12. Most Dangerous Kind
MOST DANGEROUS KIND
“This was fun,” Gabriela said. “A lot more fun than I expected from swapping out clothes.”
Her car was still parked back at her condo, her suitcase tucked neatly in the trunk, so she and Luca had taken off on foot instead. She’d walked him through her corner of Boston, pointed out her favorite spots, and somehow it had turned into lunch without either of them questioning it.
“It really was,” he said. “I appreciate you chauffeuring me around today.”
“It makes you feel special again, doesn’t it?” she teased.
“It actually does. I’m usually the one doing all the driving.”
She arched a brow. “Is that a turnoff for men? I feel like I should know these things. Could just be one more mark against me.”
“Would you change it if I said yes?”
“Nope.”
“Then it doesn’t matter.”
His laugh told her he wasn’t going to answer. Not unless she pushed.
She probably would. Not because she needed validation, but because she wanted his opinion. Not some generic answer about men.
Because he was the one standing beside her.
The one walking the streets with her.
The only one whose thoughts actually mattered in this moment.
She bumped her shoulder lightly into his as they walked. “You dodged that question.”
“I didn’t dodge,” he said. “I strategically retreated.”
“Coward.”
“You betcha.”
She laughed. “Fine. I’ll let it go. For now.”
“That’s generous of you.”
“I have my moments.” She slowed near a crosswalk, waiting for the light. “So what happens now?”
He glanced at her. “Are you asking me or the universe? Or just trying to find out what store I need to look into next?”
“All of them apply.”
He smiled. “Fair. I need a suit for this fundraiser. I’m assuming it’s suit and tie?”
Shit. She hadn’t thought he wouldn’t have one.
“Didn’t they have events for you to attend before at your last job?”
“Yep. But, you know, I had a house fire,” he said, his voice low. “I’ve had an excuse to escape things in the past two years.”
It was the last thing she wanted to do. Bring up something depressing or upsetting when they were enjoying themselves.
“You don’t have to go with me,” she argued.
“Nonsense. I need a new suit. Maybe two, but one will do for now. I don’t remember my measurements and I’m a bit smaller.”
“Smaller?” she asked. “Did you lose weight?”
She couldn’t imagine him being heavy, but she didn’t know either.
“I don’t know if it was weight or bulk. I’ve spent a lot more time working out than I used to.”
That made more sense in a way. Maybe that was another form of his hiding, but he wouldn’t admit it and she wasn’t going to ask.
“Then let’s go get you a suit if you really want to.”
“I don’t do much I don’t want to,” he said firmly.
Just another side to him. He was fun, and it seemed easy, but maybe it wasn’t as easy as it was to her.
She hooked her arm through his, and they walked two more streets over and into a menswear store.
“Blue, black, or gray?”
“You tell me,” he said. “What do women like?”
Now he was being funny because she’d asked that also.
“Are you going to need shoes too? These are important questions. I’m not sure how much you want to buy.”
“I’ve got black and brown shoes. I’m good.”
“How about blue for the suit?” she said, moving him closer to those tones on the walls. Not navy, more like a muted royal. “This one has very tiny stripes or is that too much?”
“Too fussy. Remember, I’m not wearing suit pants to work because kids have sticky fingers.”
She only knew what he had on the one day she worked with him. Tan cotton pants, a light blue button-down shirt under his lab coat. He had brown shoes on that looked more like sneakers.
“Okay. No stripes. I like this color, but you have to wear it.”
“What’s not to like? It’s blue.”
“Good answer,” she said cheerfully. “What color shirt do you want?”
“Can I help you?” A younger store employee asked, moving closer.
“Luca needs a suit. This blue suit.”
Let’s see how he was about her speaking up.
He didn’t seem fazed at all.
“I don’t remember my measurements.”
“We can take care of that. I’m Bentley. Come with me while we measure you.”
The smile was plastered on her face. “I’ll just be checking out shirts and ties, unless you want to do that yourself.”
“It’s your event. You know more than me. Go at it.”
Damn. She didn’t know the last time any guy had said that to her.
Thirty minutes later, they stepped off the curb together. “Your suit will be ready in a few days. That wasn’t too painful was it?”
“Nope. I’ll come over again on my own. Shouldn’t be too hard. I’ve got to get used to doing it anyway. If I didn’t have to try it on again, I’d just have it sent over on the ferry.”
“That’s right. Couriers are the way to go most times.
” They returned to her building and got in her car.
He’d already said he’d gotten everything he needed and they didn’t want to have to wait two more hours for the next ferry if they didn’t get to the docks in the next thirty minutes.
“I’ve been thinking,” she said. “And before you panic, this is a low-pressure thought.”
He turned to look at her walking through the parking garage. “Those are the most dangerous kind.”
“Relax,” she said. “What if we were… friends?”
He stopped short. “Friends. What are we now?”
She waved her hand and laughed before she lost her nerve. “Friends who enjoy each other’s company,” she clarified. “Who can grab lunch, walk around the city, talk without things getting weird. You know, like today?”
“And steal each other’s fries.”
“Mandatory,” she said. “Non-negotiable. And you started it.”
She pointed her finger playfully. He reached up to grab it and just snatched it loosely but firm at the same time.
He seemed in thought as they got into her car. “I don’t hate that,” he finally said. Thank God because she was getting close to backtracking.
“Good,” she said. “Because I could use a reliable plus-one. Weddings. Work events. Anything that requires a human buffer. You might need it too.”
“And as you saw today, I clean up well,” he said. “I can pretend to be charming on command. I’m funny, you said it yourself, so that’s not a stretch.”
At the wiggle of his eyebrows, she burst out laughing and unlocked the doors to her car. “Perfect. I’ll return the favor when you need someone to go with you so people stop asking all those annoying questions about being new to the area. With me on your arm, they’ll go away.”
He chuckled, a low sound that smacked her right in the gut as she buckled in. Man this could be more dangerous than she thought.
“That alone might make this worth it.”
“And no expectations,” she added. “No pressure. Just… time for some fun. We both need it with our jobs, right?”
He nodded slowly. “I could use that.”
“So could I. And it takes the pressure off of me to not feel like a loser always being the single one out.”
They exchanged a look, easy, warm, unforced.
Almost natural for two people who only knew the other for a few weeks.
“Friends,” he said, putting his hand out.
She slapped hers into his much larger one, felt the strength when she tried to squeeze harder and he did the same.
For now, she thought to herself. And just hoped she didn’t get too tripped up.