Robyn felt stir-crazy today. She wasn't sleepy, wasn't feeling productive and didn't want to lay in bed or watch TV on the couch. She didn't have a client right now and she was feeling bored. She figured she may as well do her hair for something to do. Pulling out her flat iron, she proceeded to collect the rest of the supplies needed to complete the job. A while later, her hair was officially done and she had put on silver hoop earrings. She was dressed in black jeans and a red v-neck tee and she was still feeling restless. Maybe she'd try a ride and a walk along the waterfront. She pulled on matching red sneakers and grabbed a coat. Mounting her bike, she put on her helmet and headed towards downtown.

She parked her bike by the pier, removed her helmet and slowly started to walk. As she moved, her mind turned to the end of the case with the alleged husband haunting. She had only talked to and seen Dante a couple of times during that case. Outside of the station interview, she had seen him for a brief moment after she took the aunt down. She knew how distraught her client was about her daughter, so she had been focused on wanting to get her daughter back to her as soon as possible. After the officers had grabbed the aunt, Dante had reached out and touched her arm. He was concerned by the knife cut in her jacket. Fortunately, it was barely a scratch, and it didn't even need a bandaid. As she helped the little girl stand, she realized she had brushed Dante's concern off. She remembered looking up at him and smiling. She saw he was watching them with a soft smile. As they walked away, she couldn't help but stop and look back at him to smile again. His smile and the look of adoration on his face as he watched them walk away stole her breath.

Then there was the case they had just finished. The past few days were busy ones. Between dodging a conversation with Miles like he was the plague and keeping up with Delilah and Aunt Vi, Robyn needed a break. There wasn't time for one though. She'd accepted a case for a client named Storm. She and her boyfriend, T-Bone, were a part of a motorcycle club. T-Bone was an ex-felon who was being framed for selling illegal guns. Harry, Mel, Dante, and Robyn had done an investigation to get his name cleared. Robyn had loved working the case since it gave her a chance to ride her bike. She didn't get to ride the beast as often as she liked.

There had been some intense moments in this case. Like when she had needed to beat some bikers with a pool stick because they thought they could intimidate her or when she got worried about Dante getting shot by a room full of officers while he tried to protect T-Bone and talk him down. While the whole case had been interesting, Robyn's favorite part had been when Marcus pulled her over while she was on her way to talk to the head of the club. He had needed to talk to her about the case, but also wanted to see her in person so he could surprise her and share donuts with her. She had parked her bike and they had leaned against his car on the side of the road, eaten donuts and spent a little bit of time together. It seems like the only time they spent together recently was stolen moments.

Their time had been interrupted by yet another text from Miles. Marcus immediately noticed the change in her attitude and took the time to remind her that he was there for her if she wanted to talk. While he knew certain parts of her life now, she still wasn't quite ready to share everything. She made sure to let him know that she appreciated him, but she didn't tell him about what was bothering her. For some reason, she still felt the need to keep her personal life private, even from him. She might have strong feelings for him, and there weren't any secrets when it came to work, but there was still a wall around her family for now. They went their separate ways to continue work on the case, but not before Dante had asked if he could see her later. While getting on her bike, she had given him a sexy smile and said, ''I don't know, can you?" She needed to take him on a ride soon. She knew it would be an experience they would both enjoy. She never did get to see him later that day.

Not long after their meeting, her world had spiraled. She had come home to Miles working on the cable box and Aunt Vi and Dee were gone. He had again demanded to know what was going on. When she wouldn't tell him the details of what had been happening recently, he told her that he was going to file for full custody of Delilah. He was going to try to take their child from her. As much as that idea made her mad, she could unfortunately also see it from his side. She had always said that she will never let anything happen to her family, or put them in danger, but she has been doing exactly that lately, over and over again. She wasn't sure what she was going to do about Miles yet. She did know that she didn't want to lose custody of her daughter.

Robyn sighed and wished she had stopped to see what Dante was up to. She could use his smile and presence right now. He had a way of calming her and making her laugh. She stopped walking and leaned over the railing to watch the water flow by. She let her mind drift to try and clear some of her heavy thoughts. She must have it bad right now because she could swear she smelled his cologne on the wind like he was near. "Wishful thinking on my part," She thought as the wind tousled her hair around her face.

