Page 9 of Roughing
“What’s wrong? Do you see something?” He followed my gaze, but there was nothing there.
I gathered my wits and silently chastised myself for being a coward. It’d been a stray cat. No doubt.
My ex had me spooked, as always. The guy always showed up at places I never expected to see him.
I shook my head and moved away from Briggs. “No, it’s nothing.”
He didn’t pull me close to him again but kept his distance, surprising me. I’d expected him to be pushy about having sex, but he was respecting the boundaries I’d set.
“What is this place?” he asked as he opened the passenger door. Grateful, I climbed in and let the plush leather seats comfort me. He studied me in the dim light, frowning and with concern etched on his ruggedly handsome face. Those striking blue eyes pierced the gloom, and I made the mistake of meeting his gaze. The intensity burning there bombarded me with emotions I shouldn’t be feeling.
I refused to read anything into his expression. When I didn’t answer, Briggs shrugged and closed the door. A few seconds later, he was beside me in the driver’s seat.
“What are you doing in this neighborhood?”
I should’ve known ignoring his question would get me nowhere. Briggs didn’t give up when he wanted something, and he wanted an answer.
“I told you. I work here.”
“Here?” He was incredulous. I didn’t blame him. I’d thought the same thing.
“Yes,” I said proudly. “Meet the new assistant at Gone Missing Detective Agency.”
He sat back in his seat and stared straight ahead, rubbing his chin. “Assistant for a PI? I had no idea you were interested in that line of work.”
Of course he didn’t. We never talked. We fucked. That was the extent of our relationship, and both of us had liked it that way.
“When the opportunity presented itself, I couldn’t pass it up.”
His gaze swept the surrounding area and back again. Before he asked his next question, headlights illuminated the far end of the alley, and a split second later, an indiscernible vehicle sped away.
Fear clutched at my gut. There had been someone in the alley, and Briggs’s appearance had spooked them. We exchanged a knowing glance with no words required. Briggs wanted to say something, but for once, he wisely held his tongue. Maybe he’d learned his lesson after he’d gotten in trouble one too many times for trying to control me. I found that hard to believe, yet I was oddly touched he was trying.
We drove in silence to the restaurant; Briggs was deep in his own thoughts and emanating some serious don’t-bug-me vibes. I wasn’t going to spend the evening like this, even for the best steak in town.
“Why did you invite me here if all you’re going to do is pout?”
“I’m not pouting.”
“Well, excuse me, Mr. Personality. Let me try a more masculine term. Why are you brooding?”
Briggs growled but didn’t answer my question.
He gave his keys to a valet, and we entered. The maître d’ immediately recognized Briggs with a huge smile on his face. “Mr. Pierce, so lovely to have you and the lady dining with us tonight. Would you like your usual table?”
Briggs nodded. “Of course. Thanks, Sid.”
The man ushered us to a prime table along the window with a view of the water.
I took in the opulent interior, done in dark woods and elegant accessories. The romantic lighting gave the wrong message, and now I worried I’d chosen unwisely. I imagined this decor hadn’t changed much in decades, yet it worked, reminding me of a man’s den in a century-old mansion. While I preferred modern and spare, there was something to be said about this kind of elegance. The room had oodles of personality and uniqueness you didn’t see in today’s stark modern restaurant decor.
“Have you ever eaten here before?” Briggs asked, finally breaking the silence between us.
“No, but I’ve wanted to dine here for as long as I can remember. Obviously you have.” I wondered how many women he’d wined and dined here before taking them to bed. A twinge of jealousy caught me off guard.
“I love steak.”
“That’s why they know you?”
