* * *
Lee managed to sidle up to Candace after the tab had been settled and the rest of their group mingled their way out of the restaurant.
He leaned in to her. “Nice guy, your boyfriend.” He could smell her perfume. He couldn’t remember what it was called, but the lightly musky aroma was imprinted on his brain with a direct line to his dick.
“He’s not my boyfriend.” The look she cast at the guy’s back was not gracious.
The meal had been comped, of course, but when Armand had looked to Candy for her fifth of the tip Lee couldn’t freaking believe it. “Thank God. The man’s a putz.”
She giggled. “You always could make me laugh.”
When they were together, it had been his mission to amuse her. She’d always worked so hard, been so serious. “Let’s go say hi to Mark. He’d love to see you.” She nodded and he motioned to Holly that they were going to the kitchen. “Hopefully he won’t be too busy. Sometimes it’s terrifying in there.”
They paused at the pass and asked a busboy to tell Mark his brother was out front with an old friend. There was some yelling, a very loud swear word, and then his brother pushed out the doors and into the pass. His expression immediately changed from perturbed to a giant grin.
“Candy!” Mark swooped her up into a big hug. “So good to see you.”
“Candace,” she admonished, laughing as he let her go. “Good to see you, too. Wow, this place is amazing. You must be so proud of yourself.”
Mark smiled like they were talking about a child and not a restaurant. “Well, I didn’t do it all by myself. I’ve had excellent advisors and an amazing partner— Did you meet my wife? She’s here tonight.”
Lee nodded. “We’re here with Holly and Marisol and Candy’s date.”
She rolled her eyes at his use of her nickname. He’d always loved to tease her with it, no matter how many times she told him to quit.
“Holly’s adorable. She seems perfect for you.” She squeezed his brother’s hand.
“Wait—” Mark waggled his finger between them, “—you’re not here together?”
“Nah.” Lee frowned.
She was here with an enormous jackass. One who kept putting his hands on her.
“That’s too bad.” Mark said and then wisely left the subject when Lee gave him a look. “Well, I’ve got to get back. We’re super busy, which I’m not complaining about. I hope to see you back here again very soon.” Mark kissed Candy’s cheek and slugged Lee in the arm, then disappeared back into the thick of things in the kitchen.
Their friends were waiting for them outside and the valet had just arrived with Armand’s ride. Even if he was a putz, he was a rich, good-looking one. Lee’s American pick-up truck was right behind, looking rather plebian next to the ninety-thousand-dollar German luxury car.
“There you are.” Armand took possession of Candy’s arm. Lee resisted the urge to growl and snatch her back. She’s not your girlfriend, he reminded himself.
Holly exchanged phone numbers with her and they made tentative plans to go to lunch next week. There was a hug. Armand looked at his watch and sighed, seemingly annoyed at how long they were taking. Lee tossed his arm over Marisol’s shoulders as Candy and her jerk departed.
Marisol nudged him with her hip. “She’s really pretty, but her boyfriend’s an ass.”
“That’s not her boyfriend, thank God.”
She raised her brows at him. “What do you care?”
“I don’t.”
“Uh huh. Right. You are like a bee and she’s all full of pollen.” She took her key from the valet and passed him a tip. “Buzz, buzz, buzz.”
He rolled his eyes. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“You’ll never be able to stay away from her. It’s so obvious. You made moony eyes at her all night and every single chance you got you touched her. You, sir, are painfully obvious.”
That was bad. The more time he spent with Candy the more he wanted her, but he didn’t want everyone else to know that. If nothing became of it, he didn’t need all the people in his life knowing he’d crashed and burned again. A man had to have some pride. “Whatever, Mari. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Okay, lover boy. Have it your way, but I don’t want to hear another word out of your mouth about me and the second baseman. We’ll just both live in happy denial. Deal?”
“Deal.”
Happy Denial seemed like a super place to live. Maybe he’d build a mansion there.
Chapter Thirteen
The next morning, Candace woke up with a knockout male specimen in her bed.
“Good morning, handsome.” She kissed his forehead. “You hungry for breakfast?”
He nuzzled her chin, her nose, the warmth of her neck. She attempted to snuggle back into the pillow, but her favorite boy was having none of it. He walked over her head and nipped playfully at her ear.
“Okay, I’m getting up,” she said with a groan. “I need to go for a run anyway.”
Romeo Darling, the world’s most stupendous Havana Brown cat, meowed loudly with approval and hopped off the bed and trotted out the door to the kitchen. She shuffled along behind him, looping her hair up into a ponytail. Her mother, the traitor, was in the kitchen already, sipping coffee at the counter and reading the paper.
“Good morning, honey. Eggs?” Her mother rose from her seat before she could answer and opened the refrigerator.
“No, I’m going for a run this morning, so I’ll have a granola bar.” Romeo Darling sat next to a full bowl of food, his tail swishing. “Dude, you have kibble. What’s your problem?” The cat answered with a breathy meow. She dropped five new pieces of food into the bowl. Apparently satisfied, Romeo Darling stuck his face in and crunched away.
