Reid swore silently. He’d never paid attention to things like investments. That’s what he paid Zeke to take care of. He’d done what he loved for nearly ten years and he’d been paid well. He’d lived hard, but he’d never been stupid with his money.
“All that and I couldn’t send those kids home from their state championships,” he muttered.
“We took care of that,” Zeke told him. “We sent out a check more than a month ago.”
“A thousand dollars. What was that supposed to cover?”
“Two return tickets. Why? Did the family have other expenses?”
Family? “Zeke, it wasn’t a family. It was the whole damn team.”
Zeke swore. “I didn’t know. Seth made it sound like just one family. A check for that amount had to have been seen as an insult.”
“It’s worse. They’re families who are barely making it. The screw-up on the return ticket was financially devastating for a lot of them. One family lost their car.”
“Dammit, Reid. That kind of crap isn’t supposed to happen. That’s why you hire people like me and Seth.”
Reid was beginning to realize that Zeke and Seth were nothing alike. “I want to fix this,” he told his business manager. “Can you find out how much everyone spent to get home and send them a couple thousand more than that? And the family who lost their car—let’s get them a new one. And a check to cover any issue with taxes.”
He heard the clicking of Zeke’s computer keyboard. “Consider it done. Anything else?”
“Not right now. But soon. I’ll go over the letters and requests from Seth as soon as they arrive. I have a feeling there’s going to be a lot more stuff to make up for.”
“We’ll get it done,” Zeke told him. “This is fixable.”
“Right,” Reid said as he hung up.
Only it couldn’t all be fixed. Like the kid who had died not knowing that Reid cared about him. That couldn’t be fixed or undone. How many other people had been disappointed by him? How many other disasters had his name on them?
THE NEXT MORNING Reid went looking for Lori. Sometime in the night when he once again couldn’t sleep, he’d had an uncomfortable realization.
Lori had been upset because he hadn’t slept with her. He’d slept with the other two nurses but not her.
He wanted to tell her not to take it personally, but she was female and of course that’s how she would see things. How could he explain that he hadn’t slept with her because he hadn’t seen her that way? Oh, yeah, there was a conversation he was dying to have.
He told himself to forget about her and the other nurses and her possible hurt feelings, except he couldn’t. Bad enough the world thought he was a jerk—he didn’t want Lori thinking that, too. Even though it was probably too late to change her mind.
He found her in the kitchen. She was rinsing off Gloria’s breakfast dishes and putting them into the dishwasher. She narrowed her gaze when he walked into the room but didn’t say anything.
She’d changed her clothes, he thought, noticing she’d replaced her normal scrubs with jeans and a sweater. The more fitted style suited her, drawing his attention to curves he previously hadn’t noticed. Interesting.
She straightened and pushed up her glasses. “What do you want?” she demanded.
“To meet your sister.”
The words weren’t the ones he’d planned and he had no idea where they’d come from.
“No,” Lori said flatly.
“Why not? She’s dying. You said she’s dying. Maybe she’d like some company. I’m good company.”
“You’re not and the answer is still no. Madeline isn’t some freak show you can visit to fill your day. Go annoy someone else.”
Her attitude was really starting to piss him off. What had he ever done to her? “I’m trying to help,” he told her. “I bring comfort to the dying.”
“Obviously not sexually.”
The unexpected snipe cut right through his who-gives-a-shit veneer. He crossed the two steps separating them, grabbed her arm and fought the need to shake some sense into her.
“It wasn’t my fault,” he yelled. “It was my first year away from the game. My team was in the playoffs. They’d just lost. I was drunk. So what if I was more interested in drowning my pain than showing that woman a good time? I had an off night. Everybody else gets an off night, but not me, right? I’m good in bed, dammit. Better than good. I’ve been clawed and made women scream on a regular basis.”
Her steady gaze never wavered. “I’m yawning,” she said in a low voice. “That’s how interested I am in this conversation.”
He swore, jerked her close and kissed her.
He hadn’t planned to. He was just so pissed off and there weren’t that many acceptable ways for a guy to let off a little steam.
So he pressed his mouth to hers and let all his frustration and anger and okay, maybe hurt, pour into the kiss.
He buried his free hand in her hair and was surprised to find the curly waves were kind of nice to touch. He moved a little closer and tilted his head slightly, getting a better angle on kissing Lori because it was starting to feel good. Damn good. Who knew?
Lori found herself just standing there, not sure what to do with her arms, her hands or even her body. She felt awkward and stupid, but the one thing she knew for sure was that she never ever wanted the kiss to end.
His mouth demanded things from her and she found herself wanting to give them. But even as he took and insisted, his lips weren’t too hard. There was just the right amount of pressure and heat and promise to make her want to lean into him and beg.
She liked the way he smelled and how he was exactly the right height. She liked the feel of his hand in her hair and the first teasing, erotic brush of the tip of his tongue against her lower lip.
Had she had access to her brain and any voluntary functions, she would have pulled back. It was the sensible thing to do. It was the only thing that made sense. But she didn’t, so it wasn’t her fault when she put one hand on his shoulder and parted her mouth.
