by Ava Miles
“Bull,” she said. “You looked at me as though I was public enemy number one earlier. I thought we were work colleagues…and friends.”
“Friends?” he asked. “Is that what we’re calling it?”
Her throat dried up. “Do you really want to talk about this?” Shit.
“Isn’t that why we’re both so keyed up?” he asked, frowning. “Let’s grab a drink and sit down like adults. I don’t care what your brother said. I’m having a half glass of wine. It won’t kill me.”
Her legs seemed rooted to the floor.
“Moira, if you’d pour a glass for each of us, I’d be much obliged.” He wheeled over to the couch. “I refuse to talk about this in a goddamn scooter.”
She watched as he maneuvered his body out of the chair and onto the cushions. Then, spurred into action, she jogged off for her glass, found him one, and poured more than a half glass of wine for both of them.
Setting the glasses on the coffee table, she sat down next to him, leaving a cushion between them. Her nerves stretched in the silence as he picked up his wine and drank deeply. Then he turned his body toward her.
“The fire…needs more wood,” she said, jumping up.
God, she was acting like an idiot. She took her time adding a log to the fire. Hoping her pulse would normalize, she grabbed the poker to rearrange the wood.
“Moira, the fire is fine. Sit down.”
His tone was commanding, sexy. Still, she took her time returning to the couch and situating herself. He studied her as she reached for her wine glass and took a sip.
“You’re nervous suddenly,” he mused, leaning back against the cushions. “You surprise me. Usually you’re all up in my face about things. Why not this attraction between us?”
Oh, dear Lord, he was really going to do this. Was she ready? Were they ready?
“I don’t want this to hurt my position at Artemis,” she said honestly. “We both know the dangers of…an office attraction.”
His chuckle sounded dark and humorless. “I’d rephrase that. We have an attraction that happens to coincide with working with each other. It makes all the difference in the world.”
“What exactly does that mean?”
“I’ve seen an attraction crop up between people over work items. A shared passion for something. Like wanting to win a government contract. The attraction you and I feel for each other would have happened outside of work. It just…is.”
She nodded slowly before taking another sip of wine. “Right.”
“I didn’t want to be attracted to you,” he said in a deep voice.
His stormy gaze made her stop breathing.
“I didn’t want to like you either,” he added softly.
She lowered her wine glass until it came to rest in her lap. “I didn’t want this either. It…doesn’t…we…”
“Yes?” he asked, moving closer to her with a great deal of effort.
Should she scoot away? Suddenly she was unsure of everything. In her professional life, she always knew what to do, always knew what she wanted, but now she felt adrift. All she knew was that the attraction neither of them had asked for was very real.
“My career is one of the most important things in my life. I don’t want anything to mess that up.”
He shifted to make his casted arm and leg more comfortable. “I feel the same way. It’s not like it can go anywhere, if that makes you feel any better. Once your brother says I’m ‘healed,’ I’m going back to Virginia and my crazy schedule. This would only be an interlude.”
She found herself wetting her lips in the face of his intense gaze. “If it’s going to be so short, then why pursue it? From where I’m sitting, there aren’t as many pros as there are cons.”
“There’s an expiration date, sure, but that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be enjoyable,” he said. “Even though I’m technically laid up, it could still be fun.”
He was talking about sex. Her lungs seized up. Of course, she’d thought about it. Wanted it. Wanted him. But was she really willing to go through with it? She’d never had a relationship that was mostly sexual.
“We’d have an agreement about remaining friends and professionals, something I think both of us can handle.” He reached for his wine and took a drink. “Once I leave Dare Valley, it’s not like we’ll see each other that often. Maybe once a month at best, and even then, I’ll be interacting more with Evan than with the center.”
But he was on the board of directors for Artemis, she thought. And there would be meetings. More parties like the fundraiser. They would continue to see each other.
“I don’t know,” she said honestly.
“In your shoes, I wouldn’t be sure either,” he said, clenching his good hand in his lap. “Plus, I’m not my usual self. That’s something a smart woman would take into consideration.”
He might have a concussion, but she didn’t think he’d let a couple of casts get in the way. She gripped her glass. “If we did anything, no one could know. Not Evan, for sure.”
“Evan already sees the attraction between us,” Chase said. “He knows me. I…it’s been a long time since I’ve been interested in a woman like this. Like you.”
Chill bumps broke out over her arms. “How long and what do you mean ‘like me?’”
He reached for his glass and took another drink. “Since… It doesn’t matter. All you need to know is that my attraction to you is unique. If yours is that way for me, then maybe we do something about it.”
“Or maybe we run in the opposite direction,” she said.
“You don’t strike me as that kind of woman,” he said, meeting her eyes. “The Moira I’m attracted to, the Moira I like, is the one who skis down a dangerous hill to help an injured man because she didn’t want him to be alone. She’s the woman who always speaks her mind and doesn’t take shit from anyone, especially me when I’m being a bad patient.”
She could feel herself softening from his words as much as his steady gaze.