“I already fed him this morning, but he wouldn’t eat it. I guess it’s only good when you do it. Typical cat.” Her mother handed her a cup of coffee, then asked expectantly, “How was your date? Armand is so dreamy. I knew he’d be perfect for you.”
She eyed her delusional parent over the rim of the coffee mug. Ew, not enough cream. She doctored her coffee, then leaned her butt against the counter and frowned at her mom. “Why did you think he’d be perfect for me?”
“He’s so handsome and wealthy. He’s from a very good family, you know.”
“Yes,” Candace agreed. “He did tell me multiple times how he was very handsome, wealthy and of good breeding.”
“Well he is. He also breeds dogs and you’re a veterinarian.”
“FYI, Mom, the fact that he has a dog and I am a dog doctor does not provide sufficient reason to suggest he take out your only daughter.”
Her mother set her cup down and frowned at her. “Was it a bad evening?”
“Intolerable.” The night had culminated in a long and tedious ride home wherein Armand pontificated. To tell the truth, she didn’t even know what he was talking about because he didn’t actually require that she participate in his conversation. He was more than happy to listen to himself. At one point, she seriously considered leaping from the vehicle when he slowed to take a corner. She could tuck and roll like in the movies. A few scrapes would have totally been worth it.
Her mother deflated. “Oh, that’s disappointing. I had such hopes for him.”
She rolled her eyes. “Why? Because he was rich or because he was handsome?” Not nearly as handsome as the other man at dinner.
“Both. Would that be so terrible? I just want you to be happy, honey, now that you’re home from school and your clinic is opening in a couple of weeks. It would be awfully nice if you had a young man in your life, too. Now, don’t make that face at me. I’m not thinking you’ll get married right away, but it would be comforting for you to feel settled, wouldn’t it?”
Candace scooped u
p her cat and cradled him in her arms. “Mom, I don’t have time to settle. I have so much to do to open the clinic on time. And, I need to find someplace to live. I don’t have time for whatever it is you’re trying to do here.”
“I’m just saying—”
She shook her head. “No, don’t say you’re looking for grandkids. I have three older brothers who are perfectly capable of having children, too. Go harangue Clay, Casey or Cliff on that score.”
Her mother followed her out of the kitchen. “But they’re not married.”
“You have got to be kidding me.” She spun around which freaked out the cat. Romeo Darling leapt down and disappeared into her bedroom. “I’m not married either. No more dates, okay? I’ve changed my mind. I’m retired.”
Five minutes later, she was out the door for that much-needed run. Her brain was going a million miles an hour after the argument with her mother. And she was still thinking of Lee. Even worse, she couldn’t stop thinking of his girlfriend. She had scads of things to do, but nothing seemed to be getting accomplished when all she could do was wonder how serious they were, how long they’d been together, and if they were as perfect for each other as they seemed.
Pink was on the MP3 player doing her best to motivate her as she jogged. She was singing along to “Stupid Girls” when a pickup truck pulled up next to her on the road. Ignoring it, she sped up and turned down the next residential road. Out of the corner of her eye she spied the front end of the truck again.
Yanking on the cord to release the buds from her ears, she whipped around, prepared to confront the driver of the vehicle. The shot of adrenaline didn’t wane when she realized it was Lee who was sliding out of the cab. She was panting from her run and jittery from the excitement of a confrontation that wasn’t going to happen. After all, it wasn’t his fault she was pissed he had a perfect girlfriend.
“Hey, you.” He rounded the front of the truck with his hands in his jeans pockets. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I called your name a couple of times but you couldn’t hear me with your music. That’s not very safe you know. You should be able to hear traffic and stuff while you’re running.”
“Who the hell are you? My father?”
“Whoa,” he said, and held up his hands in surrender. “Cease fire. I just don’t want anything to happen to you, that’s all.”
Taking a deep breath, she tried to slow her heart. Shit. He was delicious this morning. He didn’t have a ball cap on like he usually did so his hair was carelessly rumpled. It didn’t look like he’d shaved either, so his green eyes really popped against the dark morning beard. Jesus, was she getting all turned on by the sexy rumpled man who’d just crawled out of bed with his actual girlfriend? Oh my God, she was such a loser.
“What do you want? I’m a little busy here.”
He grinned at her, which was the kiss of death to her attempts at self-control. Yeah, she was definitely turned on.
You’re an idiot.
“I just wanted to make sure the putz got you home all right.” He rested a bent elbow on the hood of the truck. “You look okay.”
Her heart fluttered even more erratically than it already was as his gaze traveled down her body and back up. Holy shit, he was checking her out. She wiped some sweat out of her eyes.
“I’m fine.”
This was the most awkward conversation they’d ever had. Only he didn’t seem awkward at all, standing there looking all studly and smiling. She, on the other hand, couldn’t seem to focus her thoughts.
“So I was thinking—” he straightened and took another step toward her, closing in the space between them, “—since we sorta declared a truce the other day, maybe I’d ask you out again.”
Her jaw dropped of its own accord, like it had come unhinged or something. “What about Marisol?”
He frowned. “What about her?”
“Kind of a dick move, don’t you think? Asking me out when you already have a girlfriend.” She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned her weight on one hip.