He nipped her lower lip. The gentle bite shocked her. She gasped, he chuckled, then swept inside, claiming her with a passionate dance that took her breath away.
He kissed like a man who loved women. He kissed like a man who understood that sometimes kissing wasn’t just a stepping stone on the path to something better. That it could be—if done correctly—a destination.
He kissed like he meant it and made her feel she’d been waiting her whole life for this moment.
Heat flared inside of her, burning through her body, making her weak. She felt uncomfortable in her clothes and in her skin. She wanted him touching her everywhere and she wanted to touch him back. She wanted to know what his perfect body would feel like, naked and straining. She wanted him inside of her.
The image of them together in that way was so vivid, her body clenched in anticipation. He deepened the kiss and she met him stroke for stroke, following him back to his mouth to tease and explore and excite.
Then, as suddenly as the kiss had begun, it was over.
He stepped back. “You’re trembling.”
Was she? She felt the tremors race through her body. Okay, so maybe she was.
“Low blood sugar,” she told him in a foolish attempt to protect herself. “I didn’t have enough protein at breakfast.”
Reid stared at her for a long moment, then he began to smile. It was a slow, self-satisfied, male smile. One that spoke of his superior ability to bring a woman to her knees with just a kiss.
He was still smiling when he walked out of the kitchen. Lori stared after him, not sure who she was mad at more. Him for turning her on and then leaving, or herself for responding in the first place.
TWO DAYS LATER Reid let Walker and Elissa into Gloria’s house. Walker’s expression was as unreadable as usual, but Elissa looked ready to jump out of her skin.
“Command performance,” Walker explained by way of greeting. “Gloria called and as
ked us both to come by.”
Elissa bit her lower lip. “You’re sure about the both of us part? I’m sure she just meant you. She doesn’t like me and I find her really, really scary.”
Walker smiled down at the woman standing next to him. “You can wait here with Reid, if you want. I’m not going to force you.”
She sighed. “Of course you’re not, because that’s the kind of guy you are. But because you’re being so nice, I’ll feel guilty for being afraid, so I’m just going to come in with you and be polite. I can do that. I was raised by very nice people.”
Reid thought about reassuring Elissa, telling her that Gloria had been through something of a change. But as he wasn’t completely sure the change was going to last, he decided to keep quiet.
“I can come in with you, if you want,” he offered. “If it gets ugly, I’ll take Elissa out so you’re not forced to kill your grandmother.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Walker said. “How’s your life going?”
Reid led the way down the hall. “I’m still doing damage control. Every day some other woman comes forward and says the earth didn’t move for her. It’s grim and humiliating, but at least it’s a distraction. I fired my manager and I’m going through all the boxes he sent over. There are so many requests and letters that went unanswered. I hate knowing there are kids out there assuming I’m an ass.”
“What are you going to do to fix it?” Walker asked.
“I’m still trying to figure that out.”
Reid wasn’t so sure what to do. The job was daunting.
LORI SMOOTHED the sheet on Gloria’s bed, then tucked in the end, all the while wishing she weren’t so on edge.
She’d spent the last couple of days trying to ignore Reid. After that kiss they’d shared, she didn’t know what to say to him. Just as annoying, she hadn’t run into him, which made her miss him, which really bugged her. She hated that with a simple brush of mouths she’d gone from a completely capable in-charge woman to a sighing, mooning giggler desperate to see the man of her dreams.
Yesterday she’d taken both a morning and evening run, in an effort to tire herself out enough to let her sleep. It hadn’t worked. The second she’d closed her eyes, she’d seen his face and felt the damp heat of his kiss. Reliving the sensations over and over had kept her up half the night.
“Ladies,” Reid said as he entered the room. “We have company,” he told his grandmother, who sat reading in a chair, then gave her, Lori, a wink. “My brother. Two for the price of one. Of course, he’s taken.”
Lori straightened and tried to speak, but it wasn’t possible. With less than a couple dozen words, he’d reduced her to brainless silence. It was so humiliating.
A second man walked into the room. He looked enough like Reid for her to be able to guess their relationship. With him was an attractive woman with long brown hair and blue eyes.
“So you came,” Gloria announced. “Good. Walker, Elissa, nice to see you. This is Lori, one of my nurses. Lori, my grandson and his girlfriend. Oh, did you bring your adorable daughter, Elissa? I’m sorry, I can’t remember her name.”
“Ah, Zoe,” Elissa said, a puzzled look on her face. “She’s in school.”
“Too bad. Maybe she could come along next time. Children add such positive energy to a room.”
Lori glanced at everyone’s stunned expressions and took that as her cue to leave. Gloria was working the program. Sure, it would take time to convince her family that the change was genuine, but Lori was confident that would happen.
“You didn’t hit her over the head, did you?” Reid asked as he walked out beside her. “I checked her medication so I know you’re not drugging her.”
She tried to ignore his nearness and how she was so aware of his breathing. “Why can’t you simply accept that she wanted to make a change, so she did?”
