Full Bloom

eye and he paused to examine it. His big hand lifted to touch one delicate frond. He seemed momentarily fascinated by the lacy greenery. Then he dropped his hand and went on out of the shop without a backward glance.
    Emily stared after him, aware that she had been holding her breath as she watched him touch the frond with careful fingers. For a moment there she had witnessed a hint of the capacity for tenderness that lay buried far beneath the granite-hard exterior of the man. She had sensed that gentle streak in him the first time she had met him. It had always been a mystery to her that no one else ever seemed aware of it, including Jacob himself.
    Then she went on to question her own rashness in accepting his dinner invitation.
    There was a fine line between being bold and assertive and being reckless. Emily had a hunch she had just crossed the boundary.

    The evening did not start out auspiciously, and it was all Jacob Stone's fault.
    Emily had taken pains with her dress selection, finally opting for a black-and-white two-piece outfit that emphasized the contrast of her black hair and fair skin. The long-sleeved top had a dropped waistline that rode her hips in a sophisticated, sensual manner. The skirt was a flared froth of silk that moved easily around her legs. Silver earrings gleamed from under the fall of her jet-black hair. The black frames of her glasses gave her amber eyes a mysterious, watchful quality.
    Jacob arrived at her door wearing a dark jacket, a conservative white shirt and dark trousers. His hair had been brushed severely into place and his shoes had been laboriously shined. He had on a tie that was as conservative as the rest of his attire. It appeared to have been tied in a rather painful knot. Jacob Stone might be dangerously resourceful when it came to resolving an untenable business situation, but when it came to clothes, he obviously had decided long ago to take no chances.
    But the conservatism of his clothing was only the second impression Emily received when she opened the door. The first, almost overwhelming, factor that hit her with the force of a blow was the sensual hunger in his gaze. His cloud-colored eyes gleamed with gray fire for an instant before he managed to bank the flames. Emily was jolted by it—almost frightened. For a few seconds she actually considered slamming the door and locking it again.
    As if he read her thoughts, Jacob casually put a foot over the threshold. "You look very lovely tonight, Emily." He smiled crookedly. "I wanted to bring flowers, but I didn't know what kind would impress a lady whose business was flowers."
    Emily eyed him uncertainly and then realized that his eyes appeared normal again. Perhaps she had just imagined that flare of raw masculine hunger. She smiled in spite of herself. "So what did you bring instead of flowers?"
    He blinked, clearly nonplussed, and looked involuntarily down at his empty hands. "Uh, nothing. Just myself. Sorry. I… Are you ready?"
    She nodded, taking pity at his obvious discomfort. "I'm ready." Poor Jacob. She wondered how a man who was such a whiz at knocking heads together both literally and figuratively could be so awkward socially. Then again, maybe it made perfect sense. Head bashing and proper social manners probably did not go well together.
    It was as they stepped into the elevator that Jacob asked the question that nearly put a halt to the whole evening.
    "Have you told Morrell you won't be seeing him again?"
    Emily's mood darkened instantly. "If you want us both to enjoy this evening, I suggest you do not discuss Damon Morrell."
    Jacob's eyes narrowed as he punched the lobby button. He looked prepared to argue the point, but something—common sense, perhaps—stopped him. "You're not a fool, Emily. I know that. I'll assume you've done what needed to be done. If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine with me."
    She smiled triumphantly back at him, pleased by the small victory. "Thank you. I assure you, I do not want to talk about Damon. Now, where are we going for dinner?"
    "I got a recommendation from the front desk at my hotel." Jacob named the popular restaurant located in the Pike Place Market complex. "Is that all right?"
    "Oh, yes. It sounds perfect. What are we going to talk about all evening now that we've agreed not to discuss Damon?"
    Jacob shrugged and smiled. "Us?"
    "I'm not sure I want to discuss us, either. I'd rather talk about you."
    He folded his arms and leaned back against the