“And she’s the woman who looks so beautiful and uncertain in the light of the fire right now,” he said softly.
Oh, she was a goner when he talked like that.
“You swear we’ll be okay?” she asked, wetting her lips. “Work and friends?”
The corners of his mouth tipped up. “Yes. I swear. No one will hear about it from me. I’ll assume the same for you since you’re the one with all the siblings and cousins in town. I’ve already been warned about Jill’s…what did Evan call it? Rambunctiousness?”
“Jill is definitely…high-spirited.” Crap, he had a point. No one kept a secret in her family. How was she supposed to do that here?
“Why don’t you take some time to think about it?” he said, reaching for her hand with his good one.
Sparks shot up her arm, leaving a trail of heat. “Maybe I need an example of how this is going to work with you…all laid up.” Gosh, had she just said that?
His mouth curved. “I like a woman who asks for proof. I’m a cynical man myself. How about a kiss? One all-in kiss? That should be self-explanatory. Afterward, we’ll be completely honest with each other.”
The idea had merit. “I haven’t played truth or dare since I was in junior high.”
“Are you in or out?” he asked.
She took a deep breath. Was she crazy? “In. Evan would approve. He’s always talking about testing things.”
Chase laughed. “Let’s forget about Evan right now. Come closer to me. I hate being plastered up, but one thing is certain. My lips aren’t impaired.”
No, indeed. She turned her body to face him, and he brought his good arm up to fit around her waist and tug her closer.
“Come here, Moira.”
Seductive words. His kiss had better live up to it. With his two casts, the whole thing was a little awkward. She scooted until she was flush against him. Normally on a first kiss, she wouldn’t be this close.
As his lips lowered and touched hers, she knew it was going to be goo
d, really good.
Heat gripped her belly, and she couldn’t breathe. While his good hand was firm around her waist, his lips were soft and teasing. Playful, if she were asked to analyze it. Then he kissed the right side of her lips and teased the corner with his tongue.
Suddenly, his lips were as firm against hers as his hand was around her waist.
She relished it.
Leaning in, she placed her hands on his chest, enjoying the play of muscles there, as their mouths opened and connected. That was the best word for it. She grew lightheaded as their tongues met and twined.
When he cupped her face to change the angle of the kiss, a soft moan escaped. He seemed to like that, taking the kiss deeper, wetter. Her heart rate increased, and from the pounding she felt in his chest, so did his.
He sucked on her bottom lip, causing everything south of the Equator to go haywire, and she fought the impulse to crawl into his lap. Things were getting out of control.
She made herself edge back and stared at him, panting.
His eyes had darkened to a smoky gray, but it was the intensity in them that caused her to shiver. He wanted her.
She understood. She wanted him too.
“From that demonstration,” she said, trying to keep things light, “it seems like exploring this briefly might be worth it.” Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.
His brow rose. “That wasn’t very honest of you.”
“It wasn’t?” she asked.
“That was a hot kiss,” he said with a knowing smile. “Especially for the first time.”
He was preening. “Since you’ve been laid up like a mummy, I’ll ignore your arrogant assessment and simply agree. It was a great kiss.”
“It was better than great,” he said, giving her a pointed look. “Admit it.”
“Jeez, is it always going to be like this? With you pushing for more?”
“I only push when I’m right,” Chase said, settling back on the couch. “That kiss was even better than I expected it would be.”
It was pointless to argue when she agreed. “Fine. Now what?”
“You should go home,” he said, taking her hand. More sparks showered through her. “Take more time to think things through. I want you to be sure you’re okay with this. Moira, I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“Why would you think that?” she asked. Unable to think clearly with him touching her, she pulled her hand free. “I own my own feelings.”
“For some people, it’s easy to fall in love when they—”
“Make love?” she asked, trying to remain neutral. “Not you, though?”
He shook his head. “Sex has always been sex for me. I don’t do love.”
“But you were married once,” she said, surprised. “Surely—”
“I had a genuine affection for my ex-wife, but I didn’t love her,” he said, looking off into the fire. “She didn’t love me either. We both knew what we were getting into. I was wrong to think that kind of an arrangement was going to work.”
Arrangement? “I don’t understand.”
“Trisha knew I was on the fast track to become one of the most powerful executives in the U.S., even the world. I needed a wife who could fulfill the roles required for that position, everything from being a good hostess to looking good on my arm. She was smart and powerful and knew how to be an asset.”
Moira had heard of such matches, but had never met anyone who’d experienced one personally. “You don’t believe two people can marry for love?”
He turned his head slightly, but not far enough that she couldn’t see his locked jaw. “I believe it’s right for many people. Just not me. The price of having that kind of relationship is too high for some.”
Something had happened to him to make him believe that. Maybe whatever past Evan kept cryptically referencing. “My parents weren’t always happy, and I’m glad my mom finally left my dad. She’s happier than she’s been in years. But I’ve seen people truly love and support each other. It’s a beautiful thing.”
