Monroe, Marla - Hot and Bothered (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Monroe, Marla

  He found himself thinking about Savanna. He already missed her, and it hadn’t even been two days since their fight. Those baby blue eyes with tears in them kept appearing before him. Hell, he had dreamed about her when he managed to get to sleep. Getting over her wasn’t going to happen overnight. The fact was, he wasn’t sure how long it would take to get her out of his system. He’d never fallen this hard for anyone before.

  Part of him still wanted to go and talk to her. The other part told him he was a fool to even consider it. Why not just tell her the truth? What could it hurt?

  You’ll never know if she really cares about you or your stability. Could he really blame her for wanting someone who would be able to make ends meet? Why are you even thinking about her? You’re supposed to be thinking about work. He sighed and stood up. He might as well make some calls and see how things were going. He needed to talk to his assistant about a replacement for him. He was moving to Germany. His wife’s parents weren’t doing well, and she was going to take care of them. So, now he needed a new assistant. Someone who could do a lot of what he paid Martin’s firm to do. Just one more problem to add to his stack.

  * * * *

  Raindrops rolled down the window outside the spa. Savanna watched them as they left sparkling pathways down the glass. They reminded her of her tears. It seemed she did a lot of crying lately. She had been for the last two weeks anyway, ever since Dustin had walked out on her. She couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep. When she did, she had erotic dreams of him.

  “You mooning over that Dustin guy again?” Irene didn’t miss a thing.

  “Why would you think that? I’m just watching the rain and thinking about taking an early lunch.”

  “You’ve lost weight, so I’m sure you’re not eating on your early lunches.”

  “What are you, my personal shrink?” she asked.

  Irene laughed and shook her head. “You could sure use one. That man made you happy. How could you let him go?”

  “He doesn’t have a steady job, and doesn’t seem worried about it. I can’t get involved with someone who isn’t worried about paying bills.” Savanna sighed and crossed over to stand behind the counter.

  “Have you ever considered that he doesn’t see a reason because he hasn’t found a reason yet? Maybe you would have been his reason.”

  “And I’m supposed to believe that he’ll change?” She harrumphed. “I trust him to take care of me, and one day, I wake up to find him gone or, worse, still there but not paying the bills.”

  “You’ve got to put your past behind you, Savanna. Not everyone is like your ma and pa.”

  “Irene, here comes Ms. Laurensen. Time to get to work.” Savanna was never so happy to see Ms. Laurensen’s crabby face.

  “I’m not finished with you yet, Savanna. You need to think more with your heart and less with your head sometimes.” Irene walked over to greet Ms. Laurensen when she stepped through the door.

  She was meeting Karen for lunch. Since she and Dustin had broken up, Karen had turned into the consoling friend. It was a turnaround, but it seemed to be good for her. She hadn’t seemed quite as depressed lately. So far, her boss hadn’t caused any problems for her, but she was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

  Savanna let one of the staff know she was leaving for lunch and walked the three blocks to the little diner they were meeting at. She shook off her umbrella and sat it in a rack by the door. It looked like she had beat Karen for once. She took a seat in a booth in the front window. She wanted to be able to watch the people walk by. She didn’t have long to wait. Karen came running in, shaking out her umbrella as she walked through the door. She caught sight of Savanna sitting in the booth and veered toward her.

  “Hey, how are you?” she asked as she took a seat across the table from her.

  “I’m doing fine. I’m glad you had time for lunch today. You’ve cancelled on me twice lately.”

  “Sorry, work has been hectic. We took on two new clients this week, and they’re keeping me busy.”

  The waitress interrupted them and took their order. They ate there so often, they didn’t even bother with menus anymore. Karen ordered the tuna on a croissant. Savanna ordered a garden salad. She wasn’t really hungry. After the waitress left, Karen jumped on her with both feet.

  “You need to eat something more than just a salad. You’ve lost weight. Your clothes are hanging off of you.”

  “I think these are the same things I said to you a few weeks ago. Don’t throw them back in my face, Karen.”

  “Honey, I’m just worried about you.” She reached across the table and squeezed her hand.

  “I’m okay, really I am. It’s just going to take some time.” She huffed out a breath and continued. “So, tell me about work. Martin still keeping you in the dark on who you’re working on?”

  “Yeah, for the most part. I do know he’s planning something, though. I overheard him talking to someone on the phone about some land that is up for sale. He said they could get it for next to nothing but there was already someone looking at it so they would have to act fast. I’m thinking he’s selling information to the highest bidder.” Karen leaned back in the booth.

  “You’re kidding. He’s sabotaging his own business.” Savanna shook her head in amazement. “That doesn’t even make sense.”

  “I didn’t think so either, but I know what I heard.”

  “There’s got to be something else motivating him besides the cash,” Savanna said.

  “I don’t know what it is. I sure would like to find out, so I can use it on him when he gets out of control.”

  “So, what about Ben? I know you talked with him some last week. What’s going on with you two now?” Savanna asked.