Again with that damn grin of his. “Marisol’s not my girlfriend. Never has been. What gave you that idea?”
What had given her that idea? She couldn’t even remember anymore. Something to do with her cat, she guessed. So his lusciousness wasn’t because he’d recently been sexed by another woman. Well, she didn’t have proof of that, but she was going to lean in that direction. She immediately felt better about herself.
She shrugged and dropped her arms. “I don’t know.”
“So will you have dinner with me?”
Somehow he edged closer, though she’d not seen him actually move. Maybe she’d moved closer. Maybe she was going insane. Maybe she needed to stop thinking so much.
Maybe she just needed to get him out of her system. They could have a quick fling until the clinic was finished. Just a couple of weeks. No emotional attachment. Obviously they’d have some great sex, which clearly she was in need of, and then they could both walk away. “Um, yeah. I think so.”
“Great.”
He watched her lips move, and that made her breathe harder again.
His gaze rose back to meet hers and she was transfixed, unbelievably aware of his nearness. “Tonight?” he asked.
She nodded because the ability to speak had suddenly disappeared with her brain.
“I’ll come get you at eight.” He closed the few feet between them and kissed her cheek. She tilted her face into his and the peck turned into a brief caress, lips to cheek. All that heavy breathing had disintegrated into not breathing at all. His rough palm smoothed down her bare arm as he moved away, crossed back in front of his truck. Before he climbed in, he said, “Be safe on your run.”
She nodded, but she didn’t breathe until he started up the truck and pulled away.
Oh. My. God. If she thought she’d been turned on before, she was mistaken. Now she was vibrating and squishy and hot.
She desperately needed a shower. Twelve hours to go.
* * *
Lee was outside her parent’s house at seven forty-five. He sat in his truck and watched the clock on the radio change, the digital numbers morphing their way relentlessly toward seven o’clock.
He was nervous.
That morning it was almost as if his truck had driven to see her all by itself. He’d not slept at all, overwhelmed by his reaction to her being at the restaurant with a date. He hadn’t been all testosterone-y when the guys from the site had hit on her. Those guys hadn’t stood a chance. But the minute he’d seen that Armand character, a guy who had game and an actual shot, he’d freaked out.
She’d accepted his apology. She was thawing out, little by little. He had to make his move if he was ever going to do it. He couldn’t stand by while she went out with another guy like that last one. They were going to be married once upon a time, they could get that back again. Or something like it.
Or he’d have to start building a guest house or something.
He’d been distracted all day. He’d cut baseball practice short—he’d made a jumbled mess out of it anyway. Usually, he was that guy on the team. The one who pushed everyone to do their best. The guy who gave others a hard time if they didn’t give one hundred and ten percent. This evening his brain had been on another planet.
Planet Hot Vet. He was orbiting in the space shuttle called Huge Ass Mistake. He’d landed on this planet before and been crushed. Okay, even his analogy was freaking him out.
He’d gone home and taken a long, hot shower. He’d dressed up for the occasion in a light gray suit with a royal blue Oxford. After a ten-minute debate he’d skipped the tie and left the top button undone. He was having a nervous breakdown; he was absolutely certain of it.
At six fifty-nine he rang her parents’ doorbell. Candace was on the porch before the chiming had actually stopped. “Hi.�
�� She closed the door behind her. “Let’s go.”
He raised an eyebrow but followed her to the truck. She slid in the cab when he opened her door, flashing a lot of shapely leg.
“Hi.” He shut his own door.
Buckling her seat belt, she stared at her front door with a desperate expression. She tossed him a nervous smile. “Are we ready?”
He slid the key into the ignition but didn’t turn it. Instead he shifted in his seat and watched her. “What’s going on?” She took a deep breath and he tried not to look at her cleavage.
“Don’t be mad. I don’t want my family to know I’m going out with you. Not yet. I’d rather just wait and see what happens.”
He started the truck and ended her misery. “Aha. I didn’t tell anyone either. I’m afraid they’ll tell me I’m an idiot.”
“I get that.” She smoothed the dress over her knees. “I’m afraid my mom would be planning a wedding before I get back.” Lee choked and tried to cover it up by coughing. She watched him from across the cab with a grin. “See why I didn’t want them to see you?”
“Yeah. Thanks for that. I would have thought your father and brothers would want to kill me or something.”
“Why?” She seemed genuinely confused by that sentiment.
That gave him pause. “Let’s pretend like we don’t have any crazy history, okay? Just for tonight. Let’s act like this is our first date. If it goes well, then we can hash up all that scary stuff another time. Deal?”
They went to a seafood restaurant Mark approved of with excellent food, a marvelous wine list and a quiet atmosphere. Lee placed his hand at the small of her back as they followed the hostess to their table. Candace was lovely in a yellow dress that tied around her neck. She wore her hair down in big loopy curls.
“So tell me how Sarah is really doing.” It had been half an hour and already she’d ventured into taboo territory.
“Well, she works really hard.” He thought for a moment. “She always looks tired to me.”
She nodded. “And Sidney? How does he cope?”
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