Real Men Last All Night (2 page)

Zane put his hands on his knees and straightened. "I'm not so sure you'd want to go out with me."

Willow now looked intrigued. "Why not?"

He sighed and glanced down at the grass at their feet before looking at her again. "I'm not into relationships." She shrugged. "Who says I am?"

"It's written all over you, honey." Zane put one arm on the back of the park bench. "You don't do one-night stands. You expect to see a man at least a few times before you make up your mind whether or not you want to date him anymore."

"You are observant, Zane." The way she said his name brought to mind thoughts of her saying his name over and over again as he took her. "But in other words you're afraid,"

she added.

"I've never been afraid of anything, Willow." He got up off the bench seat. Better get the hell out of here.

She tilted her head and met his gaze. "This time you are."

Willow had challenged him again. Damn. Even though he never backed down, in this case it would be the smart thing to do. Real smart.

No one had accused him of being smart all of the time.

Zane glanced at his watch. Henry should be walking down the path any moment. "It's closing in on noon." He looked up at her. "How about I meet you for lunch at the Irish pub on Province at one?"

Ah, hell. What did he go and do that for?

Willow gave him her beautiful dimpled smile, which did damned funny things to his gut.

"This is my lunch break and I have to get back to work. Let's say dinner at that contemporary American restaurant and lounge at Stanhope and Clarendon. I'll meet you there."

He stared down at her for a long moment, taking in her unpretentious beauty and the kind of confidence that came from a woman who was comfortable with herself and her choices. Willow was dangerous to him in more ways than he could count.

Zane found himself giving a slow nod. "Seven?"

"Perfect." Willow stood and her skirt slid back to just above her knees. What a shame.

Those thighs were meant to be seen. "I'll meet you in the waiting area."

Their eyes met and held again. "I'll be there," he said.

"I know you will." She turned away and headed toward the downtown area.

He shook his head.
You're in deep shit now, Steele.

In a corner of Macy's cosmetic department, Willow hummed silently as she taught her client how to apply a new look "with some of their latest products. The cosmetics company she "worked for was one of the best.

"It's all in the brush." Willow took a sterile mascara wand from a package in a pocket of her black smock and after dipping it into a tube of black mascara, handed it to Mrs.

James. Willow would toss the wand once the woman used it. "This side lengthens while this end of the brush thickens and separates."

"What an interesting concept. . ."

Willow's thoughts wandered, Mrs. James's words turning into white noise as she thought about Zane.

Zane Steele.

Being close to him had left her feeling charged and needy all at the same time. He'd smelled so good that she could almost taste him. Earthy, male. And his deep voice had sent delicious shivers down her spine when he'd said her name.

"You're up to something." Linda passed by in a wake of their brand of perfume that smelled of freesia and magnolia blooms. "I can see it in your eyes."

Eyes. Oh, Mrs. James.

"I'll tell you about it later," Willow said to Linda as she took the mascara wand from Mrs.

James and threw it into a wastebasket. "It's the finishing touch on really bringing out your eyes," she said to the woman who was probably in her fifties but now was appearing more like she was in her early forties, thanks to the cosmetics.

Next, Willow showed Mrs. James how to apply her blush and then her lipstick.

She couldn't help her thoughts turning back to Zane and picturing his powerful build and the way he made her feel just by being close to her.

Oh, yeah. That man was Danger with a capital D.

"Willow?" Mrs. James's voice brought Willow out of her daydream. Which had to be at least her tenth daydream since returning to work.

The woman batted her eyelashes as she studied herself in the huge lighted mirror. "I love it." Mrs. James smiled at her reflection and looked even prettier. "I can't believe it. What a transformation."

"Beautiful," Willow could say with complete honesty. The gradual change in Mrs.

James's appearance was like watching a bud bloom into a full-fledged rose. "What interests you the most out of everything?"

Mrs. James didn't even pause. "All of it."

Cool.

"I'll get your product for you and then ring you up." Willow left Mrs. James admiring her own reflection, obvious delight in her gaze.

