but had seen him earlier that day when she and Drew had been on their way to meet with Valerie.
She stopped walking. “Yes, I am.” She extended her hand. “I’m Detective Toni Oliver from the Criminal Investigation Unit.”
“And I’m Detective Nathan Muraca from the Special Investigation Unit. I understand you’re Drew’s new partner.”
Of course, he would know Drew. “That’s me.”
“Then, let me welcome you on board.”
“Thank you, Detective Muraca.”
“Just call me Nat. And I hope I can call you Toni.”
“Absolutely.”
“Good. How would you like to go out with me this weekend, Toni?”
Whoa…this man didn’t waste time. They’d just met, and already he was hitting on her? He had a friendly smile, but Toni recognized it for what it was—predatory. And the “I-want-you-in-my-bed” look in his eyes sealed the deal. She’d met a few officers like him in the Miami Beach Police Department. Guys who made it a hobby to collect as many notches on their bedpost as they could. And then brag about it.
That was one of the reasons she’d never dated any of the guys at work. They took ‘kiss-and-tell’ to a whole different level. Nothing with them was sacred. Until Drew, she’d never been with anyone in the same profession. For her, that had been taboo. But Drew had broken down all of her defenses. He’d been the first...and she intended for him to be the last.
“Thanks, but I’m busy this weekend,” she said, then began walking toward her car.
“No problem. Just let me know what day next week will work,” he said, moving in step with her again.
She stopped walking, deciding to nip his hopes of ever having her for a bedmate in the bud. He was pretty damn handsome, so he was probably used to winning over any woman he went after. And he had that straightforward approach, which most women appreciated, including her most of the time. But not now. “Unfortunately, I have this policy, Nat.”
“And what policy is that, Toni?”
“I don’t date guys who see me as nothing but a number.”
He lifted a brow. “A number?”
“Yes, just another notch on your bedpost. The last thing I want is for you to think I’m an easy mark, because I’m not. It will take more than a sexy smile to win me over.”
He chuckled. “So, you think my smile is sexy?”
“Yes,” she said truthfully. Then, seeing the egotistical look that appeared in his features, she felt the need to add, “But I’ve seen sexier and have turned them down, too.” She thought about one much sexier smile that she hadn’t turned down. Drew’s smile had captured her from the first moment she’d seen it.
“It was nice meeting you, Nat.” She then turned to continue walking to her car.
“I’m going to keep trying, Detective Toni Oliver.”
She turned back around and gave him one of her smiles. “You do that, Detective Muraca. And if you feel the need to move me from a number to a challenge, you definitely have that right. But you won’t get to first base.”
“We’ll see.”
Jeez. She wondered how many women it had taken to make this man so damn overconfident. “No, Nat, you will see.” Then, she turned and kept walking, refusing to waste any more of her time on the conceited Detective Nathan Muraca.
• • •
Andrew stood at the window near his desk and stared at the couple in the parking lot below. He had been looking out, watching Toni walk to her car, and had seen the exact moment Nathan Muraca approached her. He’d figured the man would find her sooner or later—he was the department’s official Casanova.
Muraca had been out most of the week on special assignment and had only returned to the office today. When they’d been on their way to meet with Valerie, Andrew had seen how his gaze had zeroed in on Toni, as if wanting to uncover all her secrets, even at a distance.
It had taken all of Drew’s self-control not to go out and knock the hell out of him. Earlier, Muraca had been on the other side of the room, which had saved Drew from having to introduce them. Now, from the looks of things, Muraca was introducing himself. God, he hated the guy. Every Monday, he came in to the precinct talking about all the women he’d scored with that weekend. He could only hope Toni wouldn’t give the guy something to talk about.
Toni had assured Andrew she wouldn’t date anyone he knew. That list should include Muraca. But he’d heard the guy