“My driver is ready to take you home,” Emma said, patting her hand. “We’ll talk more tomorrow when your head is clearer.”
“Nonsense. I’ll drive Ms. Lowell home.” Stan Blecher stepped up beside them. “I heard you tell your driver where she lives and it’s on my way home.”
“Eavesdropping’s rude,” Emma muttered.
“So is your attitude, but you don’t see me complaining,” the older gentleman said.
Rina had never seen Emma put in her place before and bit the inside of her cheek to contain her laughter. “If you’re sure you don’t mind, I’d appreciate the ride,” she said to Stan.
“Of course not. It’s been ages since I had someone as young and beautiful as you in the seat beside me.” He glanced at Rina and winked. He obviously wanted to make Emma jealous.
“I told you he was a lecher.” From the sulking pout on the other woman’s face, his tactic had obviously worked.
“He’s a gentleman, Emma,” Rina said softly.
“Then let him take you home. I don’t give a fig if I ever see him again.” With a haughty raise of her chin, Emma pivoted around and walked away. But not before adding, “Colin’s a little boy at heart, Rina. Give him the chance to explain.”
Rina rolled her eyes because she didn’t see her friend giving Stan any chances at all. She met Stan’s gaze and shrugged, unsure of what to say now that Emma had taken her leave.
Stan grinned. “Emma lies. Within a week she’ll be putty in my hands.”
“I hope so.” Rina meant her words even more after Stan drove her home.
On the way, he’d told her about the death of his wife, how much he and Emma had in common and how he just wanted companionship in his later years. Emma, with her outspoken attitude and bubbly personality, suited him fine. Rina agreed. Though she hadn’t met Judge Montgomery, only caught sight of the stuffy man from across the room, she didn’t think Stan fell into the other man’s league. No way would Stan side with Judge Montgomery against Emma. Relieved, she hoped Emma would give in and find the happiness she tried to give others.
Twenty minutes after arriving home, Rina stepped out of her own shower, free of the champagne but not free of Colin or the memory of him bringing her to climax. Alone.
Men. What woman could possibly understand them? At this rate, her series would probably never answer the question.
What did men want? Darned if she knew.
Towel drying her hair, she glanced at Norton. As soon as she met his gaze, he whined and rolled over onto his back. “At least your needs are simple, boy.” She leaned down to scratch his belly, when the doorbell rang.
Norton scrambled to his feet and Rina rose, following him to the door. “Coming,” she called.
It was 1:00 a.m., late by most standards but early enough for Frankie to stop by for some chocolate-chip ice cream and a chat after her Saturday-night date. This was the first time Rina could contribute to the dating part of the conversation and she needed her friend’s advice. “Am I glad to see you,” Rina said as she swung the door open wide.
“Well, at least someone is.”
Rina winced. “Bad date?”
“The worst.” Frankie stomped inside and made herself at home on Rina’s couch, propping her cowboy-booted feet so they hung off the armrest without touching the furniture. “How about you? How was your first date since arriving in this quaint New England town?”
Rina closed her eyes and remembered Colin’s touch, his warm mouth and his heady scent.
“That good, huh? Care to tell me your secret?” Frankie grinned.
With her straight inky-black hair, olive skin and good heart, Frankie shouldn’t need anyone’s help to find a man. They should be banging down her door. Only they weren’t, which made the opposite sex and their desires that much more of a puzzle.
Rina sighed. “No secret to share.”
“So was this a good date or a bad date?”
“Both. I can’t say he used me because he certainly didn’t get any satisfaction and I did, but he left me at the party and…”
“Whoa. Back up and start over.” Frankie’s wide-eyed gaze was filled with curiosity.
Rina blushed, realizing what she’d revealed. “Emma spilled champagne on us and we went upstairs to clean up. Let’s just say Colin and I had a moment and leave it at that. But when I arrived back downstairs, I found out he’d received an emergency telephone call and he left immediately for the hospital.”