She thought of how much her brother Andy had loved his first wife. Her death had devastated him, but he’d eventually moved on with his childhood best friend, Lucy. She had so many of examples of supporting, loving relationships in her life, and she was grateful for it.
“Some people are luckier than others,” Chase said, turning to her. “And now I think you should go home. If you want to pursue this, come over after work tomorrow. We can have dinner. I’d ask you out to a restaurant, but clearly I’m not in a position for that right now.”
His hair had fallen across his forehead, making him look boyish in a way she imagined he wouldn’t like. She had the odd urge to brush it aside. “All right, I’ll go home and see how things settle.”
“After that kiss, I have high hopes for how things might settle. Good night, Moira.”
She realized he couldn’t walk her to the door, so she stood, gazing down at him. The firelight highlighted the strong frame of his body, the breadth of his shoulders.
“Good night, Chase.”
When she let herself out the front door, she realized how much she was looking forward to kissing him tomorrow night.
It looked like she’d already decided.
Chapter 13
Caroline eyed the newest painting in the Leggett Gallery’s collection. The famed Southwestern artist, Milo Francovich, had sent them a brilliant landscape of the Sonoran Desert. Unlike his other rugged landscapes, this one showcased a starry night during a full moon. The outlines of cacti against the dark flats looked more like dish antennas, Milo’s play on the encroachment of technology in nature. An environmental activist, Milo was concerned about the spread of satellite stations like the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Center in the Mojave and beyond.
“It’s pretty good,” she heard a male voice say behind her.
She jumped. The painting had so drawn her in she hadn’t heard anyone enter the gallery. Turning around, she gaped. “J.T. Merriam.”
He smiled immediately, the rugged planes of his face softening. “You recognized me. Hello, Caroline. I decided to swing by in person to introduce myself after your uncle told me you were open to speaking with me. I thought it might also help you forgive me for the horrible mud incident. Uncle Arthur told me you remembered. I’m really sorry about that.”
The shock of his presence jarred her as much as his good looks did, but there was no denying he was a feast for the eyes—even more so in person. With wheat-colored hair, mischievous green eyes, and a camel-colored wool coat trailing down to his knees, he did indeed look like a European model.
“You flew all the way from Rome?” she asked. “That’s quite—”
“Impetuous?” he asked, flashing her another smile.
Oh good heavens, he has a dimple. She was a sucker for men with dimples. “Well, yes.”
He took his gloves off and slid them into his pockets. “I had another meeting, one I didn’t feel I could do over the phone. It’s with Evan Michaels. I believe you two are acquainted. He tells me your sister, Moira, is working for him at Artemis.”
Now she was really off balance. “Yes, she is. I—”
“I’ve thrown you a little by showing up like this, haven’t I?” he asked. “Can we chat? I don’t see too many people milling around the gallery right now.”
“Wednesday is usually a slow day, so it’s just me here. Would you like to sit down? I can make you some coffee.”
“Coffee would be great. If someone comes in, we’ll just take a break and start up again once they leave. How much for Milo’s newest, by the way?”
He was already taking his coat and scarf off and hanging them over his arm. She noted the fine navy wool suit underneath, paired with the bright white shirt and gray tie. The man had an ideal body for fine clothes. Not super built, but lean and muscular.
“Let me stow your coat, J.T.,” she said, holding out her hand. “I’ll be right back with your coffee.”
“I can hang up my coat and help
make the coffee,” he replied. “I’d offer to take you to a cafe, but you’re the only one here.”
She wished it were otherwise. “I wouldn’t feel right closing the gallery.”
“Of course not,” he said, flashing her that winning smile. “You didn’t tell me how much the Milo was.”
“Oh, right,” she said, feeling the need to hold onto one of the gallery beams while talking to this man. “It’s twenty-three thousand.”
“Sold,” he said with a playful wink.
She was sure her mouth had opened a fraction. Sure, some people paid outright—a rare few—but usually they tried to negotiate with her on the price, which she had leeway on. “Are you serious?”
“Completely,” he said. “If you ask my siblings, they’d say I horse around, but never about art. I like the painting. The theme of it appeals to me. As someone who runs part of an oil company, I deal with my own struggles about how technology interrupts the flow of nature. Oil rigs don’t look too different than parabolic dish antennas at night, do they?”
Parabolic what? Who was this man?
He took her elbow. “Is your break room in the back?”
Was he leading her? She needed to get control of herself. “Yes. The coat room is there as well.”
She showed him where to hang his coat, but he didn’t follow her. Instead she looked over to see him touching the fabric of hers. “Ah…what are you doing?”
His smile lit his eyes. “You like cashmere. I like a woman who likes cashmere. I’m an unapologetic clothes whore after living in Rome for the last ten years.”
She felt a ping of attraction race down her spine. “Where did you live before Rome?”
“Stanford University,” he said, shutting the coat closet.
She wanted to kick herself. Hadn’t she read that in her research? “Of course.”
“I was finishing my MBA,” he continued. “Never room with your twin brother. Total mistake. Trev and I decided to stay close to home so we could see the rest of the family on the weekends.”
