Most of the men she’d dated had taken exception to her being somewhat of a nerd and suggested she get contacts and change her style. She had no intention of allowing a man to dictate how she should look or dress, as if her glasses, conservative dress style and love of science didn’t make her an ideal candidate for romance. After one too many heartbreaks, she had decided to keep her focus where it belonged—on her career. She’d been fine doing that until now. Jeremy didn’t seem to mind any of those things that defined her. In fact, he said they turned him on. The man had made love to her with her glasses on both times and told her how sexy they made her look. Her body heated up just thinking about all the ways he’d cherished her.
Serita glanced at the time. She still had half an hour before dinner, so she spent some time checking her emails and doing a job search. She clicked on one from Gabby and laughed. Her friend had sent a message in all caps letting Serita know that she was still waiting on information about the date with Jeremy. Because of the time difference, Serita hadn’t had a chance to call, but she would tonight after dinner before hanging out later with Jeremy. She sent a quick email back to Gabby saying just that. The pediatric doctor’s office where Gabby worked closed at noon on Fridays, which would give them time to talk before it got too late. Then she scanned the job-listing site and saw a couple of promising opportunities. Although one in a small company indicated there would be a thirty-day trial period before deciding on a candidate, she applied for it anyway—along with another one—knowing she had the skills to handle anything they threw her way. Not seeing any other jobs she liked, Serita shut down the laptop and left for dinner.
She saw Caroline waiting by the entrance of the restaurant.
“Hi, Serita. I already checked in, so it should only be a few minutes.”
“Okay. Did you enjoy the conference?”
“I did. I learned so much and I’m kind of sad it’s over. But I won’t be leaving until Monday and can’t wait to tour the city without having to worry about hurrying back. When are you flying out?” Before Serita could answer, the hostess showed them to their table.
Once they were seated, she picked up the conversation. “I’m leaving Sunday morning. That gives me one more day to see the sights.”
Caroline’s eyes lit up. “We should do one of the bus tours tomorrow.”
“I already have plans, sorry.”
“Oh, that’s too bad.” She smiled and waved. “I hope you don’t mind, but I invited a couple of the guys I met at the afternoon session to join us.”
Yeah, Serita did mind, especially when both men looked as if they’d come straight from the bar. But she nodded politely when Caroline made the introductions. The server came to take their drink orders and Serita ordered a glass of chardonnay.
“Forget the wine,” one of the men said. “We need a bottle of your best champagne to celebrate the ending of another great conference.”
“Ooh, that sounds fabulous,” Caroline said.
Serita forced a smile. “No, thank you. You all are welcome to enjoy your champagne. I’ll just stick with my wine.” They proceeded to order a bottle of the most expensive sparking drink on the menu and she sincerely hoped they didn’t expect her to chip in to pay for it.
After the server departed, the other man, whose name had escaped Serita, said, “I attended your session. It was really good. You seem to have a lot of knowledge for someone so young.”
She wondered if he always handed out insults along with his compliments. “Thank you.” She picked up her menu. This dinner can’t end soon enough. Her dining companions launched into a discussion of the field and what they would like to see. Serita followed along but didn’t comment. The server returned with drinks and took the food order. Once again, the trio ordered several appetizers and expensive entrées. When the appetizers came out, she declined, citing wanting to save her appetite. Over the course of dinner, they ordered more champagne and Serita shook her head. They laughed loudly at bad jokes, drawing stares from diners at nearby tables and, more than once, Serita was tempted to toss her napkin down and leave.
Caroline took a sip from her glass. “Ron, this is the best champagne. Great choice.”
He toasted her with his glass and inclined his head.
“Serita and I were talking about taking a tour tomorrow. What do you guys say?”
“I’m in,” Ron said. “What about you, Evan?”
“Definitely count me in.”
Serita mentally counted to ten. She’d specifically told Caroline she had other plans. “You guys enjoy yourselves. As I told Caroline earlier, I won’t be available.” The chicken dish she had ordered was good, but her appetite had waned considerably. When it came time for dessert, she declined but had to endure until the bill came.
Evan picked up the bill. “Whoa. It’s a good thing we’re sharing the costs.”
Serita had always been considered sweet and demure, but when they suggested splitting the bill four ways, her inner Cali girl made an appearance. “I beg your pardon. I will not be paying for any part of your meals or the multitude of drinks and appetizers you all ordered. I didn’t even invite you,” she added, glaring at Caroline. She looked up at the stunned server. “Please separate my portion of the bill.”
The young man nodded and hurried away.
She sat there seething until he returned and placed the bill holder in front of her. She retrieved the money from her purse and included a tip. “Have a good evening.” She rose from her chair and stalked out of the restaurant without a backward glance. Serita didn’t stop walking until she got to the elevator. She jabbed the button and paced angrily. Of all the nerve! Did they really think she would contribute to the several-hundred-dollar cost of their meals? The elevator arrived and she moved aside to let the other people off before stepping inside and riding the car to her floor.
