“Don’t sound so surprised.” The blue of his eyes was navy, like the deep sea.

“When?” she asked in confusion. She had barely slept in three days.

He pulled a face as Darby walked past them, heading to the ladies’ room.

“I was hoping you might have time tonight?”

She laughed, feeling so tired she was almost punch drunk. “I doubt I’ll be finished here before midnight and then I need to get home and check on my son.”

She’d hoped to shock him with the revelation she had a kid, but he didn’t react.

“How about a quick drink before you go home?”

The guy was temptation personified.

“What about tomorrow?” She countered knowing damn well he’d be gone by tomorrow.

“I’m flying out at noon if the forecast holds true.”

She hated the kick of disappointment and the resignation that followed even though she’d known he was leaving. Better to stay rooted in reality. He would only disappoint her. She could take that to the bank. She shrugged. “I guess that’s a no then.”

“What about next weekend?”

She stopped, in the process of taking a step away. “Pardon me?”

“Next weekend.” He moved closer and she could smell the scent of his cologne. Citrus and spice and all things nice.

“But I thought—”

“I’ll pick you up at 7 PM? Friday night?”

She stared at him, clearly losing her mind to even consider saying yes. “You have business here next weekend?”

“No.” He held her gaze. “Not business. Pleasure.”

The way he said it made her toes curl and yet she didn’t appreciate being considered a sure thing. “I’m not going to sleep with you, Elliot.”

His gaze didn’t leave her face. “I’m asking you to dinner. Nothing else. You can pick where we eat if that makes you happier, or I can book something.”

“I should be spending the time with Aiden. My son.”

“Bring him along too.”

She laughed and gave him a narrow look. “What are you up to?”

“I’m not up to anything, I just…” He trailed off.

“What?”

“Do you remember that night in that bar after the case in Anchorage? You were on a date with someone else.”

“Yeah, I remember. That’s probably the last proper date I went on. You were with someone else too.” A blonde. Maybe he had a type.

“I remember going home early—and alone—because I couldn’t stand watching you have an intimate dinner with some other guy.”

Her heart gave a little bounce and she told herself that simply because he told a good story did not make it true. This guy knew how to get what he wanted with manipulation of words.

“I wanted to punch him in the face, which could have led to me being disbarred.” His lips twitched. “Might have been worth it though.”

Signy shook her head. “I did actually slap him at the end of the night when he assumed paying for dinner meant he got to have sex with me.”