She pulled her lower lip between her teeth. “So, what’s this assignment you’ve already thought of?”
His eyebrow lifted the tiniest bit at her move beneath the table. “I’ve read a few of your articles, and a couple focused on areas with energy vortexes, ley lines, things I don’t profess to understand but find…fascinating.” His mouth quirked as he watched her worry her lower lip. “I’ve been to a town I think has that kind of weird energy: Wimberly, Texas. A bit off the beaten path and involves a little hiking. You’ll like it, as long as you’re not claustrophobic. You go down into a cave. Not far. It feels as though you’re in a cathedral. There’s a pool of water, and all around are stalactites and stalagmites. Go early in the day; you’ll want to spend a couple of hours there.”
She had propped her chin on her hands, elbows on the table. “Mm, sounds almost spiritual. You’ve been there, I take it.”
“It’s on a friend’s property. I’ve been meaning to go back for years.” He looked wistful. “When I was in high school, I wanted to travel and experience life. After I graduated, I took odd jobs as I traveled, just enough to pay my expenses. That’s how I ended up doing that modeling gig, climbing a wall in an indoor entertainment place. Then I had this dream of starting the magazine. The ironic thing is I publish an adventure magazine but don’t have time to have adventures anymore.”
She frowned. “That’s very sad. And wrong. Sounds like you have to make time.”
The food arrived, and she dug into her fettuccini Alfredo. Twirling the strands around her fork was a challenge. Way to go, pick a sloppy meal, Kristy. When she looked up at him, he was watching her. Not in an amused or God, what was I thinking taking this woman out to eat? way but like he was a million miles away worrying about someone he cared about.
“Is everything all right?” she asked.
He blinked, as though rousing himself from a shadowy thought. “Fine.” He picked at his chicken Parmesan. He did not look like the type of guy who picked at his food. “I’m going to ask the staff to give your samples a read tonight and give me their thoughts tomorrow. What’s your schedule look like in the next few days?”
Hm, learning about serial killers. Worrying about being the next victim. Trying not to get killed. She gave him a perky smile. “I’m mostly free.”
“Great. I want to get together and go over the particulars of the assignment I mentioned.”
“You’re pretty optimistic that Owen’s going to like my stuff.”
He gave her a heart-stopping smile. “I usually get my way.”
Uh-huh, she bet he did. They passed on dessert once the waiter had cleared the table. When he brought the check, Adrian reached for it. So did she.
She tugged it out of his hand. “My treat. This is a business lunch.” Even though, for a few moments there, it had felt suspiciously like a date. She slapped her credit card on the little tray and handed it to the waiter. Her smile was as coy as the one Adrian had given her. “I’m good at getting my way, too.”
Chapter Four
After lunch, Adrian helped Kristy into her coat, his big hands resting on her shoulders for a second. She felt the tips of his fingers at her back as they wound their way around the tables to the entrance. He grabbed a couple of mints from the glass bowl and handed one to her. She slipped it into her mouth and crunched it as he held the door for her. She stepped out into the windy afternoon, he right behind her. Dark clouds scudded across the sky. Her hair whipped around her face, and she twisted it into a ponytail and held it in one hand.
“Are you taking the subway?” he asked. “I’ll walk you to the entrance.”
“Thanks.”
As they started walking down the sidewalk, a whirlwind of dirt and garbage swirled around them, making her cover her eyes.
“Let’s duck in here.” He took her arm and pulled her into an alcove of a store that had closed. “That cold front is moving in. I’m going to call my car service. You don’t want to be walking in this. It’s only going to get worse.” Before she could say That’s not necessary, he was on his cell phone. He must have had the number in his speed dial. He gave someone an address and hung up. “They’ll send a car in fifteen minutes.”
“Thank you.”
Wind and dirt blinded the people they saw braving the gusts, but they were protected in the alcove.
“You should start writing again,” she said. “I read some of your earlier pieces on your Web site.”
“I’d love to, but there’s too much managing to do.”