He seemed stunned by her words and couldn't hide his smile. "Are you sure? Because we can go anywhere you like… anywhere at all, just name the place! Money is no object and-."
"Jimmy, just relax! This is fine! I'm sorry I got so freaked out before. It's just that…"
"What?"
Annie looked around nervously, wondering what Remo would say when he saw her with Jimmy. The IRS agent certainly wasn't the first man she'd come to his restaurant with and he definitely wasn't the only one she would go home with, but-
Her body grew numb with disbelief. Oh God, had she really suggested, even to herself that she was planning on going home with this guy? The thought made her dizzy and she was suddenly aware of his hand on her forearm steadying her swaying body. "Annie, are you all right? Do you need a doctor?"
She looked at him in a daze. "What? Oh yeah, I'm fine… thanks. I was just…"
"You must be famished. Please let me buy you dinner. I hear this place has a wonderful four cheese Alfredo lasagna that is to die for! No other restaurant in the world has anything close to it, except maybe in Italy, and if you want, we can go there instead. I-." He stopped, gasping in horror at what he'd just said. "Dear God, what is wrong with me? I didn't mean to imply-."
She smiled at him and squeezed his hand once more. "It's okay. I know what you meant. And about this lasagna dish?"
"Alfredo lasagna!" he shouted theatrically as though it was his own creation. And the drama of it all made her laugh. "I hear it's wonderful!"
Her stomach growled and her mouth watered at the thought of eating her favorite dish (of all of the menu items at Remo's how had he chosen her absolute favorite-the one that Remo told her that he'd created just for her? The one that proved to be so popular that it was quickly made a regular menu item?) And she grinned at him.
"That's funny… I heard that it's a wonderful dish too!"
He offered her his arm. "Shall we go to dinner, Miss Spadaro?"
She giggled at his gentleman-like formality. "Absolutely, Mr. Callahan!"
Together they headed toward the entrance of Remo's and she was filled with excitement once more.