Frankie frowned. “So is he, or isn’t he, a jerk? Tough call.”
Rina laughed. “No kidding. He did arrange a ride home for me,” she said in Colin’s defense.
Frankie shot her a knowing look. “So how interested are you in this guy?”
“He makes me feel good.” Rina paced the floor in her living room, adrenaline making it impossible for her to relax.
“Which is what you said you wanted in a first time-out fling.”
“Right. Unfortunately he also really gets to me in here.” She tapped her chest, over her heart. “His parents died when he was young and he’s got scars that haven’t healed.”
“So he’s afraid of being hurt and so are you. Not a bad thing considering you aren’t looking for a serious relationship, right?”
When Rina remained silent, Frankie pinned her with a stare. “Right?” she asked again.
“Right. Right,” Rina said, hoping by verbalizing the words she’d feel them a bit more. “It’s just that he—”
“What?”
She winced. “I feel like I’m being disloyal when I say this, but Colin arouses feelings inside me that Robert never even touched. Physical and emotional.” Rina walked to the window and looked out into the snow-covered night. “And that scares me.”
“Why?” Frankie asked. “Because if a man did it for me like this Colin guy does it for you, then let me tell you, nothing could keep me out of his bed.” She cleared her throat. “I mean life. Nothing could keep me out of his life.”
Rina rolled her eyes, but unfortunately, Frankie’s point was dead on. “You know what scares me so much? The guy is a guaranteed wanderer. He’ll go when this is over.” She turned back to face her friend. That fact, which had originally made Colin the perfect man, now put Rina in a frightening situation.
“That just means you have to keep things shallow.”
“If it were that easy, I wouldn’t be craving chocolate-chip ice cream, now, would I?”
“I thought you’d never offer.” Frankie jumped up and headed for the freezer. “Ice cream is a girl’s best friend.” As she loaded up two bowls, she continued. “There’s no problem that I can see. From what you told me, it’s been two long years since you’ve indulged and you’re due for some male company. Keep things strictly superficial and you’ll be fine. No heartache, no hurt involved.”
Exactly what Rina had been telling herself. Unfortunately, everything about Colin was complicated and involved so much more than surface feelings. Before Rina could reply, the jarring ring of the phone startled her. No one ever called at this hour and Rina immediately thought of her parents in Florida. “One sec…” she said to Frankie, then grabbed for the phone. “Hello?”
“Hey, Rina.”
“Colin.” Relief settled over her that this wasn’t bad news.
“Mmm. Now this is where the night gets interesting,” Frankie said.
Rina kicked her in the shin. “Shh,” she whispered.
“Hi, honey. Listen, I needed to talk to you,” Colin said, his deep voice pulling at her in inexplicable ways.
With his use of the endearment, Rina’s mouth grew dry and her nerves kicked in. She lowered herself onto the couch beside Frankie, her legs suddenly unable to support her.
“Did I wake you?” he asked.
“No. I was just entertaining a friend,” Rina said, a little devil on her shoulder urging her to bait him.
Because though he’d left for a good reason, there were other ways he could have handled things. Especially afte
r how intimate they’d been minutes earlier. She wasn’t angry nor would she hold his ditching her against him. But why not make him wonder?
He cleared his throat. “I see. Well, I just called to make sure you got home safe.”
At his concern, her heart skipped a beat. “How’s Joe?”
“He had a ministroke. It shouldn’t affect him long-term, but it will slow his recuperation and therapy. The doctors are trying to stabilize his medication to prevent it from happening again.” He paused. “Thanks for asking.”
She heard the pain in his voice and softened, knowing how much he loved the older man. “But he’ll be okay?”
“This time. Rina, look. I’m sorry I left you.”
His husky voice traveled through the phone lines, bringing her arousal to life all over again, along with more wariness this time. “I understand.”
“Good. Then I won’t keep you. I’ll see you at work. ’Night, Rina.”
“Good night, Colin.” She hung up the phone and met Frankie’s curious gaze.
