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his wine and relaxed back into his chair.
 Now, you were saying?
*
Taking a sip of her water, Tina watched as the waiter hurried away.
Was that a growl? She wondered. Surely Alex couldn t be jealous.
Pushing the thought aside, she thought back on how the shop came to be and smiled.
 My best friend Val and I grew up together in Jersey, she began.  We both wanted
to be in business when we grew up. We didn t know exactly what kind of business, but
never did we think we would end up owning the type of business we have now. She
chuckled.  But after college, I took a job at a local office doing clerical work, and after a
couple of years, it just became too daunting to handle. I realized that maybe working in
an office day in and day out wasn t what I wanted. I needed room to grow, a little
freedom, you know?
 Absolutely. He nodded.
Smiling, she continued.  As it turns out, Val was having the same doubts. So, we
took some time off and took a trip to Europe.
 Europe?
She grinned.
 We told everyone the trip was to get some prospective, to figure out what we were
going to do with our lives since we were now undecided about our careers, but we really
just wanted to see Paris. She chuckled.
 I see. He laughed.
 One night while there, we met a woman from here in the states. We got to talking,
and she told us about her business.
 An adult store? he guessed with a smile.
She nodded.  She started with one shop, and after less than ten years, owned an
entire chain of successful stores.
 At first, Val laughed it off, but I couldn t stop thinking about it, and when we got
back, I told her I thought we could pull it off. She trusted my judgment, and six months
later, we opened Happy s.
 That was quite a risk. Not many people are very accepting of a business like yours.
 That s true, she agreed, leaning back slightly as the waiter hurriedly set their plates
before them, before once again rushing away.
Watching the young man scuttle away, she shook her head, and then continued,
 That doesn t stop them from shopping there when they think no one s looking.
Alex nodded.  I can believe that. Some people can be very judgmental. Hypocritical
even.
Tina felt her smile falter as he said the words quietly. Although he wore a relaxed
expression on his face, she detected a hint of sadness in his tone, as though he had
experienced firsthand the wicked sting of judgment more than once before.
 Yes, they can, she mumbled as they began to enjoy their meal.
Something niggled at the back of her mind. Something she couldn t quite put her
finger on concerning Alex. He was near impossible to read. His expressions never gave
away his true feelings, and his voice held all emotions in check. Thanks to his ebony
eyes, his emotions were as hard to read as a locked diary.
Perhaps she only imagined the hint of sadness in his voice& or had he let his guard
slip? And why did he possess such a guard?
Either way, she was more curious now than ever to learn all she could about the sexy
Alex Monroe.
 Is that why you thought I left tonight? Has it happened before?
Swallowing the bite of lasagna she d just taken, she nodded.  More than once.
 Why? he asked, confusion clear in his voice, and she smiled.
 In my experience, and I'm not saying this happens to everyone  She held up a
hand.   but over the last two years that we ve owned the shop, every man Val and I
have ever dated either balked when they found out about the shop, thinking we were
some kind of perverts, or they stuck around hoping we were perverts and they would get
a wild ride or two to tell their buddies about. We haven t met a man who didn t care
about our occupation& yet.
 I don t care that you own an adult store. He smiled.  It s not like you're selling
yourself or hurting anyone. The way I see it you are, in a way, helping people. He
shrugged as he relaxed back in his chair, the plate before him now empty.
His large frame blocked the view of the chair beneath him. He really was a large
man, much larger than any she could ever remember seeing. However, she found she
liked his size, and memories from the night before flashed in her mind s eye.
The feel of his hard body pressed flush against hers, the silky glide of his fingers as
he brushed her hair away from her face, the warmth that radiated from him, seeping
through her clothing as she held him tight&
Now here he sat before her, large and mysterious, yet warm and inviting, saying
exactly what she d yearned to hear for so long.
For a moment, she could do nothing more than stare. It was like he d reached inside
her mind and pulled out exactly what she wanted, needed, to hear.
If it seems too good to be true&
Blinking from her surprise quickly, she nodded.  Exactly. Some people need a little
boost in the bedroom, and some like to bring in something new to keep the excitement
alive. It s better, in my opinion, than them getting bored with each other and eventually
cheating.
Alex grinned.  True, and I can see your store is quite the success, if the number of
customers tonight is any indication.
 People like sex. She grinned wickedly, feeling more comfortable with him as the
conversation lengthened.  There's never a dull moment, and always a customer looking
for something new. Val and I do quite well for ourselves and are happy with what we do.
I can t see us doing anything else.
 So, you're truly happy?
The question caught her off guard, but she considered it seriously for a moment
before answering. Other than the fact that she was in her late twenties and still single, she
couldn t complain.
She shrugged.  Yeah, I am. She smiled sincerely.  The shop keeps me in a nice
home and feeds my shoe and handbag fetish, so I can t really complain. There are others
with a lot less. She shrugged.
When Alex s smile widened, she allowed hers to do the same.
Chapter Six
 What about you? How d you become a cop?
Walking toward the storeroom, her hand tucked securely into the crook of his elbow,
he smiled down at her.
Their dinner had passed quickly with lively conversation. He thoroughly enjoyed [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]