LITMIR.BIZ

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walked up and joined her for the wait. Inwardly she groaned and hoped that he wasn’t riding all the way down.

      “Morning. Heading out?”

      “Good morning. No, just to the lobby.”

      “Listen, Avery...”

      The doors swished open.

      Avery stepped on and faced forward.

      “I’d really like to take you to lunch sometime.”

      She was so taken aback by the clear tone of sincerity and almost boyish look in his eyes that she couldn’t respond. Her lips parted as the doors closed.

      Avery shook her head in disbelief and leaned against the back wall of the elevator. That was new and different. Mike had never formally asked her out. He’d always insinuated what a good catch he was, taunted her about her work ethic and goaded her whenever an opportunity presented itself. This was the Mike she’d never met before, but she still didn’t trust him.

      The doors opened on the main floor. She buttoned her jacket, made certain her ID was visible and walked to the security console.

      “Agent Richards. I got a call.”

      “Yes, Agent Richards. Senator Lawson’s son is here to see you.”

      Her heart felt as if it jumped from her chest to her throat and a hot wave rolled through her from toe to head.

      She swallowed. “Thank you.” When she turned toward the waiting area, she heard her own gasp when she spotted him. His back was turned to her, but his long, lean form was unmistakable framed within the towering bulletproof windows that looked out onto the nation’s capital. The white collar of his shirt peeked above the black jacket that matched his slacks, but when he turned there was not the expected tie, but rather an open collar revealing the tease of hot chocolate. The aura that wafted around him was palpable, even from where she stood.

      “Oh, lord,” she murmured. She couldn’t tell what he saw or what he was thinking behind the dark shades that shielded his eyes, only that his lush lips moved into a slow smile while she approached.

      “Mr. Lawson.” She stopped in front of him and hoped that he didn’t sense her sudden anxiety.

      Rafe removed his shades and slid them into the breast pocket of his jacket. Bad move. Now she couldn’t think beyond the glow in his eyes and the intoxicating scent of his cologne.

      “I hope you don’t mind that I looked you up since I was in town.”

      She had a momentary brain freeze. “Well, I’m not sure if I mind or not. I would guess it depends on why you’re here.”

      That grin again.

      “We didn’t get a real chance to talk the night of the party.” He stepped closer, cutting off the space between them, slid his hands into his pockets and angled his head just a bit to the right. “I thought if I took you to dinner we could pick up where we left off.”

      Avery blinked rapidly and shifted her weight. “Dinner? I... I really don’t think...that would be a good idea.”

      Rafe gave the barest of shrugs. “Not a problem, only an invitation.”

      His smile was just enough to stir the imagination.

      Avery licked her bottom lip. “So what brings you to DC?”

      “Meeting a friend. He’s playing a set tonight. Maybe if you’re not too busy—not eating dinner—” his eyes cinched with mischief “—you could stop by. You might like it. Good food, adult crowd, great music.” He extended his hand.

      Avery glanced down and mindlessly placed her hand in his. The shock raced up her arm and raised the hair on the back of her neck. Her fingertips tingled.

      Rafe dipped his head toward her. “I’ll let you get back to secretly servicing,” he said in a wickedly low voice that set her imagination on a chase down the lane of possibility.

      “You have a way with words, Mr. Lawson.”

      Rafe chuckled. “So I’ve heard.” His gaze ran lazily over her then settled on her eyes. “Good to see you again, Agent Richards.”

      “You...too.”

      “If you change your mind I’ll be at Blues Alley. Set starts at eight, last set at ten.”

      “I can’t promise.”

      “No promises needed. Enjoy your day.”

      He turned and strode away and Avery felt he’d taken all the energy with him. She watched him push through the revolving door before merging in with the flow of bodies.

      She spun away and right into Mike.

      “Friend?”

      “What?”

      He lifted his chin toward the exit. “Friend of yours? I saw you two talking pretty close. Didn’t think you were seeing anyone with you so wrapped up in this job. You really need to think about letting me take you out. Lunch. Dinner.”

      She was so annoyed that Mike snapped the spell of Rafe that she barely refrained from lathering him with the cuss words that she only held on to by sheer will.

      “Excuse me,” she said and brushed by him.

      Her hand trembled ever so slightly when she pressed the elevator button. She replayed when she’d first met Rafe. They’d barely shared more than a couple of sentences. From what she recalled she’d only given him her first name and certainly no reason for him to believe that he could simply show up at her office.

      The doors opened. Even more alarming was how he even figured out what her last name was in order to find where she was stationed. She was the damned Secret Service! But clearly he must have used his father’s connections. She didn’t know if she should be flattered or pissed off.

      Avery walked down the corridor and back to her small office, and plopped down in the chair behind her desk. Her body still vibrated and her usual methodically organized thoughts were in complete disarray.

      She reached for her cell phone and called Kerry. The call went to voice mail, but while she was leaving a message, Kerry called her back.

      “Hey, Avery, what’s up?”

      “You will never guess who just left here.”

      “Don’t make me guess.”

      “Rafe Lawson,” she said in a pressed whisper.

      “Say what?”

      “Yes! He was here.”

      “What did he want?”

      Avery ran down the conversation.

      “So let me get this straight. This fine-ass bachelor flies across the country, takes the time to track you down, asks you out for dinner and you say—no? Are you out of your damned mind?”

      “No. I’m...cautious.”

      “No. Crazy. What do you think can happen over dinner?”

      “That’s not the point.”

      “Then what is the point?”

      “I don’t know,” she woefully confessed. She sighed heavily into the phone. “He... There’s something about him that...unsettles me.”

      “What does that even mean?”

      “I feel as if I lose control when he’s in my space.”

      “Girl, girl...” Kerry laughed. “I only wish there was someone to make me feel that way.”

      “I don’t. I can’t be all foggy-headed and tongue-tied.”

      “Sis, you have got to give yourself some space to live and be a woman. This job can take a toll on the people in our lives and us. No one knows better than me. But every now

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