Colin smiled, staring at her. If he’d been merely interested before, he was now fascinated, as evidenced by his next words.
“I’ve never met anyone like you before.”
Zandra chuckled. “So you’ve already said.”
“No, I don’t mean because of what you do for a living. You’re an incredibly beautiful woman, Zandra, and you have this really seductive aura of mystery. Honestly, I’ve spent the past two weeks just working up the nerve to introduce myself to you.”
Zandra smiled, touched by his sincerity. “Well, I’m glad you came by. I always enjoy making new friends. Especially ones who have excellent taste in wine.”
Colin grinned. “I have to fly back to San Fran in two weeks. Maybe you could go with me, and we could pack a picnic lunch and spend a day in Napa Valley—”
Zandra laughed. “Or maybe we could just start with dinner first. In Chicago,” she added pointedly.
His grin deepened. “That works, too. Are you free on Friday night?”
Before she could respond, the doorbell rang.
Zandra automatically tensed. Because this time she knew who was at the door.
Colin eyed her curiously. “Are you expecting someone?”
“No.” But that’s never stopped him before.
Setting down her glass, Zandra rose and walked to the front door.
Sure enough, Remy stood there in shirtsleeves with his hands tucked into his pockets, the hem of his dark suit pants folding over huge combat boots.
Zandra’s pulse hammered at the way he was looking at her from beneath the thick veil of his lashes.
“Hey,” he murmured.
She swallowed dryly. “This isn’t a good time.”
“I need to talk to you.”
“Not tonight,” she said, wedging herself in the doorway so he couldn’t see inside the apartment. “We can talk tomorrow.”
His eyes narrowed. “Why not tonight?”
“Because I—”
“Zandra, I’m going to get some more wine.”
At the sound of Colin’s voice behind her, Remy’s expression darkened. “Who the hell is that?”
Bristling at his possessive tone, she snapped, “None of your damn business.”
As she moved to close the door, his arm shot out, quick as lightning. She gasped as he put his hand to the door and shoved it open, forcing her backward as he barged inside.
His eyes swept over the living room, homing in on the two wineglasses sitting on the coffee table. “You have company?”
She hated that his accusatory tone made her feel guilty, as if she’d been caught cheating.
She scowled. “As a matter of fact—”
She broke off as Colin returned from the kitchen holding the bottle of wine.
He pulled up short at the sight of Remy looming in the foyer. The look that came over his face reminded Zandra of someone who just realized that he’d wandered into the path of a grizzly bear.
Not only did Remy look capable of tearing Colin apart with his bare hands, Zandra knew he was.
Closing the door, she deliberately cleared her throat. “Remy, this is my new neighbor, Colin. He stopped by to introduce himself. Colin, I’d like you to meet Remy.”
The two men nodded tightly to each other, making no move to shake hands.
“Remy and I are old friends,” Zandra added to cover the tense silence.
Colin divided a speculative glance between them. “How old?”
Zandra met Remy’s simmering gaze. “I’ve known him since I was seven and he was ten.”
“Really?” Colin shot an incredulous look at Remy. “And you haven’t put a ring on her finger yet? What’s wrong with you, man?”
When Remy made a growling sound in his throat, Zandra put a hand to his rigid chest and smiled sweetly at Colin. “Would you excuse us for a minute?”
“Sure,” he agreed, green eyes glinting with amusement. “I’ll top off your glass while you’re gone.”
“Great. Thanks.”
Clenching a fistful of Remy’s shirt, Zandra led him from the room. As soon as they reached the kitchen, she jabbed a finger into his chest and hissed, “What the hell is your problem?”
He scowled. “I told you I needed to talk to you.”