Willow couldn't resist taking a crumpled piece of paper out of her pocket and taking a shot into the wastebasket by the stockroom door. "She jumps, she shoots,
she-scores."

The paper ball landed dead center in the wastebasket.

"That's a three-pointer if I ever saw one," said the chic, completely fashionable Linda just before she entered the doorway of the stockroom ahead of Willow.

"Nothing but net, baby," Willow said.

"Terrific job on that lady." Linda reached for a box off a shelf that contained liquid foundation while Willow pulled out her products for Mrs. James. "Now tell me what the smiling, humming, and daydreaming are all about."

"I met a man today." Willow smiled and then winked as she added, "A
real
man."

"Hmmm . . ." Linda's stylish chin-length black hair swung forward as she searched for a particular shade of blush in a long row of boxes containing blush compacts. "Does he have any brothers?" "I'll find out." Willow grabbed the last shade of eye shadow she needed. "Tonight."

Linda drew out a box containing blush then turned to Willow and raised her perfectly arched eyebrows. "You never go on dates." "That's because I hadn't found the right man."

Willow backed out of the stockroom, checking over her shoulder first to make sure she didn't run into anyone. "I think I need to do a little more investigating." Linda smirked and still managed to look beautiful. "Uh-huh.

You just found a guy you'd like to sleep with." The grin that flashed across Willow's face was something she couldn't help. "If you saw him, believe me, you wouldn't be calling him a 'guy'"

"What does this
man
do?" Linda asked as she stepped away from the shelf.

Willow laughed. "Would you believe he's in the Secret Service?"

"No way"

"Yup." Willow juggled the armload of products for Mrs. James. "Spotted Zane as law enforcement the moment I saw him in the Common."

"Secret Service Agent Zane, huh?" Linda cocked her head. "Sure he's not full of-—"

"Absolutely." "Complete report expected tomorrow afternoon." Linda swept past Willow.

"You're not allowed to spare any details, so have a great time. And I'll live vicariously through you." As if Linda had any shortage of guys. But not a real man.

"Knock him dead, Willow." Linda's voice carried over her shoulder as she headed to the cash register with her hands full of products. Willow smiled.

That's exactly what she intended to do with Zane tonight. Knock him dead. Or maybe . . .

just knock him into bed.

"Zane."
Lexi rapped on the door frame to his office at RED HQ and he looked up from the intel that he'd been staring at but hadn't really been seeing. "Jeez, where are you?" She folded her arms and leaned her back against the door frame. "I knocked twice. Not like you to zone out like that." "Work." Yeah, like he was going to tell his younger sister about the woman who just wouldn't get out of his head. "What brings you from the fifth to the second?" .

Lexi worked in Human Trafficking and Sex Crimes on the fifth floor of RED's five-story building on Portland Street in Boston. Fourth floor was Terrorist Activity and Organized Crime; third floor Technology Theft; and the second, Zane's floor, Narcotics and Weapons Trafficking. The first floor was admin, but also served as their front, posing as an interpreter firm.

"I need to see Georgina." Lexi glanced over her shoulder to the Command Center, which was a lot like the CCs on every floor. "She hasn't been at home when I've stopped by her apartment the last couple of days, and I can't get a hold of her on her personal cell."

"I sent Rizzo undercover." Zane closed the manila folder he'd supposedly been looking at. "There's an arms deal going down that we got wind of and she's the right agent for this job."

"If she comes in, tell her I need to talk to her." Lexi gave a mischievous grin. "It's
really
important."

"Probably has to do with your partner." Zane gave a wry look. "You and Donovan spend plenty of time
working
together."

If his former Army Special Ops sister ever blushed now would be the time. "Nick Donovan and I are Team Supervisors who happen to be paired up."

"Uh-huh." Zane leaned forward, his forearms on his desk. Before Lexi could get in another word, he said in a subdued tone, "I met Stacy Randolph's cousin today."

Lexi's features tightened and any trace of teasing was gone. It had only been a few months since Agent Randolph had been raped and murdered. Lexi had taken Randolph's death hard since she'd been the one to send Randolph on the undercover assignment that had led to her murder.