“You should have come along sooner,” he muttered. “Life would have been much better. The last time Gloria met Elissa, she threatened to have her fired, evicted and maybe arrested. All because Elissa dared to date Walker.”
“She’s not like that anymore.”
They’d reached the kitchen. Lori moved to put the island between them—she had a feeling a physical barrier would help her maintain control—but Reid grabbed her hand and held her in place.
“It’s because of you,” he told her. “You’re the reason for the change.”
It was difficult to think with his fingers touching hers. “She’s the one who made the decision. I simply pointed out that being nicer might be in her best interest.”
“Why don’t you want to take credit?” he asked.
“It’s not necessary.”
She tugged free and took a step back. She didn’t want to stand there anymore, having him look at her as if she mattered. As if she were someone special in his life. How could she ever believe that?
Why him? Why couldn’t she have had a strong physical reaction to someone else? Someone not so far out of reach. She didn’t mind that she could never have Reid. What she hated was being pathetic and knowing that if he ever figured out how much of a crush she had on him he would pity her. That would be the worst.
A few minutes later Walker came out for coffee.
“I wouldn’t have believed it,” he told Reid.
Lori busied herself setting out a tray.
“She’s a totally different person,” Walker continued. “Warm, friendly. She told me I was doing a good job and I think she made a joke.”
Reid grinned. “Hang in there, big guy. You’ll get used to it.”
“I hope it lasts.”
“Me, too,” Reid said. “But if you want a for-sure answer, talk to the master.”
Lori looked up to find them both staring at her. She shrugged. “I’m not the master of anything. Gloria was feeling lonely and sorry for herself. I just pointed out that the reason people avoided her is that she’s incredibly difficult to be around. I suggested she try being nicer.”
“That’s it?” Walker asked. “No water torture?”
Lori smiled. “She’s been through a lot. The heart attack, the recovery from her hip. She’s in pain and feeling vulnerable. I think both of those events pushed her to want to do something different. I’m hoping the changes are permanent, but I can’t promise.”
“Either way, it’s a miracle,” Walker said. “We owe you big time.”
Reid walked over and before she knew what he was going to do, he put an arm around her. “I’m the one who found her. Don’t forget that.”
Walker shook his head. “You’re never going to grow up, are you?”
“Not if I can help it.”
He gave Lori’s shoulders a squeeze, then he released her. He and his brother returned to Gloria’s room with coffee and a plate of cookies. She was left alone in the kitchen.
His touch hadn’t meant anything. She knew that. It had been a quick, casual embrace and if he knew it had left her shaken, he would feel bad for her.
“An impossible situation,” she murmured into the silence.
She knew better and yet here she was. Trapped.
She was going to have to get over Reid and fast. And she knew exactly how to make that happen.
Chapter Eight
DANI PLACED HER ORDER for her latte and then moved to the right to wait for her name to be called. She glanced around the crowded café and stiffened slightly when she saw Gary.
He was bent over what looked like a pile of term papers, a red pen in his hand.
Dani turned back to the counter and waved when her name was called. After collecting her latte, she hesitated. While she’d enjoyed speaking with Gary a couple of weeks ago, she didn’t know if she wanted to go up and say hello. She wasn’t interested in any man romantically and from her limited personal experience, men weren’t interested in being friends.
Before she could duck out, she heard him call her name. She turned and smiled.
“Hi, Gary.”
“Hi.” He waved
her over, then motioned to the empty seat on the other side of the tiny table. “Do you have a moment?”
She barely hesitated before nodding. There was just something about him, she thought as she took a seat. He defined…nice.
“Looks like a lot of work,” she said, motioning to the papers. “Are they good?”
“Some. The assignment was to compare three religions, past or present, finding similarities and differences. There are a few Web sites that provide very tidy lists. Some of my students went there and copied the lists. They won’t be happy with their grades.”
“I can imagine. Going online is easier than going to the library.”
He nodded. “I don’t object to using the Internet for research, but I do expect them to assimilate what they’ve learned and write it up using their own words.”
“Sounds reasonable.”
He smiled. “They won’t see it that way. So, how’s the job search going?”
She shrugged. “Not as well as I would like. I think…” She hesitated, then leaned forward. “I turned down a great job. It was at a very popular and upscale restaurant. The food was good, the money excellent. In theory, it was everything I wanted.”
“But?”
“But I had a funny feeling. I just didn’t like the owner. I can’t even explain what it was specifically. He was a little over the top, but that’s fairly typical in the business. There was just something about him. Something…”
“Dark? Dangerous? Threatening?”
She smiled. “Thanks for helping. Actually he was…cold. The staff seemed afraid of him and not in a respectful way. More like they were worried he was going to have them shot at dawn. And the kitchen was too quiet.”
Gary frowned. “How can a kitchen be too quiet?”
“Have you ever worked in a restaurant?”
“No.”
“They’re crazy places—especially in the kitchen. It’s hard work with a lot of pressure. The kitchen staff is loud, insulting, especially if they’re gifted. But it wasn’t like that. I just wasn’t comfortable.” She sighed. “I turned down the job. I still can’t believe it.”
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