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her. The notion that the beautiful, poised woman seated across the table from him would be nervous in his presence or that of any man, for that matter, was absurd.

      “You, Mr. Lewis. For some reason, you make me nervous,” Torie admitted shyly.

      “I assure you, Torie, you have nothing to be nervous about. I’m harmless.”

      “Somehow I doubt that, but we digress. You wanted to ask me a question. Shoot.”

      “Well, it’s actually twofold…my question. And excuse me in advance if this is out of line or inappropriate, but I’m a little out of practice at this. I was just wondering if you’re seeing anyone and, if not, if, uh, if you’d like to see me. I mean, you know, maybe go out from time to time—schedules permitting—to dinner, a movie, or whatever you’re into.”

      There, he’d said it. Monte could almost feel his throat closing up as he waited for her response. He hadn’t meant to be so blunt, especially not before they’d even ordered their meals. However, he could not continue to deny how alluring he found her and he needed to know early on if there was even a chance that they could see each other again. He told himself that knowing up-front would set the tone for the remainder of their lunch date, and he could avoid getting his hopes up if this was a one-shot deal.

      “I like you, too, Monte,” was Torie’s simple reply.

      Monte held his breath, unsure if a but was about to come. When she said nothing further, he surged ahead for her.

      “But?”

      “But nothing. You like me and I like you, too. It’s out there now. So, why don’t we just sit back, enjoy our lunch and see what happens.”

      Damn, he thought, what style. No one could deny that this woman had panache. He took her advice and enjoyed every minute with her that afternoon. They chatted more about her upbringing in her hometown—North Atlanta, Georgia—in comparison to his as a native New Yorker. They discovered a few things they had in common, such as both being raised in single-parent homes and neither of them having a relationship with their fathers. Monte was an only child; Torie’s younger brother, Darius, was a deputy sheriff back in Atlanta. They laughed when they discovered that they’d both served as senior class presidents in their respective high schools, and while Monte had played the tuba in the school band, Torie tooted the clarinet.

      Two hours later they emerged from the restaurant, with sides that ached from laughing. Monte’s hand rested on the small of Torie’s back as they strolled down the street. He deposited Torie in front of an entrance to the subway so that she could catch a train to her Upper East Side apartment. As they prepared to part company, Monte leaned in, kissing her lips briefly. He’d been aching to taste her mouth again all through lunch and flushed at the feel of her lips against his. With a tentative pledge to get together again soon, they moved away. Monte whistled as he made his way back to the office and his good cheer certainly had everything to do with the sexy woman who’d brought a smile both to his face and to his heart.

      Chapter 6

      Undress My Heart

      “Monica, that’s terrific. That’s exactly what I was hoping to hear from you today,” Torie squealed.

      She leaned forward in the passenger seat of Monte’s Lexus ES350 luxury sedan and slapped the open palm of her right hand on her thigh. She turned to Monte, her face a bright beam of happiness, which served to bring out a smile on his face, although he had no idea what she was so happy about.

      “And they’re ready to sign?” Torie asked. “Wonderful. Okay, uh, sometime next month? Okay, I’ll wait to hear from you. Thank you again, Monica. Take care.”

      Torie disconnected the call and dropped her PDA onto her lap. She clapped her hands together three times rapidly before covering her face with her hands.

      “Are you going to tell me what we’re celebrating or am I going to have to guess?” Monte asked.

      “Oh, my goodness, Monte. It’s unbelievable. No, scratch that. It is totally believable because I’m damned good at what I do,” Torie stated emphatically.

      “Yes, you are. Now, what are we talking about?” Monte asked again.

      “Well, a few weeks ago, I read for a lead spot in a new series pilot called Higher Learning—I know, same title as that nineties movie with Ice Cube. It’s a drama based on a college campus. I read for the role of Senora Phelps, head of the recruiting department. It’s a really great role…one that leaves a lot of room for growth. I had a good feeling when I read but, you know, you never can tell. Anyway, it turns out that feeling was right on the money!” Torie shouted.

      “You got the part?” Monte asked.

      “Not only did I get the part, but Monica said they’re offering me a very sweet deal to boot. She’ll have the written contract next month, and she says I’ll be pleased.”

      “Damn, girl, that’s all right! Congratulations. Look at you—been in the Big Apple for five minutes and you’re already doing great things. Go ’head, Ms. Turner,” Monte shouted, his enthusiasm paralleling hers.

      “Oh, Monte. I can’t even tell you what this feels like. I mean, it’s one thing to strive for something and envision it for yourself, but when it actually happens, it’s surreal. I don’t know what I did to be so blessed, but I’m truly grateful.”

      “What you did was to be beautiful, talented, smart and driven. That’s a lethal combination, by any measure,” Monte said. “Don’t you want to call your mom?”

      By this, their third date, Torie had already shared with Monte a bit of her relationship with her mother. She’d told him how demanding her mother could be, and she’d admitted that while her mother had always been her biggest supporter, there were times when her mother’s visions for Torie’s future conflicted with her own. At those times the pressure that Torie felt could be overwhelming as she struggled to follow her own course, despite how tenaciously Brenda tried to steer her into another direction.

      “I’ll call her…later. Right now I just want to savor the moment, you know. I know there is an urge when good things happen to us to run right out and shout it to the world, but some things—like this one—are just so big that you need to keep it private for a while and soak it in,” Torie said.

      They drove in silence for a few long moments. Monte’s excitement for Torie’s good news was another in a list of indicators that he’d had over the past couple of weeks, telling him how caught up he was with her. It almost felt as if her success was his own and he didn’t think he could have been any happier if, in fact, it were his own.

      “I’m happy I’m here with you in your big moment,” Monte said, breaking the silence.

      Torie turned to face him, while Monte kept his eyes on the road ahead of them.

      “I’m glad you are, too,” Torie said sincerely.

      They drove the remaining few miles in relative silence, save an occasional comment on the scenery around them. It was early on Saturday and they were headed out to the lake house in Ronkonkoma, about an hour’s drive from where Monte lived in Sands Point. Monte had bought the lake house just a few months after Shawna died. Their house had so many memories that he’d thought that having a change of scenery on the weekends would be good for the boys. It turned out that he was right. Being able to do activities like fishing and going out on the lake in a canoe brought smiles back to his boys’ faces and to his own. For the first year after Shawna died, they’d drive out almost every Friday night and stay through Sunday evening. It was a place of solace and comfort and, Monte felt, one of the best investments he’d ever made.

      Now that his mother was living with them, Monte and the boys only went out to the house a couple of times a month, usually when his mother was feeling up to going with them. Otherwise, Cheryl would stay in Sands Point and look after her. Today, Monte’s hope was that he and Torie could spend some time alone, away from crowded restaurants and other

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