One Reckless Night (10 page)

open. Besides her dreams weren’t that good.

She took a sip of the soda. Her friends were still waiting for her to talk. And she knew it was

only a matter of time before their patience wore off. “Dane and I talked.”

Maylea rolled her eyes. “We know that much. What did you talk about?’

Deidre leaned forward. “You might want to give us the short version. Dane could be on his

way back.”

Giselle laughed. “Something tells me she is counting on it, but he can’t save you.”

Lea nodded. “If you won’t tell us, we will ask him.”

Bayleigh gasped in shock. “
You wouldn’t
.”

Deidre grinned. “Of course we would. What are friends for?”

“Headaches and heartburn,” Bayleigh muttered.

Giselle chuckled. “Well it’s your fault. You are one who has the most interesting life right

now so we can’t help ourselves.”

Bayleigh’s gaze narrowed. “Maybe if you focus on your
thing
to do, you wouldn’t have so

much time to focus on me.”

Deidre made a wide sweeping gesture with her hand. “This is a start for me.”

Giselle nodded. “For me as well. On a normal night, I wouldn’t be caught in a place like this.

I’m glad we came though, because I’m having a good time.”

Lea smiled. “We all are, including Bayleigh. Even if she doesn’t want to admit it.”

Bayleigh exhaled heavily. She might as well tell her friends what just transpired or they would

drive her completely insane. “I agreed to date Dane.”

Deidre laughed. “We know.”

It wasn’t the response Bayleigh expected. Her eyes narrowed after she grasped the meaning

of what Deidre said. “What do you mean you know?”

Maylea shrugged. “Dane wouldn’t have kissed you if you hadn’t agreed to. We just wanted to

hear you say it.”

Bayleigh gave her friends a smug look. “Don’t get too happy. It isn’t official.”

A look of puzzlement crossed Giselle’s face. “What do you mean it isn’t official?”

Bayleigh leaned forward. “I agreed to a trial relationship with Dane.”

Deidre frowned. “What is a trial relationship?”

Bayleigh gave her friends an amused look. “Exactly what it sounds like.”

“Good to know because it sounds like insanity to me,” Lea commented before taking a drink

of her soda.

“It isn’t crazy,” Bayleigh responded. “It’s being smart. I don’t want to ruin our friendship for

good sex.”

Deidre shook her head. “A relationship is about more than good sex.”

Bayleigh smiled sadly. “I know and that’s what worries me.”

Bayleigh fidgeted. Saturday night had come entirely too fast. She tried to refrain from pacing

but had to do something or she was going to drive herself to the brink of delirium. It had been a

week since she agreed to a trial relationship with Dane. She was surprised at how little things

changed between the two of them. At work Dane remained professional. He would tease her on

occasion, but there was nothing out of the ordinary about it, for he tended to tease her more often

than not. From all outside appearances anyone would still think they were friends. She smiled they

were friends—until it was after work hours.

She looked forward to Dane’s nightly calls. They talked liked the two of them always did but

there was a more personal feel to it. When he asked her to join him for dinner on the upcoming

Saturday, she agreed. She had no idea where they were going, which should have bothered her

considering how much she didn’t like the unknown, but it didn’t. Dane told her to wear a nice dress

like the one she had one she had worn to Sotto Voce’s. She couldn’t hide her nervousness. She

confided in her friends last night at their weekly girls’ night out dinner. They were excited for her.

Dane would be at her door any moment. Bayleigh looked down at her bare feet. She should

put her shoes on. If she did she wouldn’t be able to pace like she wanted to. Her shoes were black

heels so they would be easy to slide on when he rang the doorbell. And slide off just as easily once

she sat down at the table. She tried not to tug at her ivory silk, knee-length A-line dress. The dress

had a square neckline with a pleated empire bodice and band. Her confidence level rose several

notches. Tasha had given it to Bayleigh on her thirtieth birthday.

