moved as he chewed. The man was damn sexy, and I couldn’t wait to finish dinner and take things to the next step. If that made me promiscuous to some, I didn’t care. I’d been on fire for the man since the second I hugged him in the hospital after he’d saved my life. Besides, I’d never been one to care what others thought about me. Life was too short, and I was committed to truly living it to the fullest.
“Hmm, I guess I’d have to say my serious demeanor.”
I frowned. “Why do you think that’s a flaw?”
“Not a flaw exactly, more like it can put people off. I don’t mean to be standoffish or seem stiff and rude, but I know I come off that way a lot of the time.”
“Fair enough. People are always thinking I’m too carefree and wild, which often happens to be the same thing they say they love about me. You can’t really win.” I shrugged.
He shook his head. “No, you can’t.”
“My theory is you just have to accept what you can’t change, or don’t want to change about yourself, and surround yourselves with people who care about you for what and who you are.”
“Good advice. Okay, my turn. What is something you absolutely love about yourself?” He used my same line of questioning but went for the positive route.
I sucked back some more delicious wine. “I mean, besides the taking things in stride, I’d have to say I genuinely like all people.”
“How so?”
“Well, I dig that you’re serious, possessive, a little alpha because your heart is in the right place. Kinda like Sonia. You too have a lot in common actually.” I laughed.
“Awesome, I have a lot in common with your sister. That bodes well for my manhood,” he moaned.
I exploded in laugher as he made a sour face.
“No, you misunderstood me. What I mean is, I’m the type of chick who just appreciates people for who they are. I’m sure it has a lot to do with growing up in a home with eight other women, but I like the differences in people. If we were all the same, life would be extremely boring. I don’t like to be bored. Always gotta keep moving, find something to do, see, experience.”
“I hope together we can have a few of our own special experiences.” His voice dipped low and had a sultry growl that made my blood heat with anticipation.
I grinned. “Oh, you have no choice, mister. When you’re not on a case or out of town, you better believe we will be enjoying ourselves.” I tapped my plate with the tines of my fork. “I mean, I’m not a maniac. I can settle down and just chill and relax with my hot FBI guy, but I’m looking forward to sharing new experiences with you.”
He reached across and took my hand. “Me too, Simone.”
“Okay, now tell me something no one knows about you.” I bit down on my bottom lip and waggled my brows.
He shook his head and chuckled. “Ah, let me see. Something no one knows about me. Do you mean something that happened in the past that I’m embarrassed of, or something weird about me that I keep hidden like my sixth toe?”
“No fuckin’ way! Let me see your feet,” I blurted, shoved the white tablecloth back, and ducked my head under the table in order to stare at his perfect, five-toes-a-piece feet.
I maneuvered back up and glared at his smug face as he sat back and laughed so hard, he ended up clutching at his stomach. “Baby, you are too easy to tease. Man, I haven’t laughed this much in ages.”
I pursed my lips and picked up my wine. “Well, at least there’s that. I’m a pretty good sport when things are funny, and I’ll admit. You had me…for a second. Now spill it! Tell me something—anything—that someone doesn’t know about you.”
He leaned an elbow to the table and rested his chin on it. “Hmm, I’m thinking. Okay I’ve got it, but you cannot, under any circumstances, tell Ryan, my brother Luca, or my father. Got it?”
I rubbed my hands together as if he were going to lay something super juicy on me. “No telling your bestie, your bro, or your dad. Got it.” I used a finger to make a cross shape over my heart. That did not mean I couldn’t share with my sisters but all women did that. Men had to expect their women talked about them with