“Still unsure of him? Or is it yourself you don’t trust?” her friend asked too perceptively. “It’s obvious what you want from the guy and it’s equally obvious he’s interested. He cared enough to make sure you got home okay. Better than my date who left me on the sidewalk, and will probably never be heard from again.”
Rina rubbed her hands up and down her arms. “I need to take that leap of faith, don’t I?”
“No one can answer that except you.”
Frankie had a good point, and Rina stood up taller. “You’re right. What kind of example do I set for my readers or myself if I overreact and get crazy the first time a guy screws up?”
“I like what I’m hearing.”
Rina nodded. “So do I. I’m a woman of the new millennium. I know what I want and I know how to go after it.”
Frankie applauded and Rina bowed for her audience. But she hoped she could sustain the bravado come Monday morning when she faced Colin again.
CHAPTER SIX
I WAS JUST ENTERTAINING a friend. A day later, the comment still stung. After leaving Rina at a party, Colin supposed he deserved the barb. He didn’t think she was entertaining a man, but his jealousy had been aroused anyway. Which had probably been the point. He cursed himself good for letting himself take the bait.
He had an agenda regarding Rina, but it had been pushed to the back burner by real feelings he hadn’t anticipated. Jealousy? Damn.
He picked up the phone and called some smaller companies who advertised in the Times and was assured they’d continue to place ads. Then he made preliminary calls to add state and more in-depth national information to the wire service the paper already received. As it was, Corinne was printing what she called “need to know” headlines on an inside section of the paper. Colin jotted notes to contact Bloomberg for financial news and the possibility of acquiring national sports from the AP. Separating man from his sports? It was no wonder Corinne had lost much of her audience. From his perspective, everything was ready to go—should he be able to convince Corinne in time.
Of course, Colin’s changes would cost money, but he’d have to spend something to rebuild readership. Some of that cost could be recouped in Rina’s and Emma’s salaries, he thought guiltily.
“Good morning, Colin.” Emma strode into the office, too perky and happy for a Monday morning. Especially this Monday morning.
“Morning, Emma. I take it you spent yesterday resting up from your Christmas bash?” He folded his hands behind his head, happy for the distraction.
“Oh yes. I soaked in a tub, pampered myself and read a good book. I’m feeling completely refreshed, thank you. How was your weekend?” She put her purse in her bottom desk drawer as if she’d been here all her life and sat down in her seat.
“I spent yesterday with Joe.” And Corinne, but he wasn’t in the mood to even think about that now. He was starting to have conflicted feelings toward Corinne, brought on by her constant attention to Joe and his needs.
“Corinne tells me his prognosis is good. I’m so glad.” Emma clasped her hands to her chest. “No man should have to spend such a long time in a hospital. I think we should throw him a welcome-back party when he’s ready.”
This from the woman whose column was on the line and didn’t know it. Colin groaned, needing a reprieve from guilt, pressure and his own thoughts.
“Delivery,” a male voice called, pushing through the doors and entering the offices.
Colin turned to see a man, arms loaded with seasonal flowers.
“I’m looking for a Rina Lowell?”
A low growl escaped Colin’s throat at the same time a knot settled in his stomach. Had she had a man in her apartment after all?
“Oh, how exciting. Right here,” Emma said, pointing to Rina’s desk. Once the flowers were placed on the blotter and the delivery man gone, Emma turned to Colin. “You shouldn’t have.”
“I didn’t,” he said through clenched teeth.
Emma raised an eyebrow. “Oh dear.”
Before he could suggest peeking at the card and embarrass himself completely, Rina waltzed inside, a smile on her face, a flush on her cheeks and her hair tousled from the wind. He got a damn hard-on just looking at her.
“Morning, all.” She strode to her desk. “What’s this?”
“Flowers, of course,” Emma said.
Rina’s gaze darted Colin’s way for a brief second before she jerked her stare back to the bouquet. But he didn’t miss the hopeful glint in her eye and was able to relax. He stepped near her desk and leaned closer so only she could hear. “Sorry, babe. They aren’t from me.”