Dante wished he worked today. He was twitchy and he'd been resisting texting Robyn non-work related messages since she'd thanked him for his offer to be there for her. He wanted to try to give her space after their night together at his house. While they had brief moments working together on her cases, he hadn't spent very much time talking to her. The boys wouldn't be back until tomorrow and he was tired of restlessly wandering the house. He needed to get out. He went upstairs to his room and pulled out jeans and a gray t-shirt and tossed them on his bed. He set his phone on his dresser before going into the bathroom to turn on the shower. He didn't know what he was going to do today, but he needed to distract himself before he gave in and hunted down Robyn. Walking into the shower, he proceeded to get ready to leave. Not long after, he was driving aimlessly down the road.

He had no destination in mind, so he let his subconscious decide. As he drove around, he thought about the last conversation he had with Robyn over donuts. He had shared a story about his grandmother while she had helped to wipe the sugar off of his hands. They were having a good time until she got a text that seemed to bother her. She went from happy to stressed almost immediately. He offered to talk her through it, but she shut down again. As much as he wanted to break down her barriers so he could be there for her, he wasn't going to push. He had kids, an ex and family. He knew how complicated any of those factors could make life. She had the added factor of being The Equalizer. Right now, all he could do was let her know she wasn't alone. He was there whenever she needed him and that wasn't going to change.

A while later, he found himself parked by the waterfront. He climbed out of the car, tucked his hands into his coat pockets, and started walking. A few minutes later his eyes were drawn to a familiar silhouette not far in front of him. He stopped short and stared. As if he'd conjured her up, leaning on the railing looking out over the water was Robyn. She looked beautiful and peaceful. She had straightened her hair and left it hanging loose. There were a few strands of her caramel-colored hair being gently blown in the wind, but she didn't seem to mind. It was rare to see her recently without her hair pulled back in some fashion. He'd found that he liked to see it loose.

The jeans she was wearing hugged her curves perfectly and her leather jacket stopped at the waist. The woman had an ass and legs he would never get tired of looking at. He often wondered how those legs would feel wrapped around him. Again, a thought for another time. He watched her for a few minutes and saw her shift positions. He saw some stiffness in her normally confident and relaxed posture and wondered if she was okay. He slowly moved over to stand behind her.

"Well, if it isn't the Donut Bandit. I was wondering if you were going to come over," she said without moving.

"You knew I was there?" He asked in a surprised voice. He hadn't known she'd seen him.

She stood up and turned to face him. "You've been there for a while," she noted. "What are you doing out here?"

"I needed to get out of the house," he said. "I guess great minds think alike because I ended up here." He stepped closer to her. "What about you?"

She reached up and straightened the collar on his jacket. Her hands lingered on his chest as she replied. "I was feeling restless, so I thought a walk might help."

"Want some company?" He asked in a low voice taking another step forward.

"As long as it's you, absolutely," she responded. They looked at each other for a moment before turning and continuing their walk, this time together. They slowly walked in silence for a while, their arms and hands occasionally brushing. After a few minutes, Dante took her hand in his. Robyn entwined their fingers as they continued walking, each lost in their own thoughts.

"What are you doing today, besides walking the waterfront?" Robyn asked him after a while.

He shrugged and glanced at her. "I don't have anything planned."

"Wanna do something with me?" She asked, slowing her steps. They stopped walking and she leaned her back and elbows against the railing and watched him. He released her hand and leaned in to place a hand on the railing on either side of her. She looked up at him, not minding that his body was crowding hers so closely. She brought her hand up to play with the sherpa on his collar.

"What do you think?" He asked, looking down at her.

She put a finger to her lips and pretended to think. "Yes?" she guessed.

"Woman," he growled. "You know damn well I want to spend time with you."

She smiled up at him with fake innocence. "I had a suspicion, but who can tell nowadays?"

He smiled down at her. "Kill…ing…me…" He said, pausing between each syllable.

