Feeling the heat of his gaze on her ass, she deliberately put a little more sway into her walk.
• • •
Toni drew in a deep breath later that evening when she stepped off the elevator and saw Andrew Logan waiting for her. The moment their gazes connected, her body heated, and at that moment, she literally ached for his touch. Amazing. No man had ever affected her this deeply, this quickly. She’d made it a point to keep her distance, and not get caught up with any man, no matter how good he looked. Then again, Andrew Logan looked really good. Like her, he had changed out of his business attire and was dressed in more casual wear. He had put on a pair of jeans and a shirt, and she was wearing a short dress with a pair of stilettos. She knew her legs were one of her best assets, and she had no problem flaunting them.
It was a gorgeous evening in June. The temperature was similar to what she was used to in Florida, but thankfully with no humidity. When she came to a stop in front of him, she couldn’t miss the look of male appreciation in the depth of his eyes. “Hello, Drew.”
“Toni. You look nice. Beautiful dress.”
“Thanks. You’re looking nice, too.”
“Ready to go?”
“Yes,” she said, falling into step beside him. “Where are we going?”
“I ran into Joy after one of my forensic workshops and told her I’d asked you out. When I asked for ideas about the kind of food you liked, she said you were a seafood girl and I couldn’t go wrong as long as I found a restaurant with seafood on the menu.”
Toni smiled. “That’s true.”
“I asked the guy at the concierge’s desk about the seafood restaurants in the area, and he said a place called Obi’s was the best. It’s also within walking distance. However, if you don’t feel like walking in heels, I can call a cab.”
She waved off his concerns. “Please. I’m used to walking in heels. Just lead the way.”
He did, surprising her when he took hold of her hand. The moment their hands touched, her body practically convulsed with sexual energy. And the look he gave her let her know the experience hadn’t been one-sided. She knew before the night was over they would have to do something about it.
And Toni had no problem with that. She was a vibrant woman who enjoyed the opposite sex, even if she wasn’t looking for love. But she didn’t consider herself promiscuous, by any stretch. In fact, she was very selective when it came to her bed partners. One guy even accused her of being snobbish. She disagreed with him. She loved her body and wouldn’t share it with just anybody. But if she liked the guy, and she knew he was no threat to her mentally or physically, then she had no problem getting it on with him. She’d had one-night stands before and had no problem with having another.
She wasn’t looking for a lasting relationship built on love and was the only woman she knew who didn’t even really believe in it. Her mother had given everything for love, and in the end, had lost it all. When the pain had gotten to be too much for Nicole Bellamy, she had ended her life.
“Tell me some more about Antonia Oliver,” Drew said, breaking into her thoughts as they walked to the restaurant.
She glanced up at him. “Sure. But when we get to the restaurant, I expect you to tell me all about you, also.”
Did she see something flash in his eyes? Pain? Regret? Some kind of protective guard? She knew everyone had something in their past they’d rather not divulge, and she understood. Few people knew about her mother’s suicide. Only Joy knew...but they’d been friends for years before Toni had finally told her.
“Of course,” he said.
She figured she would get the watered-down version. It wasn’t that he would lie about anything; he just wouldn’t be as forthcoming. But that was okay. He had that right. And she had no intention of oversharing either.
“My parents never married, and I was raised by my mom,” she said. “She died when I was in my junior year of high school. I went to live with my grandparents after her death.”
“I’m so sorry. Was your mom ill?”
Toni nodded. Mental health issues were definitely an illness. “Yes, she was ill. My grandparents were great, though. They helped me get over my loss