Chapter Nineteen

Jordan slowly turned around and looked at herself in the mirror. "What do you think?" she asked Nigel, who had accompanied her on this shopping trip.

"Personally? I love you in red, darling, but in black.....my dear, you look ravishing."

"Do you really think so?" Jordan eyed herself critically. It was a simple, classically cut dress, but it suited her. Narrow straps, V-neckline. It fell to the floor. And while there was nothing particularly scandalous about the front of the dress....the back was a different story. It was backless until slightly below the waist, exposing her shoulders. And while the slit up the side, even though it stopped just slightly above the knee, showed nothing, it was the illusion that the dress did that made it just slightly risqué. Perfect for the department's annual dinner dance.

Perfect for seducing Woody.

And while she would never admit to doing it, Nigel knew exactly where Jordan was coming from. It was her last all-out effort to see if she still had his attention. "It's perfect, love. Buy it and let's go pick out shoes. And if Woody doesn't like it, I'm hoisting you over my shoulder and taking me home with me....I appreciate the fact that it accentuates parts of you we don't normally see." He grinned at her wickedly.

"Nigel!" She scolded. "Who said anything about Woody?"

"Who else is there? And why did you bring me with you other than to get another man's opinion? So you have it. Now let's go to the shoe department." By then end of the afternoon, she had shoes, underwear, jewelry...everything she needed to make a statement. Just what was she trying to say?

She and Woody had worked together...eaten dinner together...been to movies together...since he had gotten his sight back. At the most, his arm had gone around her waist...that was all. Jordan was tired of waiting on him...perhaps as tired of waiting on him as he had been of waiting on her during their relationship. So she was making one last ditch effort...to psychologically smack him in the head. If this didn't work, she was calling Mike Beechler back at Chapel Hill and making arrangements to go to North Carolina. She had two nights to wait until the dinner....

"Hello, Woodrow," Nigel said casually.

"Hi, Nige. Have you seen Jordan?"

"No, not yet."

"She is coming, isn't she?"

"I believe so. But she may be a tad late....late autopsy this afternoon." Woody and Nigel were at the dinner dance, waiting for the music to start..."Oh, there she is," Nigel said, casually pointing to the entrance of the ball room.

Woody lost his breath. She looked gorgeous....that black dress....she had turned around to speak to Garrett...the dress had no back. His lungs hurt...he couldn't breathe...All he could think of was that he wanted to howl and then see how quickly he could take down her hair and get her out of that dress.

Jordan made her way over to Nigel and Woody. "Thanks," she said to Nigel, as he handed her a glass of champagne. "How's this thing going?"

"Pretty slow right now," Nigel said, glancing slyly over at Woody, who had said nothing, but the detective's eyes were traveling....all over Jordan.

Woody made sure he was sitting beside Jordan during dinner....and then when that part was over, and the music started, he leaned over and whispered, "Will you dance with me?" She smiled and nodded. They danced one dance....then Garrett claimed her....then Eddie Winslow. Woody got one more dance in, and then Nigel wanted one....then Bug. Then other detectives....Woody grew more frustrated by the minute.

"How's it going, Woodrow?" Nigel asked as he saw Woody moping at the bar.

"Not good, Nige."

"What's wrong?"

"Everyone has got the girl, but me."

"You mean Jordan?"

"Yeah."

"Didn't know she was your girl."

Woody sighed. "I want her to be....again."

"You know you really screwed up."

"Yeah. I know."

"You know she's still crazy about you."

"She is?"

"Oh, yeah. Why do you think she wore that dress?"

Suddenly a light came on in Woody's head. "Oh...."

"If I were you, Woody, I'd go dance with the lady, and make sure I had the rest of the dances with her tonight. And I'd let her know how I feel...put the moves on her, if you get my drift..."

Woody nodded. Determinedly, he went across the dance floor and took Jordan away from Detective Steely. "I believe this is my dance."

Jordan looked at him unbelievingly. "Woody, I promised Steely..."

"I don't care what you promised....this one is mine. And so is the next, and the next, and the next."

"But Woody....:

"Nope. Don't 'but Woody' me. Tonight, you're mine." His arms went around her and he held her closely while they danced.

Jordan had dreamed this would happen. She had hoped it would happen. His arms felt so secure...she had nearly forgotten what it was like to be held by him. She closed her eyes and just let the music take them...across the floor...She felt Woody's hand slide across her bare back and rest just slightly on her hip. The lights were low...she snuggled closer. "I've missed you, Jordan," he whispered in her ear. "I've missed everything about you. Your smile, the way you'd cuddle up to me in bed...when you thought I was asleep. You're perfume...the way you always made me feel better, even when I never thought I'd see again." He drew back to look in her whiskey-colored eyes. "I've missed you...so much."

"I've missed you, too, Woody." His lips were just a breath away. They brushed across hers tentatively. She didn't pull back.

"What do you say we leave ... maybe go back to my apartment...or yours...and talk. I mean it. Just talk. We've got a lot of sorting out to do," he suggested.

She nodded. "Let me get my coat."

Woody watched as she walked away...damn, the rear view of that dress....it ought to be illegal. He was thinking such thoughts to himself when he heard a voice in his ear....

"Hey, stranger. You know, Paris can get boring after a while..."