Baby on Board (7 page)

One cool eyebrow rose in his direction. “Yes, on a date. Aside from

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what Donna said last night, men do find me attractive and want to spend

time in my presence.”

“I never said that wasn’t the case,” Rafe pointed out.

“No, you said nothing at all,” Ivy reminded him. “Thanks for the

thought of making me dinner. It was nice of you, but I’ve already got

plans.”

“Change them,” Rafe said.

“Why? Because you said so?” Ivy asked. “I think not. I’m not here for

your beck and call, Rafe, and besides, my date is already here.”

Rafe turned around to see a sleek blue car pull into her driveway and

as the man stepped out, Rafe grit his teeth. The man was wearing a casual

black shirt with the sleeves rolled up and charcoal gray slacks. He walked

up to the front door and gave Ivy a smile before casting a curious glance

in Rafe’s direction.

“You look spectacular, Ivy,” he said, running his eyes slowly over her

body. “Am I interrupting something?”

Rafe instantly disliked the man.

“Thank you, and no you’re not interrupting anything. This is my

neighbor, Major Rafe Steele, and his daughter Bonnie,” Ivy explained.

“Rafe, this is Detective Reese Alvater.”

“Nice to meet you,” Reese smiled. “I’d shake your hand but it seems

you have them all full. My brother lost his arm over in Afghanistan four

weeks ago. I don’t know how you guys do it, but damn if I’m not proud

that we have guys like you out there protecting our country.”

“Yeah, thanks,” Rafe replied through gritted teeth and then sighed.

“It’s tough over there. Sorry to hear about your brother. Tell him even

though he doesn’t know us, we’re all pulling for him. That’s what

brothers in arms do.”

“Let me grab my purse and I’m all ready to go,” Ivy said and left the

doorway.

The two men were left alone, and a tense silence hung in the air.

Bonnie babbled at the detective and Reese smiled. “Cute kid.”

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“Thanks. Tell Ivy I’ll talk to her later.” Rafe turned and headed down

the steps to the sidewalk. He wanted to punch the detective in the face for

asking Ivy out on a date.

“Sure thing, man,” Reese called out.

Bonnie patted his cheeks with her tiny hands as if to say, “It’s okay,

Daddy.” Rafe smiled even though he felt jealousy burning through him.

He couldn’t be angry at Ivy; he held no claim to her. Yet the fact that

another man was taking her out and probably going to kiss her before the

night was over made him want to rush back to her house and order the

detective gone. He stepped inside his own house and put Bonnie in her

playpen before putting the food he had carefully prepared away in the

fridge. He went to the window that faced her house and looked through

the blinds and saw Ivy come out and lock her door. The detective wrapped

her into his arms for a hug and lifted her off her feet. Rafe saw red and

watched them get into his car and drive away. He vowed not to look

outside for the rest of the night. If he saw them come home and kiss, he

wouldn’t be responsible for what he might do. Rafe spent the rest of the

evening taking care of his baby while Ivy, in that fabulous blue dress, was

at the forefront of his mind.

* * * *

Ivy sat across from Reese while the music played around them and

other patrons ate and laughed. They were drinking their first glass of wine

and she was checking out the atmosphere of the place he chose to take

her.
Noir
had a sexy, romantic ambiance, with secluded booths made in

soft white fabric that contrasted nicely with the black tables. They used

the same color scheme for the glasses that held their drinks and they were

embossed with gold around the edges. It was an amazing place. The man

across from her looked even more handsome by the dimmed lights of the

club.

“What do you think of the place?” Reese asked.

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“I like it a lot,” Ivy admitted. “I didn’t know there was a place like this

so close to Walter Reed.”

“You nurse types never get out to the fun spots?” Reese teased.

Ivy laughed and took a sip of her wine. “Not until a very handsome

detective comes in and forces us out from under the fluorescent lights.”

“We do what we can,” Reese said. “Did I mention you look utterly

amazing tonight? I don’t know how I’m talking when I’m so damn tongue

tied by you.”

“You mentioned it, but I don’t mind hearing it again,” Ivy replied.

“You’re also a charmer.”

“Only when there’s an amazing woman to charm,” he answered and

picked her hand off the table. “I’m amazed such tiny hands can control

my brother better than anyone else. The first time I saw you I figured I

should put you in my pocket to protect you.”

Ivy laughed. “I’m tougher than I look, though I hate being short. It

seems everyone is taller than I am.”

“I think you’re perfect the way you are.” Reese kissed the tips of her

fingers and her heart fluttered just a bit. “I’m a very lucky man to be

sitting across from you tonight.”

He’s sweet. He’s sexy. He’s attentive. So then why am I thinking about

Rafe right now?
Ivy asked herself. She smiled at Reese as the waiter came

over to take their order.
Put him out of your head. Focus on the guy who

really has feelings for you.

“I’ll have the sea bass with rice pilaf and steamed vegetables,” Reese

said and handed the waiter the menu. “What about you, Ivy?”

“I’ll go with what you recommended and have the calamari with the

spicy mayo,” Ivy said and the waiter took her menu with a bow.

“You like things spicy, huh?” Reese said.

“Everyone needs some heat now and then, don’t we?” Ivy replied.

“Then let’s see what we can create on the dance floor while we wait

on our food.” He stood and held out his hand to her and she took it

readily.

