Page 35 of Zane

"How's the lovely Hailey?"

"Annoyed that I woke her." He grinned foolishly. "I managed to soothe her ruffled feathers somewhat by sweet-talking her." He swallowed some beer. "Christ! I miss her like crazy."

Zane gave him a scornful look. "You're certifiably whipped."

"And enjoying every minute of it. Now what's this about?"

"When do you leave?" Zane wasn't eager to get into the matter at hand. Not yet.

"Day after tomorrow, and I can't wait. Next time, she's bloody well coming with me."

"A grown-ass man who cannot bear to be without his wife for what? A week?"

"Damn straight. It feels like I left the best part of me behind."

David watched as his friend rolled to his feet and went to poke at the fire. He recognized the restless and jerky movements for what they were.

"Are you going to tell me what's bothering you? Or should I take the poker you're using to pry it out of you?"

"I've been invited to dinner," he stated abruptly, turning to face David.

"All right. I'm assuming by the sexy ADA."

"Yes." His tone was terse. Putting the poker to the side, he shoved his hands into his pockets and paced. "Seafood."

"You like seafood."

"Yeah. She's different."

"Different how?"

Zane shrugged and walked back to the chair. Instead of sitting, he picked up his beer but did not drink it. "I didn't recognize her." He explained in detail what he had encountered on entering the courtroom. "I doubt that any man in the room was able to take his eyes off her. It pissed me off."

"She had a makeover."

"A drastic one." Zane looked at the can as if he were wondering how it got in his hand. "She's not afraid anymore or even timid. She clearly wants sex. The meal is just a euphemism. She invited me over to have sex with her."

"I see." David drew out the words, watching his friend carefully. "And you picked that up during the conversation?"

"I invited her for coffee, just like I did the first time, and she suggested dinner at her place. When I kissed her in the garden, I sensed her fear and innocence." He frowned. "It was as if she had no experience in kissing. That fired my lust to even greater proportions." He dragged a hand through the side of his hair. "Now she's behaving like a siren. A woman of vast knowledge. She bent over. All the way over."

"Ah, the backward view." David nodded in understanding.

"I thought I was going to have a stroke." Zane swallowed beer and almost choked. "And ever since, I've been trying to figure out what the hell is happening."

"You shouldn't look a gift meal in the mouth." David grinned at the dirty look he received. "Just saying." He sipped his beer. "You want this woman."

"More than my next breath."

"Then what's the problem?"

"I think I'm falling in love with her. That's as stupid as hell since I only just met her. How the bloody hell can I feel so much in such a short time?"

David smiled at the frustration in his friend's voice.

"Like a lightning strike."

"What?" Zane whirled to pin him with a glance.