"Sorry," she laughed. He lifted a hand, tucked her hair behind her ear, cupped her cheek, and looked into her sparkling eyes.

"Kill...ing...me..." He said softly and slowly. Her breath caught and he watched her eyes change from laughter to fire.

"I'm sorry, Marcus," she said huskily. "I'll be good now."

"I have a response for that," he said, "but I think I'll save it for another time. Come on." He stood up and took a couple of steps back offering his hand. "Are you hungry or is it too early?"

She stood up, took his hand and they started walking again. "I am," she admitted. "I didn't eat breakfast. I know a great spot for an early lunch if you don't have a preference. It's not far."

"Lead the way," he agreed. She led him away from the waterfront and into the beginning of downtown. One right, a left, another right, and two blocks later, they were standing in front of a moody looking restaurant called The Lush Lounge.

"I've never heard of this place," he said.

"Come on. You'll love it," she promised. She opened the door and led him into the building.

They walked into a small lobby that had groups of mustard-colored leather chairs around small black tables. In the back, a lighted, mirrored wall with rows of liquor complemented a long dark wooden bar. Matching tall stools lined the length of the counter. To the right of the bar was a hallway that led to bathrooms. To the left, red velvet curtains surrounded an arched doorway. A dark wooden hostess desk stood next to the opening. On either side of the front door, floor-to-ceiling windows, framed by lights, looked out into downtown. Robyn turned left and walked them through the arched door.

When he crossed the threshold, Dante stopped and looked around the room. He immediately loved the style and knew it would only be better at night. At the front of the room, there was a rounded stage that held a shiny black baby grand piano, a drum set, some music stands, and a couple of chairs. An old-fashioned-looking microphone held the position of center stage with 3 others in back to the right. A cello was set up next to the piano, and cases for a trumpet and saxophone were by the chairs. He was fairly certain the stage was for jazz musicians. Red velvet curtains draped the back wall of the stage. There was a small dance floor directly in front of the stage, and throughout the room, the dark hardwood floors had a soft glow to them. Under each table, in a color theme that matched the mustard, was a rug with a simple design.

Black and white framed pictures under sectioned spotlights covered dark gray walls in every direction. Each section between the booths were broken up by more lush red curtains. From what he could see, some pictures were musical instruments or club themed, but most were of people singing or playing, he assumed here. There were tables draped with white linens throughout the room with a mix of wooden and mustard chairs. Mustard colored soft leather booths ran along the outside of the room. In the middle of each table sat a centerpiece with one to three candles, it varied by table size. Tall plants were placed throughout the room to give groups of tables privacy and track lighting was recessed into the ceiling. The tables were all empty though.

"Are they open?" He asked in a confused voice.

"No," she laughed. "It's fine though. Come on." She turned and led him towards the kitchen doors. "Cedric?" She called out as she opened the right door.

The head and then body of a large black man popped out from behind a door. He looked to be almost 70 and was around 6'4" with a round belly and a head full of gray hair. He also had a huge smile on his face.

"Where the hell have you been, Baby Girl?" he roared. Dante watched as a grinning Robyn received a bear hug from the large man. "You haven't been around in ages," he scolded.

"I know, I'm sorry," she said guiltily. She turned and motioned to Dante. "I was in the neighborhood and thought I'd introduce my friend, Dante, to the best restaurant and owner in town."

He sighed and turned to shake Dante's hand. "I'm Cedric. How do you know the world's worst suck-up?"

Robyn laughed when Dante glanced at her. "Marcus Dante," he introduced himself. "I work with her from time to time."

Cedric glanced at her and raised an eyebrow. "I'm sure that keeps your life interesting," he said.

"That's putting it lightly," Dante agreed.

Robyn laughed again and tugged on Cedric's sleeve. Putting on her best impression of puppy dog eyes she looked up at Cedric. "Feed us lunch?" she asked with a goofy grin.

He rolled his eyes and said, "Go sit down and I'll send you out some burgers."

"Score!" She crowed as she led Dante back into the dining room. The sound of Cedric's laughter followed them out.