"Her cousin Willow." Lexi gave a slow nod. "I heard about her from Georgina. Nice of her to stay with Stacy's parents."

Zane couldn't say anything because the next words he'd have said might have been,

"She's so damned beautiful and fascinating that I can't get her out of my mind." But he managed to keep his mouth shut.

"Don't forget Mammy's making bangers and mash on Sunday." Then she gave him a teasing smile before she added, "When you go out with Willow, ask her if she'd like to come."

His jaw almost dropped. "What—"

"I'm your sister." Lexi started to turn away. "From a mile away I could see that you've got a thing for her."

Well, hell. If two women could read him so easily in one day he might as well turn in his credentials.

For at least the hundredth time, Zane wondered why in the hell he was here at the restaurant bar waiting for Willow.

And for at least the hundredth time, he thought of how beautiful and intriguing she'd been.

He took another swallow of his mug of Guinness on tap. His gaze never left the doorway as he leaned against the bar and waited for her to walk through. He'd come a half hour early, needing a beer before he saw her again.

There was something about that woman that drew him. Maybe she wouldn't be the same intelligent, insightful woman who had captured his attention. Maybe she wouldn't be as beautiful—

He just about dropped his beer.

A supermodel stepped through the doorway of the restaurant.

Willow.

Zane barely registered the fact that he'd left a twenty in his empty beer mug as he slowly walked toward Willow. She was beautiful to begin with but now he knew the true meaning of the word "stunning."

She had the same unpretentious smile, the same casual confidence as when he'd met her.

But now she looked like she could be on the cover of some chick magazine. Hell, the cover of the next
Sports Illustrated
swimsuit issue.

Willow wore a little black dress that he didn't notice so much as the amount of cleavage and thigh it exposed. The same smooth golden skin, the same sun-streaked hair, the same long legs. It was more the sexy wave of her hair and the way her sea blue eyes looked bigger, her lips even more delicious.

Shit.

He'd known he was in trouble before, but now he didn't have a doubt that he was in deeper than he could swim.

Zane hit some guy's shoulder with his own but he didn't bother to mumble an apology to the guy because he was too damned focused on Willow.

When he reached her, she continued to smile at him as she tipped her head. At six-two, Zane only had about three inches on her, less tonight since she was wearing high heels.

She was as tall and willowy as her name. Somehow he hadn't noticed that before, and he was trained to notice everything.

Christ, he was slipping all over the place when it came to this woman.

"I reserved a table for us," he managed to get out as he stared at her and drank in her scent that again made him think of sunny days and an ocean breeze.

"Good." She slid her hand into his, interlocking their fingers. "I'm starving."

Zane tried to ignore the out-of-control sensations pinging through his body at the feel of her fingers locked with his. "I thought supermodels didn't eat."

Willow laughed. An honest, friendly laugh that did more funny things to his gut. "Grad student and part-time cosmetologist," she said as they reached the hostess who was waiting with a pair of menus. "Most definitely not supermodel."

"Could have fooled me," Zane said as they followed the hostess to a corner table.

The way Zane had looked at her sent a shiver of delight down Willow's spine. She could read so much from his eyes. Definitely desire, but also a genuine interest in who she was and not just in her appearance.

Talk about appearances. Good lord, he was gorgeous. Just like she'd remembered from his broad shoulders and chest to his carved biceps and strong forearms. Those were arms made to hold her tight as he drove deep.

The hostess guided them through the main dining area of the redbrick-walled restaurant that was elegant yet contemporary.

Willow squeezed Zane's hand tighter and he rewarded her with the sexiest smile that made her sigh. Even the smells of lobster, steak, and other delicious meals didn't appeal to her as much as Zane did.

He wore a dark green shirt with an overshirt, probably to cover his weapon. But he had another weapon he couldn't disguise behind his jeans. And it had looked primed and ready for what she wanted tonight.

Zane's short black hair had the slightest wave to it that made her want to run her fingers through it. Yeah, she'd do that.

The hostess showed them to the perfect table for two in front of a tall rectangular window. The atmosphere in their part of the-restaurant was romantic and only added fuel to the incredible fire burning within her.