SIXTEEN
RUSH, RUSH, RUSH.
From work to play again. Her social calendar had never been so full.
What should she wear to drinks with the Breckenridges? She’d stayed at work as long as she could that Friday, putting off having to make a wardrobe decision.
Stepping out of the employee exit into the alley, she hooked her purse strap across her body. “LBD,” she said to herself because who could argue with that?
Forget the dress, on the street, still outside work, walk or ride was the more imminent question. Huh, not that she had time to meander.
“Hey, Cherry.”
His voice brought her around fast. “Darroch?”
He came sauntering over, smile on his face, like being there was the most normal thing in the world.
“Miss me?” he asked.
“What are you doing here?”
“I missed you.”
More likely that he’d been to the store on business. “No, you didn’t,” she said and stepped off the sidewalk to hail a cab. “I’m going home.”
“I’ve got a car.”
“Good for you.”
When the cab stopped, Darroch slid between her and it to open the back door. She got in and gave her address, now she had to decide—
Darroch boosted her across the seat to join her in the cab. What in the actual—
“I want to take you to dinner.”
“You told me that already,” she said, scrutinizing him.
“Tonight.”
“Tonight? Why tonight?”
Had Alice said something to bring Darroch to her?
“I haven’t seen you since the bowling.”
She smoothed her skirt. “Heard you went for drinks after, was quite a night.”
“That you missed.”
By choice and with good sense. For once.
“How was the dinner with Luxe Leathers?”
“I didn’t come here to talk about that,” he said and linked their fingers. “Have dinner with me tonight. I don’t care where. We can go for burgers or I’ll charter a jet for Italy. Whatever you want.”
She caught the cab driver’s eye in the rearview. “He’s kidding.” She shoved him closer to the door and whispered, “I don’t want to go to Italy.”
“Where do you want to go?” His fingers feathered across her cheek. “Lady’s choice.”
“I can’t.”
“Can’t or won’t?”
“I have a… prior engagement tonight.”
She didn’t expect him to smile. “Competition? Oh, I can’t wait to crush his hopes and dreams.”
It wasn’t that she didn’t want to tell him about dinner with his mother or her appointment with his parents, but she wouldn’t play games. Whatever she and Darroch were or weren’t was separate from whatever she and Alice were or weren’t.
“That shouldn’t excite you.”
“You heard my mom say we’re competitive, right?” he asked. “Tell me about him.”
“I’m not going to tell you anything.”
“No inside track, I hear you. This guy is good.”
“This isn’t a challenge,” she said. “It’s not a big deal.”
“It’s a big deal to the guy you’re going to spend the rest of your life with.”
Though she shook her head, his confidence was amusing. “I haven’t seen you for a week.”
“Won’t slow me down.”
And his smirk only endeared her more. “I was sulking.”
“When?”
“You said I couldn’t have your number and I figured that meant you weren’t interested beyond the chase.”
“Baby, you’ve got to believe—”
“I jumped to conclusions, just like you said.”
“Is this an apology?”
“Let’s wipe the slate clean. I have something else on tonight and I’m working tomorrow during the day. But if you want, if you’d like, you could pick me up tomorrow at seven thirty.”
“For dinner?”
“For whatever you want.”
He sucked in some intrigue. “Risky giving a guy free rein like that.”
“There’s nothing free about it.” Her shoulders pushed back. “Would you like to have dinner with me tomorrow night?”
“You asking me out on a date, Cherry?”
Playing with him wasn’t so bad. “Not anymore,” she said, sliding away.
He caught her hip to drag her back. “Oh no you don’t. The door is open and this horse is bolting. You’re on.” And she shouldn’t get too carried away. “You going to tell your prior engagement about me?”
“No.”
Definitely not. She would not mention the Breckenridge son to his parents. They’d said secret and she doubted it would last. Yes, the chase was fun, but what came after the pursuit was the real measure. That was the harsh lesson she’d learned with Jeremy.
“You like to keep things equal. I like that.”
Or she could be lying. “You’ve got the wrong idea.”
“What idea do I have?”
“I don’t know, but it…” She couldn’t see ridicule when he looked at her, yet there was something there she hadn’t deciphered. “I’m a crappy trophy and not good in bed.”
“I’ve got no problem with sucking in bed.” Such charm, presence, appeal. “Dinner’s what you should be worried about.”
They pulled to a stop outside her building.
“Why? Do you talk with your mouth full?”
“That a deal breaker?” he asked and produced a card to pay the driver before he’d even told them how much.
“You don’t have to—”
He got out of the car before she could finish and offered her a hand to help her onto the sidewalk.
“So this is your place, huh? Nice block.”
“Compared to yours?”
He moseyed closer. People moved past them left and right, going about their lives… or did they? The deep chocolate of his eyes swirled, mesmerizing her.
“I wouldn’t mind spending some time here, Cherry.”
He had the whole world, yet there he was on her block, enticing, teasing, intoxicating her. When he stooped lower, she froze in anticipation. He scooped her head into his hands and pressed his mouth to hers. In his kiss, she felt like the world, his world. The notion of inviting him inside sprang up and that was when she stepped back.
“People will see us.”
“Boyfriend number two live nearby?” Rather than an accusation, he played with her, his fingers drove into her hair as he took more control. “Let him watch. Breckenridge men don’t give up.”
“You have no competition.”
“Great, then call the chump and cancel. I’ll take you to Blaze.”
Oh, wouldn’t that be hilarious.
“I can’t cancel tonight,” she said, a smile peeking out. “But you can kiss me again.”
Because every time their lips met, pieces clicked into place. Her heartbeat settled into a rhythm meant for more.
“Can I come up?” he murmured on her, brushing his kiss across hers. “For a minute. Two if you’re lucky and I think about Caber.”
She laughed and smacked her hands to his chest to hold him away. “No.” He wasn’t the only one who could tease. “Someone told me we’re not doing this that way.”
As she sashayed away, he grabbed for her hip, pinching her like he wanted to pull her back. It couldn’t be that the excitement, the intrigue, the potential, could translate into something real, something lasting. Want. Desire. Need. They didn’t last… did they?