Bayleigh had followed Dane’s instructions. Now she just needed Dane to arrive before she

drove herself insane with anticipation. When the doorbell did ring, she jumped. Walking over to her

shoes, she slipped her feet into them. Her nerves skyrocketed. The doorbell rang again before she

could calm them.

“Coming,” she called out, before taking a deep breath. She walked toward the door on legs

more sturdy than she felt. When she opened the door, her heart skipped a beat, maybe two. Dane

wore a charcoal suit with a burgundy shirt and black tie. His hair was untamed as usual. Boy, he

looked good enough to eat. If she didn’t know any better she would say he was moonlighting as a

model for Esquire. Bayleigh managed to find her voice.

“Hi, Dane.”

He remained silent while his gaze roamed over her. “You look beautiful, Bayleigh.”

“Thank you. You look very nice yourself.”

Dane stepped forward and one arm encircled her waist, before he pulled her to him. His lips

came down on hers and she accepted his kiss hungrily. He lifted his head a few moments later, much

sooner than she would have liked.

“Wow,” she whispered when he released her. He revealed the arm he kept hidden until then.

Bayleigh smiled when she spotted the single white rose.

“Thank you.” She twirled the rose, then sniffed it. The flower smelled fresh, sweet. She took

it and placed it in a glass of water. When she turned to look at him, he smiled.

“You’re welcome. Are you ready?”

“Yes I am.”

Bayleigh reached for her purse before following him out of her apartment. Dane stood to

the side, waiting for her to lock up. When he took her hand, she relaxed.

He led her to his car, opening her door for her. When he drove toward Southlake Town

Square, she smiled. Her eyes widened after he pulled up to the valet stand at Regate. She had never

been to the gourmet restaurant, but from what she heard it was very expensive. Dane led her inside,

claimed their reservation, and had them seated before she could draw a good breath. The restaurant

was lovely. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceilings, white linens draped the tables. The wait staff

moved quietly but efficiently. Dane ordered a bottle of wine while she took everything in.

“Do you know what you want to eat?”

Bayleigh turned her attention back to him with a blank look. “What?”

“You haven’t looked at the menu, so I thought you already knew what you wanted.”

“No.” Shaking her head, Bayleigh smiled at him as she picked up her menu. “I haven’t been

here before. I was taking in the décor.”

Dane smiled. “Do you like it?”

Opening her menu, Bayleigh barely stifled her gasp at the prices listed. Lord have mercy the

place was steep. She bit her lip to keep from laughing. Most things were in this city, but she loved

Southlake. It was the reason she also tended to frequent more reasonably priced eating locations.

Even with her salary, the prices she looked at made her anxious.

Bayleigh tried to budget herself. Her mother always said just because a person has money

doesn’t mean he or she needs to spend it. Yet she appreciated Dane’s gesture. Erwin would have

never brought her to a place as lavish as this. In fact, he never had in the entire time they’d dated.

But tonight wasn’t the night to waste her thoughts on him.

Bayleigh made her decision and placed the menu aside. Dane was still looking at his. She

took the time to study him. He was so sexy. From the looks he received when they walked inside,

she wasn’t only one who thought so. Her eyes went to his hands. They were strong and smooth, but

with just enough wear on them that told her he knew how to work with his hands. It was just her

luck that she also knew firsthand how gentle those hands could be.

It had been a week since he touched her at the nightclub, but she didn’t remember it any

less. Her attention was pulled back to the present when the waiter returned with their wine. He

poured her glass first, then Dane’s. He took their order, stepping away quickly after he did.

Bayleigh had to admit the service was good. The waiters were warm, but understood the

meaning of privacy. She assumed it was the reason he chose the restaurant. She looked up and

found Dane staring at her. His intense gaze made her shift in her chair. Something about his

gorgeous green eyes that almost did her in.

“Why do you look at me that way?”

“In what way?”

Bayleigh hesitated. “Like you want to devour me.”

