Fearless In Love(51)

Her lilac jacket made her cheeks bloom, and beneath her white T-shirt, the matching lilac bra was a tinge of color that shouldn’t have gotten his motor going. Yet the evidence of her lingerie revved him up, reminding him of the night he’d undressed her, the craziness of his need. Even now, he could remember how good—how sweet—she’d tasted.

“There are so many great choices, but the chicken Marsala looks good for tonight.”

“Are you ordering that because you really want it? Or because it’s the cheapest thing on the menu?” It was a five-star hotel with a five-star restaurant, white tablecloths, bone china, crystal glasses, and prices to match. “You can have anything you want, Ari.”

The heated look in her eyes sent electricity shooting through him. He wouldn’t pretend he didn’t know what she wanted. The same thing he wanted—and it had nothing to do with dinner. It was all he could do not to throw down his menu and drag her upstairs.

But he had to walk the straight and narrow, because nothing had changed since that steamy kiss in the pantry. She was still the best nanny Noah had ever had. Matt was still her boss. And blurring those lines could screw everything up. She’d had enough darkness in her life. He wouldn’t add to it by saddling her with his past or his failures.

Tamping down his desire with a Herculean effort, he asked, “Is there anything you haven’t tried?” Damn if that question didn’t make it worse when he thought of all the untried pleasures he could bring her.

Ari rescued him by saying, “Rack of lamb.”

He grabbed the conversational straw she offered. “You’ve never had lamb?”

“I had lamb chops once. My third foster family. There were six kids, and we each got a teeny-tiny one.” She demonstrated the size with her thumb and forefinger. “It wasn’t enough to decide if I liked them.”

“Then rack of lamb it is.” He wanted to give her all the things she’d never had enough of.

As soon as they’d ordered, he said, “I know how hard it was not getting the news you needed from Zach. I’m really sorry about that.”

“Why do you keep apologizing?” The waiter chose that moment to bring their salads. “Let me rephrase,” she said once the man walked away. “Please stop apologizing. I learned more about my brother today than I’ve heard in sixteen years. Alias Smith and Jones.” She smiled. “And a prankster. I loved learning that about him.” She twirled her fork in her fingers, clearly lost in her thoughts. “Gideon was always looking out for everyone. When I was a kid and things were bad, he always tried to make me smile. He must have done the same thing over there. That’s what you did for me today,” she said, a soft shimmer in her eyes. “You gave me pieces of my brother I wouldn’t have had otherwise. I don’t know how to thank you for that.”

“You don’t need to thank me.”

He didn’t point out that while they’d been able to find Zach Smith, finding her brother was still a very difficult proposition. He didn’t want to destroy her hope or her joy in the things she’d learned today. Matt loved how she always saw the bright side. Living with a mother who’d abandoned her for her next fix and then to foster care, Ari was a remarkably glass-half-full kind of woman.

She pushed the spring greens around on her plate. “I searched for three years,” she emphasized, leaning forward, dropping her voice to a near whisper that was raw with emotion. “I got nothing. But you make things happen just like that.” She snapped her fingers in the air. “You found Gideon’s friend. Someone who made him come alive in his words. So yes, I need to thank you.”

She made Matt feel like a hero, when really it was a matter of money and having contacts in the right places. But he wanted to be her hero. And he wouldn’t rest until he found her brother.

“I will find him for you.”

“I know.” She was so sweet in her faith in him. In the next moment, as their meals were laid in front of them, she burst out with, “Oh my God, will you look at that rack?”

Matt let go of a laugh that came straight from his belly, and the waiter dipped his head to hide his smile. If Ari had any idea of the double meaning, she didn’t give a hint.

She ate the way she did everything, with enthusiasm, moaning around a mouthful. The erotic sound kicked his pulse even higher.

“You’ve got to try some.” She held out a forkful she’d just cut.

He wanted nothing more than for her to feed him, so he cupped her hand to pull her closer as he let himself take what she was offering.