“I didn’t think they were.” She unwrapped the card and read silently, putting the small white envelope in her desk drawer when she was finished.
“So?” Emma asked. “Are you going to share the identity of your secret admirer?”
“They’re from Jake and Brianne. Congratulating me on my series starting.” Rina didn’t meet Emma’s gaze when answering, a sure sign something was wrong. But Emma didn’t pick up on it.
“That’s so sweet. Family’s wonderful. Speaking of relatives, I need to make a call and then get to work!” Emma swiveled in her chair, leaving Rina to get settled.
She moved the flowers to the side of the desk, dropped her purse into a drawer and began to unbutton her wool coat. Colin didn’t buy for one minute that her brother and his wife had sent those flowers, but she’d hid the identity of the sender more from Emma than him, which made no sense. He wondered about it for a minute, but when she slid her jacket off her shoulders, the world tilted and all rational thought fled.
Because beneath the oversize coat she wore a black blouse, saved from conservatism by a plunging neckline and a microminiskirt that emphasized her slender legs, which were covered only by sheer, nude-colored panty hose. At least he hoped they were panty hose, because if he caught a hint of a lace garter, he’d pass out on sight.
He strode over to her desk, grabbing her hand. “Come with me.”
“Where?”
“Coffee break,” he muttered, pulling her through the double doors to a stairwell. It wasn’t exactly prime office space, but it afforded the only means of privacy he could think of.
Not even the dank smell could dampen his desire or his need to get inside her, body and soul. Once alone, he backed her against the wall, propping one arm over her head. “Who really sent those flowers?” he asked, his baser male instincts coming through.
“You care?”
He rubbed his knuckles down her cheek. “I may have one hell of a way of showing it, but I do.”
“Stan Blecher sent the flowers,” she admitted.
“What the hell does the old man think he’s doing?”
“The obvious. Trying to make Emma jealous by paying attention to me.”
“And you don’t want to help his plan?”
Rina rolled her eyes. Men could be dense when it came to matters of the heart. “Of course I do. B
ut I don’t want to hurt Emma. She’s not just independent by choice, but rather by necessity. She’s afraid her son will put her in a home. If she lets herself get close to a friend of his, she fears the same result.”
“She said that?”
Rina shook her head. “Insinuated it. And I don’t want to be the one to push her into something she’s not ready for. Stan admitted he just wants Emma’s companionship, but until she can trust him, she’s not going to give an inch.” Which pretty well summed up any female who’d been hurt or disillusioned by a man, Rina thought.
“So you’re looking out for her.”
“That’s what friends do,” she murmured.
“That’s what special, caring people do.” His blue eyes bore into hers, causing warmth to blossom in her chest.
After working at her computer all day yesterday and late into the night, finishing this week’s column, Rina had had it with sweatpants. She’d had it with being alone and she no longer wanted to make Colin sweat. Not in a bad way, anyway. Saturday night was over, and so was her overreaction to Colin’s defection. Joe had been in the hospital. Case closed.
So this morning, she’d dressed with Colin in mind, seeking to grab his attention and not let it go. It had been a girlish impulse and she’d accomplished her goal. But as usual, Colin had more insight than she’d counted on. He’d looked beyond the physical, deeper than the packaging. He’d seen the woman beneath and obviously admired her.
He tangled his hands in her hair, the erotic tugging sensation rippling through her veins. His admiration and perceptiveness took her off guard. She wanted to keep her barriers high, but resisting him was impossible. And when he lowered his head for a deep, leisurely kiss, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back.
His lips were warm and provocative, taking possession and immediately setting her on fire. No big surprise there. Her tongue met his, swirling, seeking, demanding as much as he gave. And then his hands slipped to her thigh, his large palm branding her. “Do you have any idea what that short skirt does to me?”
“Why don’t you tell me?”
“Looking at those long legs makes me hard.” He deliberately brushed against her thigh, giving her tangible proof.
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