Dear Rita. Simona Taylor

      It was several moments before he noticed two pairs of eyes on him. Clark and Cassie were watching with open curiosity. “Is everything okay?” Cassie asked.

      Their spat had been louder than he’d thought. Tom-toms banged in his head, but he fibbed politely. “Everything’s fine.”

      “Peachy,” Rita agreed, but didn’t look up from her plate.

      “Good,” Clark said, but sounded doubtful, making Dorian feel ashamed of himself. Rita was getting on his nerves, but it wasn’t his night out, it was Clark’s. And in spite of her prickles, she was a cute little thing. Maybe he should lighten up and not spoil the evening for everyone. He smiled warmly at Cassie to put her at ease and tried to smile at Rita, as well, but she was studiously avoiding looking at him.

      “What about dessert, then?” Clark suggested with forced heartiness.

      Dorian tried not to groan. Although Cassie and Clark had finished their meal, neither he nor Rita had eaten much. He looked down at his plate. On one hand it would be a relief not to have to finish it off, on the other hand, he was reluctant to move on to the next course. Thai dessert would certainly not consist of something light and frothy and easy to slide down into the corners. It would be along the lines of sweet dumplings in sticky sauce or something equally filling. He was wondering if he could get away with suggesting just coffee when Rita spoke up.

      “Actually, Clark, Cassie, I feel really awful about this, but I have a terrible headache, and I don’t think I’m being good company.” She threw an apologetic glance at Dorian. “I hate to duck out on you like this, but it really would be best if I just went on home.”

       Good one, Dorian telegraphed. A graceful way to make a speedy exit. Who challenged anyone on an imaginary headache? It would work out best for everyone. Cassie and Clark were obviously having a great time in each other’s company; whatever Cassie’s little hang-up had been about being alone with Clark was overcome. They’d probably relish the idea of finishing their date as a twosome instead of a reluctant foursome. And he and Rita could sneak out, end this disaster, and go their separate ways.

      Cassie was immediately solicitous. “Oh, poor baby! Is it really, really horrible?”

      Rita grimaced and nodded. “It really, really is.”

      Cassie threw a wistful look at Clark. “Maybe I should drive her home, Clark…”

      That, he wouldn’t stand for. Just because he and Rita hadn’t hit it off didn’t mean his friend should cut his date short. He stepped in smoothly.

      “Rita, if you haven’t any transport, I’d be happy to drive you home.”

      Rita looked so aghast he wondered if the idea of a few more moments in his company would really be as bad as she thought. She blathered, “No, no! I won’t think of it. I can get the doorman to stop a cab—”

      “But you’re sick,” Cassie interrupted, looking as concerned as if Rita had announced she’d contracted the Hanta virus. “You can’t go by cab if you’re sick!”

      “I can, and I will,” Rita began, but Dorian decided to put an end to this silliness once and for all.

      He got to his feet. “Nonsense. If you’re not feeling well, it would be stupid to try to get yourself home. Not to mention unforgivably rude of me. Come on, let me make sure you get to your door okay. It’s not often I get to play the knight in shining armor.”

      Before she could protest, he reached out and took Cassie’s hand in his. “Cassie, it was a pleasure to meet you. Now I see why my partner was so taken by you. You have my word that you’re in good hands for the rest of the evening.” She beamed at his compliment.

      He turned to Clark and the two men briefly shook hands. “Enjoy the rest of your meal, Clark. See you in the morning.”

      Clark nodded. “Take care, Rita. I hope you feel better. Sorry you had a bad time.”

      “I had a lovely time,” Rita said wanly, but was unable to keep herself from shooting a dark look at Dorian. It was so baleful, he tried not to laugh. “I hope we meet again.”

      Clark glanced at Cassie. “I hope we will,” he said fervently.

      Dorian took control of the situation by slipping his hand under Rita’s elbow and guiding her away from the table and out to the main doors. She kept pace with him silently, not even looking his way, until they had retrieved their coats and were standing on the sidewalk, under a crisp, bright autumn sky. Then she wrenched her elbow out of his grasp and spun on her heels.

      “My car’s this way,” he told her, somewhat perplexed. “Where’re you going?”

      “As I said, I’m going to have the doorman stop a taxi.” She signaled to the doorman, who was elaborately costumed in a silk tunic, pants and small hat. The man nodded, understanding her request, and stepped off the curb, peering down the street in search of a flash of yellow.

      She couldn’t be that anxious to get away from him. “Don’t be silly,” he said firmly. “I said I would get you home, and I will.”

      “Thanks,” she answered primly, “but I can take care of myself.” She ignored him for several moments, until a cab drew near. The doorman, a broad smile on his face, held the door open for her.

      He could have let her get in without another word, but for some indefinable reason he hated the idea of it. They’d snarled at each other for the brief portion of the meal they’d shared. She’d gotten on his nerves virtually from the moment he’d taken his seat. But something, something, made him want the evening to end differently. Not this way, growling their goodbyes and parting company on a street corner. Maybe it was vanity. Maybe he was loath for her to leave with a lousy opinion of him, just because he’d had a bad day and had been all too happy to take it out on her. He put one hand on the door of the cab just as she was about to climb in. “Rita, don’t.”

      Her eyes were wide. “What?”

      “Let me take you home. There’s no reason for you to take a cab when I’m parked right here.”

      She looked doubtful. “My apartment’s a long way off,” she said falteringly.

      “All the more reason why you shouldn’t be making the trip alone. Come on. I promised Cassie I’d see you home safely. Don’t make a liar out of me.” He couldn’t resist adding with a smile, “I know you probably think that, as a lawyer, lying would be second nature to me, but it’s harder than you think.”

      To his surprise, she smiled back, and the smile actually reached those beautiful eyes of hers, setting them afire. “But I’ve already hailed him…”

      “I’ll handle it.” Moving quickly to deflect the cab driver’s impatience, he withdrew his money clip from his pocket and slipped him a bill, apologizing as he did so. Bored, the driver shrugged, accepted the money without a word and pulled away. He tipped the doorman, who was observing the entire exchange with a slightly perplexed look, and then gestured. “This way.”

      “Thank you,” she said quietly, and was silent while he led her to his vehicle. To have called it a car was a bit of a stretch. It was, in fact, a hunter green four-wheel-drive twin-cab piece of space age engineering that came with just about every doohickey an outdoorsman would crave, from the tow-bar at the back to haul around his fishing boat, to the rack on top that could hold everything from a white-water raft to a tent. Her look of surprise pleased him.

      “Teach you not to judge a book by its suit-and-tie cover.”

      “Consider me schooled.”

      Her humorous response made him relax. Maybe the drive back to her place wouldn’t be as tense as dinner. He helped her inside, as the running board was a little high, and her slim skirt, though it showed off her attractive curves, wasn’t much good when it came to climbing. He made sure she was comfortable, then came around to the driver’s side and hauled himself in with ease. The engine started