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He pulled her against him and together they found the rhythm of the

music. Ivy had to admit he was a great dancer and being close to him, she

could see the muscles of his chest beneath his shirt. She closed her eyes

and tried to get lost in the moment, tried not to wish it was Rafe holding

her.

“Have you always been a detective here in Maryland?” she asked as

they swayed.

“No, I transferred out from Michigan a few years back when Jon was

eighteen,” Reese explained. “He wanted to be a Marine from the time he

was in high school and I’m the only family he has. It was an easy choice

for me to move this way when he got stationed in Quantico.”

“No girlfriend to beg you to stay?” Ivy looked up at him, and for a

moment she swore she saw a spark of hurt in his eyes.

Reese shook his head. “No one worth mentioning.”

“Ah. One of those, huh?” she said.

“It wasn’t meant to be,” he replied. “What about you and Major Dad?

Is there something I should know there?”

Ivy laughed even though her heart flipped in her chest with the

mention of Rafe. “Nothing there. A party guy turned dad. The real ex-

wives of Strawberry Glen keep him occupied. I just babysat for him

once.”

Reese chuckled. “So it’s one of those neighborhoods where you’re

afraid a heat wave might make some of your neighbors melt away?”

Ivy giggled at the picture in her mind. “Yes, it is. I have some good

neighbors and some you just want to go spider monkey on.” She threw

him a look. “I hope you don’t mind I’m one hundred percent real?”

Reese pulled her closer and then gave her a quick dip. When he pulled

her back up, she met his eyes. “I like you just the way you are.”

He bent his head and kissed her, but she didn’t have that surge of pure

lust like she had when Rafe kissed her. Still, it was sweet and she tried to

sink into the moment with him. The song ended and the couples went

back to their seats. Not long after she and Reese sat down, their food was

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served. He was right, the calamari was amazing. While they ate, the

conversation ranged from books to baseball. Reese was a great guy and

the date went well. The meal was cleared and they shared more wine and

more dancing until it was time for him to take her home. At her door, he

kissed her once more and she clung to his arms as he deepened the kiss.

“I’ll call you about this weekend,” he murmured, looking down at her

with desire in his eyes.

Ivy nodded, hoping and praying she could feel something more for him.

She watched him leave before unlocking her door and going inside. While

she undressed in her room, she wondered why she wanted what she

couldn’t have. Rafe was not in the cards—not the way she wanted him to

be. She would not fight Donna, Grace or anyone for that matter for his

attention. She had more self worth than that and, by God, she would make

sure things worked with Reese if he wanted to take it further. After her

shower, she slid into bed and sleep claimed her quickly. It wasn’t Reese

that filled her dreams but Rafe. He offered her passion like she’d never

known and she accepted it with a pleased whimper as he claimed her as

his.

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Chapter Four

The week passed by fairly quickly. Ivy had another date with Reese on

Saturday night and work at the hospital was routine. Jon was doing better.

He didn’t have one episode all week where he had to be restrained. She

hoped it stayed that way because the doctors wanted to move him to the

secure mental health ward. She doubted very much he would get better

there and would probably lose the valuable headway they had made in his

care.

When Reese came to see his brother, he brought her flowers. Marie, of

course, claimed victory about predicting their hitting it off. All the while

Ivy thought about Rafe, but when she saw him around the neighborhood

with Bonnie she tried to stay far away. One reason was because she was

trying very hard to squash the attraction she felt for him and also because

there was always Donna or someone else with him, fawning over him.

And it burned her.

By Friday after work, Ivy thought she had a handle on the situation.

She pulled into her driveway and got out of her car. There was no one

around and she breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing him each day was harder

than she expected. The kiss, Lord, the kiss was in her dreams and she

wished that Reese’s matched the heat that she received from Rafe’s kiss.

Put it out of your head, woman
, Ivy ordered herself firmly.
That man is

not for you.
Her cell phone rang as she unlocked her front door and went

inside. Ivy fished it from the depths of her bag and answered it without

checking who it was.

“Hello?” she said as she dropped her bag onto the sofa and went into

the kitchen. The heat outside was sweltering and it wasn’t even the first

day of summer. A cold glass of iced tea with extra ice was calling to her.

“Hey, pretty lady, are we still on for tomorrow night?” It was Reese.

“Unless you are cancelling on me, we sure are,” Ivy replied.

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“Never,” he laughed huskily. “As long as there are no homicides

before my shift ends I’ll be there on time.”

“Then I’ll get all dolled up and be waiting for you,” Ivy said.

“I was thinking about our kiss today,” he said.

“Oh, really?” she teased.
Why don’t I feel more?
Ivy demanded of

herself. She would give it a little more time to see where this was heading.

Ivy didn’t want to lead him on. She enjoyed his company and he was an

attractive man, but if the feelings weren’t there she couldn’t force it either.

“Yes, and tomorrow I get to taste those lips again,” Reese said. “I’m

on a stake out tonight so if you need me shoot me a text, okay?”

“I will. You be careful, Reese,” she said worriedly. His job was

dangerous and she certainly didn’t want to see him hurt in any way.

“I definitely will. I have a date with a hot nurse tomorrow,” Reese

answered.

She hung up with a smile. He did have a way of charming her to