  “I don’t know. We’ve been talking some. He’s hung up on me and Martin, though. Says as long as I’m working with him, he would always wonder what was going on. I can’t afford to quit. I need to be able to pay my bills, and even if Ben and I worked things out and I got married, I would still want to work.”

  “Well, type up your resume and start looking for another job.” Savanna figured if she loved Ben, she should make some sacrifices.

  “You may have to take something that pays less or isn’t exactly what you want, but it would be worth it, wouldn’t it?” Savanna asked.

  “I guess. I’m afraid I’ll change jobs, and we still won’t be able to work it out.” Karen ran a hand over her face.

  “Honey, you need to change jobs regardless. You’re never going to know where you stand with Martin, and as long as you work for him, he will always hold this over your head.”

  “I know you’re right. I’m just scared. Scared of change and scared to fail.” Karen took a deep breath. “Let’s talk about you now.”

  “Me? What for?” she asked.

  “I think you should call him. You’re in love with him. Go ahead and admit it to yourself if not to me.”

  “It won’t do any good to call him. He isn’t going to talk to me.” She bit her lip. “Besides, what am I supposed to say when I call him anyway?”

  Karen rolled her eyes at her. “You tell him you love him and that you’re sorry.”

  “Me? Why do I have to say I’m sorry? He’s the one who walked out.”

  “Yeah, but you’re the one who wants him back.”

  “I’ll think about it. I don’t know if I can handle his not having a job.”

  “Honey, you own a business. You don’t need his money to survive. Let him work when he wants to and take care of you all the time. I’d love it if Ben didn’t work and just took care of me.” She grimaced. “Hell, I would love it if he’d just take me back.”

  “Aw, Karen. Don’t give up. Ask him to help you type up your resume.”

  “I said I’ll think about it.”

  “Then so will I,” Savanna said.

  Chapter Eleven

  Savanna picked up the phone for the third time that afternoon only to replace it just like she had the other two times. Karen h
ad been right. She was in love with Dustin, and no amount of denying it was going to help. She needed to talk to him. She needed to tell him that she didn’t care if he had a job. She just wanted a chance to see where things led. The problem was, she didn’t think she could stand it if he said no.

  “How long are you going to keep playing with the phone?” Irene asked.

  “Oh, stop it. I’m not playing with it.”

  “Then why have you been walking around with it in your hand for the last twenty minutes?” Irene laughed. “Call him and get it over with. You know you’re going to do it.”

  “It’s not that easy, Irene. I hurt his pride. You know how men are about their pride. They don’t forgive easily when it comes to that.” Savanna sighed. She knew Irene was right.

  She walked back to her office and closed the door for privacy. Then she dialed Dustin’s cell phone number and waited while it rang. When he didn’t pick up on the third ring, she was tempted to just hang up. Then there was a muffled hello on the other end.

  “Dustin?”

  “Yeah, who is this?” the gruff voice on the other end asked.

  “It’s Savanna. Did I call at a bad time?”

  “Savanna?” His voice sounded a little clearer now.

  “Um, yeah.

  There was silence on the other end of the phone for a few precious seconds.

  “What did you want, Savanna?” He sounded tired.

  “I was hoping we could talk.”

  “About what? I think we already said everything there was to say to each other.”

  “I needed to tell you that I’m sorry for the way I treated you,” she whispered.

  “You were honest. We didn’t see eye to eye on things is all,” he said.

  “I don’t think I was, though, Dustin. Please, can we just talk? I can’t do this on the phone.”

  “Savanna, I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to see each other.”

  “Just give me five minutes. That’s all I’m asking for.”

  She heard him sigh over the phone. “Okay. I’ll come by your place around six, will that be okay?”

  “Yes, I’ll be there. Thank you, Dustin.”

  “Good-bye.” He hung up.

  Savanna was left holding a phone with a dial tone on the other end. She drew in a deep breath and blew it out. She hung up the phone. She had her five minutes. So what was she going to say in five minutes to change his mind about them? The only thing she could say. That she loved him.

  Savanna paced the living room floor, checking her watch every few seconds. The hands didn’t seem to be moving at all. She still had five minutes before he was due to arrive. She stopped and sipped a little of the wine she had poured. Her stomach was all tied in knots. She felt like there were a million butterflies fluttering around her heart. She glanced down at her watch again, four more minutes. The doorbell rang, and she jumped. He was early. Savanna raced to the door then hesitated. She could do this. She opened the door.

  Dustin stood on the other side. His hair was a little longer, and his face looked a little more lived in, but there he stood, waiting on her.

  “Come in. Sorry.” She closed the door behind him once he stood inside the foyer.

  He didn’t say anything.

  “Would you like something to drink?”

  “I’m here like you asked. I don’t think you have time to fix me something to drink, Savanna. What did you want?”

  She drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. She could do this.

  “I was wrong about thinking you weren’t marriage material for me. I’ve spent these last few weeks paying for that. I’m sorry for how I treated you and for the assumptions I made.”

