a date? I haven’t been on one in years. It feels almost foreign.

“Anything else?”

“How do you mean?” Lord, I hope he’s not asking if there’s anything else screwed up about me.

“Is there anything else I should know to help you.”

“No, that’s pretty much it.” Everything else is biological. Nothing left to hurt but my heart.

“Here we are.” The perky waitress is back again as she sets our drinks on the table.

Before I can get mine, Arsen grips onto it and stares up at the woman. “You’re positive there’s no caffeine?” Oh, hell.

“Yes, sir. We use raw cacao powder versus cocoa. Cacao doesn’t give the same effects as caffeine would to the system. It’s not the same jolt to the heart, basically.”

Surprised at her answer, I ask, “How did you know?”

“My grandma can’t have caffeine; she’s got a bad ticker. I helped come up with this drink and served it to her first.” Her grin is full of pride.

“Thank you.” Lifting the cup to my lips, my eyes close at the first sip. With just a hint of the mint mixed with vanilla, the cacao is smooth on the palate without being too sweet. It’s the whipped cream and sugar that gives the bitterness some sweetness to combat it. “Wonderful.” A sigh escapes me.

My eyes open to see Arsen’s intense gaze studying me. “I’ll say,” he murmurs.

A clearing throat interrupts the moment. “Would you like to order now, or should I come back?”

Laughter sparkles behind the gold in Arsen’s eyes. I feel a scorching fire begin to creep up my neck at our small display. He brings out a wildness in me I’ve never felt before. I only wish it weren’t so public.

“We’ll have two specials.” He orders, and I can’t say that I mind.

“Don’t you want to hear them?” Amusement laces the waitress’s voice.

“Nope.” She walks away at his response.

“So,” I say trying to break the awkward feelings rolling through my core.

“So.” He mimics with zero intention of helping me out.

I look around the restaurant, not ready to dissect the scorching looks he keeps flashing me. This is such new territory for me. Before my accident, I didn’t really date. I’ve always been a shy girl, not really fitting in with other adults around me, usually saying or doing the wrong thing. After the accident, I got worse. Everywhere I went, I saw pity in people’s stare.

Moving to Tennessee from Arkansas after I’d finished college a year early, I was lucky to be offered my very own class fresh out of school. The move was an easy decision to make. Being an only child to busy, working-class parents meant I didn’t leave my parents at home lonely.

After the accident, my mom had spent a month with me once I was released from the hospital, and Sophie had become my saving grace after that. She was always popping in on me. Making sure I had everything I needed. That I wasn’t lonely. It also gave me such a wonderful opportunity to spend some time with not only Talon but a few other classmates as well.

My kids were always angels. I truly lucked out my first year of teaching. I think a lot of that had to do with most of the parents being aware of what happened to me.

I’d only been in town a week when I was t-boned on the driver’s side at an intersection. The impact nearly ended my life. If it weren’t for the quick response of Sophie, Nico, and the rush of first responders, I know things could have turned out much worse than what they are now. I know I could be paralyzed, or worse, dead.

The loss of the ability to bear children seems so small compared to the grand scheme of things. It doesn’t make swallowing the pill any easier, though. I love children and their zest for life. The creativity from their intelligent minds is something that’s fascinated me. I have always wanted a dozen of them for myself.

Adoption is a viable option, I know. There are millions of children in need of a loving parent or two. I haven’t scraped it off the table yet. I’ve just always had a plan. I’ve daydreamed of the beautiful wedding with a man wholly devoted to us; one I could share all my quirks with. A man who wanted as many children as me. One who would accept my eager womb.

Now?

Now, I feel like it’s a pipe dream.

Doing the parenting thing alone was never a vision of mine. It wasn’t supposed to be this way.

So, why are you on a date, Ari?

Good question.

I watch Arsen as he watches me, and I can see the wheels turning in his head. He’s wondering why I’m so quiet. Why I probably look like I’ve been sucking on a lemon. How do I tell a man who could be everything the right woman could want or need that I’m defective? Broken?

He’s got a virile masculinity about him. His sexuality oozes from him like mating heat from a wolf. Which is exactly how he’s looking at me. Predatorily. Possessively.

It isn’t until our food is brought to the table that I break free of my inner thoughts. The smell of perfectly cooked smoked bacon and fresh bread catching me off guard, and I let loose a small moan of pleasure.

“Christ, woman,” Arsen groans, and I blush again. Burying myself in what I can now see is a huge turkey, bacon club sandwich with the crispiest sweet potato fries I’ve ever seen on the side.