His smiled widened. “Because I do.”

A shiver surged through her at the desire in his voice. Dane was dangerous. His words could

go to her head if she wasn’t careful. “It’s just the clothes.”

Dane’s eyebrows rose. “Trust me, Bayleigh. As beautiful as you are tonight, my attraction to

you has nothing to do with your clothes.” He leaned closer. “It has more to do with the fact that

you are intelligent, honest, sweet and caring.”

The heartfelt compliment made her melt. Dane picked up his wine glass, indicating for her

to pick up her own. “To a beautiful woman,” he toasted.

“And a wonderful dinner,” she added.

She drank to the toast.

Was this for real? A man like Dane didn’t happen to women like her. Wouldn’t it be

something if it was genuine? He was bright, confident, and extremely sensual and made her want to

be a part of something she couldn’t describe. But his interest in her confused her. It seemed like he

saw things in her that outsiders didn’t. Maybe they just didn’t want to see them. The people who

were closest to her did, her family, her girlfriends…Dane.

When she looked across the table at him, she wanted to let go and open herself up to him in

every way a woman should with a man. She hated that she couldn’t let go of her shaky past.

“What are you thinking about, Bayleigh?”

Her gaze met sexy, dark green eyes that held all of the answers to the questions she had.

“What did you ask me?”

Dane’s response was delayed when their food was delivered. Her salmon looked so perfect,

she didn’t want to eat it. Hunger took over so she had no choice. The first bite of tender flaky fish

had her closing her eyes in pleasure. She was barely able to hold back her moan of pleasure. Dane

made a sound causing her to open her eyes. The desire she read there made it hard to swallow. “Is

something wrong?”

Dane shook his head while he shifted in his seat. “No. I just remember where I’ve seen that

expression before.”

When she grasped the sensual meaning behind his statement, she lowered her gaze to his

shoulders, needing something else to focus on before she got herself in trouble. Even the way he sat

was graceful. He reached for his glass of wine, the simple action invoking memories of their night

together. In her mind, she pictured his well-muscled arms, sculptured chest, broad shoulders, a flat

stomach, trailing downward to slim hips. A tasteful amount of body hair covered his chest with a

thin line on the low part of his abdomen.

Dane cleared his throat, keeping her mind from wondering any further than it already had.

Bayleigh reached for her wine glass with a shaky hand. A quick glimpse in Dane’s direction told her

he had noticed her roaming eyes.

“I would ask you what has you so shaky, but your eyes tell me all I need to know.”

She swallowed the wine, thankful when she didn’t choke. Bayleigh cleared her throat. “What

makes you do sure?”

“Again sweetheart, your eyes.”

A jolt traveled through her at the endearment. The word rolled off his tongue with ease and

she liked it. Was she supposed to come up with one for him now? Honey? Babe? Sugar? Bayleigh

frowned. None of those worked. They didn’t fit him. For now, she would stick with Dane. Looking

up, she found him slicing into his steak.

“What is it about my eyes, Dane?”

He shrugged. “Yours are expressive. They tell me when you’re happy…sad…want to make

love to me.”

Bayleigh choked on the piece of salmon she just ate. She reached for her wine glass. Again

he managed to catch her off guard. Did her eyes really give all that away? If so, she was in trouble.

She looked over at him, spotting a small smile at one corner of his mouth. “You are wicked, Dane.”

He chuckled. “And you like it.”

Bayleigh smiled when she realized she
did
like that about him. It wasn’t the only thing she

liked either. Exhaling softly, she knew she was in deep trouble. The past several months she had

hoped Mr. Right would come along. To think he might have been in front of her the entire time

without her noticing was mind-boggling. She sighed. Why did she have to over analyze everything?

Bayleigh needed to stop or she would drive herself batty.

Picking up her fork, she tried to focus on her Salmon and conversation with Dane. In spite

of the close friendship she shared with him, she found out things about him she never knew. Like he