  “Apology accepted. Is that all?” He turned toward the door.

  “No!” she nearly yelled. “Wait. That’s not all.” She wet her lips again. “I’m trying to say—I love you.”

  He stilled next to her. Nothing moved. He didn’t even breathe for a full sixty seconds.

  “Why?” he asked.

  “Why what?”

  “Why now? Why do you love me now but not three weeks ago?”

  “I didn’t realize I was in love with you back then. I’ve never been in love before, so I didn’t know what I was feeling.” Savanna hoped he would believe her.

  “What if it’s too late?” he finally asked.

  “Please don’t say it is. Just give me a chance to prove it.”

  “How are you going to prove that you love me?”

  “I don’t know, but give me a chance,” she nearly begged.

  He ran a hand over his face and sighed. “Okay.”

  Savanna wasn’t sure she heard him correctly. “You said okay?”

  “Yeah.”

  She threw herself into his arms and hugged him to her. He didn’t do anything at first. Then he wrapped his arms around her and patted her back.

  “Can we talk now? I mean really talk?” Savanna asked.

  “We need to if I’m going to believe you love me,” he said.

  “I think I was in love with you even before we fought about it. I just hadn’t realized what it was I was feeling.”

  “And it doesn’t bother you anymore that I might not work full-time or be the stable man you were wanting?”

  “I’m stable enough for both of us. We can work it out, Dustin. You don’t have to change.”

  “Good, because I won’t change. I work hard when I work, Savanna. I just choose not to work all the time.”

  “That’s fine. I don’t actually work at the spa either,” she said.

  “You don’t? Where do you work then?” His voice had grown colder again.

  “I don’t manage it. I own it.”

  He didn’t say anything for a few minutes. She held her breath.

  “Why did you let me think you just managed it?” He didn’t sound like he was angry about it.

  “I didn’t realize until later that you thought I managed it. By then, we were so involved that I forgot you didn’t know. Then we had the fight.” She watched his face for any sign he was okay with what all she’d said to him.

  He blew out a breath and nodded. “Okay. So what do we do now?”

  “Start over?” she suggested.

  Dustin’s jaw tightened for an instant then he held out his hand.

  “Hi, I’m Dustin Liguori.”

  Savanna, grasped his hand and shook it.

  “I’m Savanna. It’s nice to meet you.” She smiled for the first time in nearly a month.

  * * * *

  Dustin couldn’t believe it. She had really come to him and said she loved him. Could he believe her? She moved into his arms, and he hugged her. It felt as if a piece of him snapped back into place. He pulled her tighter against him and heard her squeak in protest.

  “Are you hungry?” he asked.

  “A little.”

  “Good. You’ve lost weight. Let’s go get pizza.”

  They went to his favorite pizza place, and he was relieved to find it wasn’t busy. In fact, they had almost half of it to themselves. There were only two other groups there, an older couple and a family of four. Dustin chose a booth in the far back, away from the others. They sat across from each other and gave the waitress their drink orders.

  “Tell me why stability and my having a job is so important to you.” Dustin leaned back against the seat.

  “It isn’t anymore.”

  “But it was. There has to be a reason,” he said.

  He watched her nibble her lower lip then draw in a deep breath.

  “My father rarely worked when he lived with us. Then he just decided he didn’t want the responsibility of a family anymore and left. Mom kept bringing men home who were the same way. They couldn’t keep a job and were always looking for easy money, some way they could strike it rich and not have to work anymore. It was tough on us trying to live that way. I didn’t want to ever be in that situation again.”

  “So because I don’t seem to have a steady job, y
ou assumed I wouldn’t be able to provide for you.” He watched her eyes as they widened.

  “I wasn’t really thinking so much about you providing for me as remembering how it was when I was a child.” She looked down at her clasped hands on the table. “If I had been thinking, I would have realized that I loved you and I could take care of myself as far as that went.”

  The waitress returned with their drinks and took their pizza order. They settled for one with everything except olives. He ordered a large and planned to be sure she ate. He couldn’t believe how much weight she had lost in the space of a month. He hadn’t slept much in that time either. He now owned two more companies he hadn’t really wanted.

  “Are you not very close to your brother and sister, or was it just that you didn’t want to talk about them with me?” Dustin asked.

  “Oh.” She took a sip of her drink. “We aren’t as close as you and your sister seem to be, but mostly, I didn’t want to get real personal with you. I was trying to keep things casual, I guess.”

  “I sort of screwed up your plans though, didn’t I?”

  She smiled at him. “You could say that.”

  Dustin reached across the table and stilled her fidgeting fingers. He squeezed her hands and pulled them across to his lips.

  “I want to know all about you. Everything.”

  Her laughter lifted his heart. “There isn’t really that much to tell you. I mean, you know about my childhood. The best thing during that time was being friends with Karen. We sort of gravitated to each other and stayed friends all through school and college.”

  “How is she doing?” Dustin asked.

  Savanna nodded. “She’s doing okay. She and Ben are at least talking right now. That’s a good thing.”