Five months later
“WHERE ARE WE GOING, Stonewall? This is not the way to my house.”
Stonewall Courson brought the car to a stop at a traffic light and glanced at Joy Ingram. They had attended Striker and Margo’s wedding together, and she was right. This was not the way back to her home. She was staring at him with those beautiful brown eyes that had the ability to send desire twisting in his gut and give his libido a high five whenever their gazes locked for any length of time. He would never forget the first time he’d looked into them and been totally mesmerized.
A sensual mist seemed to surround them whether they were alone or in a crowd. Those vapors were in full force now and had been from the moment he’d picked up her from her home earlier today. Stonewall had always known sexual chemistry was a powerful thing. He hadn’t known just how powerful until he’d met Joy. Now he was tuned to her every breath.
Looking at her lips, he was entranced by the memory of their one and only kiss. He could recall every lip-licking detail. Just the thought sent a needy rush through his veins and made sexual excitement curl in his stomach. That single kiss was all it had taken to deeply embed her in his system. But then, he would admit the scent of her was mind-boggling, as well. In the small confines of the car, he breathed in her sensual aroma. She was wearing the same fragrance she had the night they’d met. It had been hypnotic then and it was hypnotic now.
He couldn’t help but smile. It hadn’t taken her long to notice he was driving in the opposite direction of where she lived. Joy was a cop, after all—a detective. Being observant and perceptive and paying attention to detail were essential parts of her job.
Today she was off the clock and she was with him. He didn’t want her in cop mode. He much preferred having the element of surprise on his side. He’d known when he’d decided on this plan of action that it wouldn’t be easy, given the astute person that she was. But he was determined to pull it off anyway.
“No, this is not the way to your house,” he finally said. “Where we’re going is a surprise.” He decided to at least tell her that much.
“A surprise?”
He liked the way her brows shot up whenever she received new information. “Yes, Joy, a surprise.”
He liked her name. Something about it, especially whenever he said it, made him think of pleasure, contentment and sexual bliss. They had met six months ago, at a charity function at Charlottesville’s Martin Luther King Jr. Performing Arts Center. While standing in a group conversing with friends, he’d glanced around the room and seen her.
Actually, he’d caught her staring, checking him out. And she’d been pretty damn bold, not stopping when their gazes connected. He’d boldly checked her out in return, and had definitely liked what he’d seen. She was a beautiful woman. And the silky-looking emerald green dress she’d worn that night had complemented her body and clung to her curves. It had showcased a pair of gorgeous long legs in a pair of gold stilettos.
He’d even liked the way she’d worn her dark brown hair that night, chin-length and cut into a trendy and sassy style. But then, he would admit that he liked how she wore it now, as well. It was a lot longer and fluttered against her face while falling in fluffy waves to her shoulders. And speaking of her face... He would admit to having a thing for her high cheekbones, sable-brown complexion, straight nose and rounded chin.
On that night, even from across the room, the sexual chemistry had flared between them, nearly tripping his pulse and definitely stirring his libido in all kinds of ways. His attraction to her was stronger than any he’d ever felt, and he knew there was no way he would leave the charity ball without learning her identity. In less than twenty minutes he’d finagled an introduction. And the strange thing was, he’d always had an intense dislike for cops. At least, he had...until her.
“And since it’s a surprise, that means you won’t be getting any more information out of me,” he added, studying her outfit. He thought the blue lace dress she was wearing today looked good on her. Sexy as hell. Clinging to her curves as if they were a lifeline. Definitely his link to sensual fantasies. He’d told her more than once today just how nice she looked.
This was only his second time seeing her in something other than a pair of dark slacks and a nondescript button-up shirt. He knew that as a police detective, she intentionally downplayed her beauty. But her looks and curves were things that couldn’t be hidden no matter what she wore.
“Normally I don’t like surprises.”
The corners of his mouth twitched in another smile. That’s what he’d heard from one reliable source, but he intended to make sure she liked this one. “Just keep an open mind, Joy. I decided it was time for our first official date.”
“I thought attending Striker and Margo’s wedding together was our first official date.”
Turning his eyes back to the road when the traffic light turned green, he said, “Attending the wedding with me doesn’t constitute a date.”
“And why not?”
He quickly stole a look at her in time to see her brows shoot up again. “Because you were invited to the wedding anyway. We just happened to ride in the same car together.”
She chuckled, and the feminine sound stirred something deep within him, assaulting his senses in ways he definitely wasn’t used to. “I guess that’s a different way to look at it, Stonewall.” The way she said his name, in that sexy voice, made his insides shiver.
He knew how her mind worked. Already she was trying to figure out where they were going and what he was up to. His goal was to get her to relax and be comfortable with him. He didn’t want her to think of work. All he wanted her to think about was him, just like he was thinking only of her.
On four different occasions since meeting six months ago, they’d made plans to go out on a date. However, each and every time those plans got canceled due to their work schedules. His job as a bodyguard for Summers Security Firm took him away from Charlottesville quite a lot. And hers as a police detective kept her busy solving homicides.
Whenever he was in town and their busy schedules allowed, they would meet up at a café on Monroe Street for doughnuts and coffee or grab a beer at Shady Reds Bar and Grill. However, as far as he was concerned, those brief good-to-see-you-again-and-goodbye-until-next-time encounters didn’t constitute dates, either. Since meeting Joy, even though he’d never gone out with her, he hadn’t been able to muster interest in any other woman. A part of him felt he wouldn’t be able to move on until that changed, which was why he was taking her on a real date. A date that was long overdue.
“So, what do you have planned for this date, Stonewall?”
He chuckled. “Like I said, it’s a surprise and I’m not answering any more questions, Detective, so let’s talk about something else.”
She didn’t say anything for a minute and then, as if she’d decided to concede—for now—she said, “Margo was such a beautiful bride, wasn’t she? And her wedding gown! OMG! It was simply gorgeous, and to think, she designed it herself.”
Good. Stonewall figured if he kept her talking, chances were she wouldn’t think about where they
