Chapter 34

Val's dark brows furrowed. "Don't you think that's stretching coincidence awfully far? And what exactly is Compu-Cupid, anyway? Had you ever heard of them before this?"
"No." Cora tried to think back over what little TV she watched. "But honestly, I don't get out much. I'm not very savvy about the singles scene."
Val nodded. "I imagine social work is one of those jobs where no matter how much you do, it's never enough."
Good grief, a man who actually got it. She nibbled on another chunk of muffin and nodded. "It's endless. And each case just breaks your heart."
"I'm sure. So what do you do to unwind between cases, Cora? Pretty name, by the way." He lounged back in the chair, drinking his coffee and eating his scone - utterly non-threatening except for those gorgeous eyes and that killer smile.
"Between cases? There is no between. Mostly I work, sleep then work some more." Belatedly she registered the second part of his sentence. "Oh - and thanks. It's short for Corazon - "
"Spanish for heart," he finished for her. "I saw that on your profile and wondered if it was someone's idea of a joke, matching up a Corazon with a Valentine."
Cora rolled her eyes. "Could be." Marla did have a sick sense of humor, but where would she have met Val - and if she had, why wouldn't she have kept him for herself?
"Especially since it's February."
Was it? Cora had to stop and think. How had January slipped by without her noticing? Then she remembered this morning's court case. Yep. February third. Damn, she was losing it.
He frowned again and she had to resist a totally inappropriate urge to reach out and smooth the line from between his brows. "So anyway, like I was saying, I can't find any record of Compu-Cupid existing, except for its big, bright-red website. I can't even hack into the site - it won't let me see anything besides the home page and my own profile. If we had any mutual acquaintances, I'd swear it was an elaborate hoax."
Cora shrugged. "Unless you know someone who works for the county or a parent of one of my clients, I doubt it. Like I said, I don't get out much."
"Well, I'm no hermit, but I can't think of anyone I know at the county building. Certainly not someone who could pull off something like this." He drained his coffee and popped the last of his scone into his mouth. "Are you hungry? For like, real food? This was a great snack, but it's six o'clock and my stomach is starting to demand protein."
As slim as he was, he probably had an awesome metabolism, the rat. Cora had only eaten half her muffin, and she knew she shouldn't eat another thing all night if she wanted to fit into her jeans tomorrow. She started to shake her head then made the mistake of looking up into his eyes. "Oh, all right." The words were out of her mouth before she knew she was going to say them. "But it isn't a date, right? We're just going to eat while we try to figure this thing out."
Val shrugged and smiled. "If that's what you want, fine. There's a great little Indian place down the block - or Korean if you prefer. If you're not into ethnic, there's a killer hot-dog stand on the next street over."
Hot dogs - yeah, that would do wonders for her backside. And she'd never tried the Indian place. Somehow it seemed too exciting and exotic to go into alone. "Indian." She sure hoped she'd find something on the menu that looked familiar.
He stood and held out his hand. Cora let him help her to her feet and couldn't help a purely sexual shiver as his warm hand engulfed her smaller one. The heat from his touch zinged all the way to her pussy. Oh lord, it really had been too long since she'd had sex. She was wet and wanting, only half an hour after meeting the man. Tonight she'd have to dig out that vibrator Marla had given her for her last birthday.
Val took her arm as they walked out of the coffee shop, and she found herself leaning into him when they stepped out into the brisk, evening air. His long legs could have eaten up the block in no time, but he kept his pace matched to hers, slowed by her shorter legs and moderate heels. The whole way, he chatted easily, asking about her family. When she admitted she had none to speak of, he asked about her friends. He was so easy to talk to, she found herself chatting about Marla and coworkers then about her education. Before she knew it, they were being ushered to a corner booth in the Indian restaurant by a waiter who knew Val by name. The fragrances of spices and cooking were overwhelmingly sensual, as was the soft music and the brightly draped fabrics that covered the walls. None of it compared to the man across from her.
Cora stared at him as he talked about his brothers and sisters, fascinated. Just talking to him was making her wetter.
What had she gotten herself into?
Val wanted to eat her for dinner, never mind the food. God, she was incredible and yet she didn't seem to have a clue. She looked all professional and proper in her high-necked pale pink blouse and severely tailored navy suit, but her big dark eyes and lush, rosy lips told a whole different story. Her long hair waved down over her shoulders, and he wanted more than anything to see it spread out across his pillow.
The only thing stopping him from making a flat-out pass was the fatigue evident in the dark circles beneath her eyes and the droop of her neck when she thought he wasn't looking. This was a woman who'd run herself ragged helping others. While that only made him want her more, it also brought out an unexpected urge to take care of her. Val was the baby of a big family. Taking care of others wasn't his style, but with Cora, he had a powerful urge to take her home, tuck her into bed and guard her while she slept. Where the hell had that come from?
Mostly he just wanted to fuck her senseless, and then let her sleep before he fucked her all over again. After a week or so of that, he'd bet those dark circles would be gone. Then she could go back to saving others for a while. She wouldn't do her clients any good if she fell over and collapsed from exhaustion. Someone needed to teach this lady to relax and play before she burned out to a cinder.