Chapter 2

Clay had never felt more frustrated in his entire life, than he did that evening trudging back to the cheap cramped crappy little apartment that Antonio Campanili called home. A week and still he had nothing! He was nowhere on the case. Nowhere with the girl and his career would be going nowhere as well if something didn't break soon! As it was, he was due to call in with his progress report that night and it was a call he dreaded making. Each time he reported in with 'nothing new' he could hear the Director becoming more perturbed. And a perturbed Director meant less chance of plum assignments as well as no raises or promotions. Of course Clayton Webb didn't have to worry about the raises, but since they went hand in hand with promotions, there was a concern.

As he walked to work the next morning before dawn, Antonio Campanili couldn't afford a car or cab, he had a feeling that something would happen today!

He and Shane began the prep work as usual and even though he wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer he couldn't seem to stop himself from questioning her, "So how did your date with the Count go last night?"

"It was fine. We went out to dinner and then dancing afterwards. Giraldo wanted to dance the night away, but since we have such an early start here I had him take me home much earlier than he wanted," she responded with a breezy little smile.

"He probably took you somewhere fancy?" Clay tortured himself by asking.

Shane stopped what she was doing and turned to look at Clay. "Tony, that's not the only reason I go out with him! Oh sure, a girl likes to go to fancy places, but the main reason I went out with him was that he asked," she stated firmly.

Turning away, he muttered under his breath, or so he thought, "Yeah, like you would go out with me just because I asked!"

He hadn't thought she would hear him, let alone get the answer she gave! "You could try it, you know…"

Spinning back around on his heel, he almost rammed the tray of pastries he'd been about to put into the over into her. Clay hadn't realized she'd taken a few steps closer to him. "You'd go out with me?!" he gasped.

"Are you asking, or just asking to find out if you should ask?" she inquired with a teasing grin.

Feeling like a callow school boy, a feeling Clayton Webb was unused to and didn't like one little bit, he tried to pull off his cockiest grin, "I'm asking…" then after the briefest pause added, "Will you go out with me, Shane?"

"Yes, Tony, I will, but it would have to be tomorrow night, I already have plans for tonight."

"With the Count?" he asked as he thought about how much he hated to hear her calling him Tony instead of Clay. It had never bothered him before, being undercover and responding to a different name. Even when he'd romanced women it had never given him pause if they called out his current cover name in a moment of pleasure. But then he'd never really been in love before. Not like this anyway! He hadn't even been on one date with Shane yet and he was already thinking about introducing her to Mother!''

"Yes, with Giraldo. He asked me last night and it would be rude to break the date now."

Mentally shaking off his stray thoughts, Clay told her, "Tomorrow night would be fine." It wouldn't do to let his feelings of jealousy show. "Where would you like to go?"

"There is a little café on the boulevard that serves an international menu. I do miss American food from time to time," she suggested.

Knowing she was probably picking the inexpensive café because of his shop assistant budget, he fought the urge to tell her that he could afford to take her to the most exclusive place in town, just as the Count could! "That sounds fine. I'll pick you up at five."

"It's really not far," she offered. "We could walk."

Now he was a bit miffed, so much so in fact, that he couldn't help but let it show, "I will pick you up, Shane!" he insisted.

To be continued…