Hot in the City by Samantha Hunter Read Free Book Online Page B

pointing to the natural history museum, which contained the Hayden Planetarium. Following the signs to the museum, he saw it was closed.
    What was he supposed to do now?
    “Are you Gabe Ross?” someone asked.
    Gabe spun around to find a small, compact woman staring at him—her uniform said she was museum security.
    “I am.”
    “Della told me you were a tall drink of water,” she said with a grin. “Follow me, please.”
    They went in a side door, through a warehouse and then upstairs to the main entry.
    “She’s waiting for you in her favorite spot,” the guard said, pointing to a sign. “Just follow those signs, and you’ll find her. And no rush, I’m here all night,” she said with a wink before turning back the other way.
    Gabe followed her directions, and soon the beautiful astronomy exhibit came into view, a globe in a huge transparent room. He looked around, but didn’t see Della. Then he noticed the door was open to the actual planetarium, and he went inside.
    Slowly. Cautiously. His hand on his sidearm, just in case.
    But then he saw her.
    She was down on the floor by the stage, the only one in the glowing light of the room, stars floating by on the massive screen overhead.
    “Della?”
    He walked down to find her stretched out on the floor on a plaid blanket, staring upward, the bottle of wine and some snacks in a basket by the corner of the blanket.
    Her eyes met his. “Gabe. You came.”
    He lowered himself down to the blanket. “What’s this all about, Della?”
    She sat up, smiling at him.
    Gabe could only stare at how pretty she was, completely distracted as the soft starlight fell over her face and burnished curls.
    “Do you have my stocking?”
    He blinked, then realized she meant the one in the box.
    “Yeah.”
    She took it and unfolded one leg from underneath her, reaching to slide the sheer piece of cloth over her foot and calf.
    Gabe’s mouth went dry as he watched.
    “Della—”
    She put her hand gently on top of his. For all of her seductive play, her expression seemed unsure, her touch tentative.
    “I hoped you’d come, but I wasn’t certain. I wanted to see you again, but I also wanted it to be special. Memorable.”
    Gabe nodded. “You managed that. You’re full of surprises, Della.”
    She grinned. “Isn’t it gorgeous? It’s the sky, what it looked like two million years ago.”
    He looked up. “It’s pretty impressive.”
    Gabe loosened his tie, leaned back on his elbow. He wasn’t as interested in looking at the sky projection as he was looking at Della.
    How was it that she seemed to be more beautiful than the last time he saw her?
    “So do you know any of the stars or constellations?”
    “Not really. I know the basics—Big Dipper, Orion, the stuff you learn in grade school.”
    “Not an astronomy geek?”
    “Nope, just a math geek, which is more than geeky enough, believe me,” she said with a sigh. “Sometimes you can know too much, and my father told me that some things should stay magical. I love watching the stars, looking at flowers. I don’t need to know how they work, or all of the details. They’re just beautiful.”
    He reached for her hand, held it in his, feeling the mood shift, the world narrowing down to just the two of them.
    “I can understand that. Knowing too much—about anything—definitely can make you jaded. It’s nice that you want to keep some things sacred.”
    She smiled, squeezing his hand. “Thank you.”
    “And you are the least geeky person I know—especially in that dress and those heels. Definitely not geeky.”
    Her eyes lowered, lashes brushing her cheek, but he could tell she was pleased.
    His heart stuttered slightly as he watched her lips part, and he knew he was going down a dangerous path.
    “I almost didn’t come tonight,” he blurted.
    Her head shot up and she looked at him in surprise.
    “Why not?”
    “I wasn’t sure if I should. I wasn’t completely honest with you, Della. I do work in logistics,