Inside her room, she took a couple of deep, calming breaths. Seeing that it was just after nine, she powered up her laptop and FaceTimed Gabby.
“Hey, girl. How’s it going?”
“It was fine until dinner tonight.” She related the incident. “They actually looked offended when I said I wasn’t going in on the bill.”
“It’s a good thing it was you instead of me. I probably would’ve told girlfriend she could have dinner with those guys by herself and gotten my own table. People have a lot of gall.” Gabby shook her head.
“I know. It takes a lot to get me upset, but I wanted to smack her. Then she told them we were hanging out tomorrow, when I had specifically said I had other plans.”
“Plans that, no doubt, include the mysterious Jeremy.”
“Yes.”
“Obviously, you two hit it off, since I haven’t gotten one call.”
Serita didn’t know how to explain how Jeremy made her feel. “He’s incredible. Almost too good to be true. We’ve been exploring the city together and he won’t let me pay for anything. On Thursday, he took me on a horse-drawn carriage ride, and it was the most romantic thing ever.”
She released a dreamy sigh. “Aww, it sounds incredibly wonderful. How does he kiss?”
“Who said he’s kissed me?”
Gabby gave her an incredulous look. “Girl, quit playing and answer the question.”
“Like he created the art.” A vision of his seductive kisses floated through her mind.
She laughed. “And memorable by the look on your face.”
“Very. He makes me feel so... I don’t know. Sexy, desirable.”
“Sexy? Hold up. I know you didn’t do the wild thing with a brother you just met.” Serita’s expression told all. “Okay, having dinner and exploring a city is one thing, but sleeping with him is something altogether different.” She blew out a long breath. “Sis, what do you really know about this guy?”
Serita understood Gabby’s point because she’d said the same thing to herself
more than once. “He’s intelligent, makes me laugh and treats me like a queen, despite just meeting me.”
She nodded. “I can get with that. Maybe he has potential.”
“And he lives in Sacramento.”
Gabby’s eyebrows shot up. “Seriously? That’s fantastic—it’ll make it easier for you guys to see each other.”
“He doesn’t know I’m moving back,” Serita said guiltily.
“What? Why not? You just said the man was fabulous.”
She scrubbed a hand across her forehead. “You know how my relationships end up.”
Gabby waved a hand and wrinkled her nose. “Those guys were idiots. Jeremy sounds like he’s the total opposite.”
“He is.” From what she’d seen so far, he impressed her as being a genuinely good guy, but she couldn’t help but wonder what would happen once they returned to reality.
“Has he said anything about wanting you guys to keep seeing each other?”
“He’s hinted around the possibility, but hasn’t come right out and said it. He knows I live in Reno and seems to be willing to make that drive, so...” She shrugged.
“You should tell him about the move. Who knows? He might be able to give you some information about jobs in the area.”
“True.” Serita hadn’t thought of that. “Maybe I’ll ask him tonight.”
Gabby grinned. “If you remember.”
She lifted a brow. “Why wouldn’t I remember?”
“If a man kisses like you say he does, I doubt you’ll be able to remember anything, including your name.”
Her friend had a point. Not only did Jeremy kiss like he’d invented it, he made love the same way. Yeah, she was in trouble. Big trouble.
* * *
Jeremy sat in his room, eating dinner and working on the design for a prosthetic hand that would closely imitate natural function. He wanted it to have a more natural feel and look, which was why he’d been so excited about Serita’s presentation. This was a personal project of his and he wondered briefly if she would consider working with him on it. He sat back in the chair. She elicited a spark in him he hadn’t felt in a long time, if ever. He still hadn’t asked her about them continuing what they’d begun, but he had one more day to do it. He hoped she would be receptive. Just thinking about her petite sexy self made him hard. With the prim and proper way she carried herself, he never would have expected her to be so uninhibited in bed. He suspected not many people saw that side of her, but he had enjoyed every moment. In and out of bed.
He finished his meal, set the plate aside and made a few more changes to his drawing. Just as he started, Christian called. He activated the FaceTime. “What’s up, Chris?”
“Hey. Just checking in with you about Nelson.”
“What about him?” Nelson Atkins had given his notice the day before Jeremy left for Madrid.
“Instead of leaving in three weeks, he came in this morning and said today is his last day.”
Jeremy muttered a curse. “Did he at least finish his part of the motion-control system like he promised?”
“Ah, that would be a no. Which is why I’m calling. I uploaded the open position to all the job sites we use and made sure to note it was a thirty-day trial to determine the best fit.”
“Thanks. I’m probably going to have to do some overtime to pick up the slack until we fill the position.” He had figured they would be able to hire a replacement before Nelson left to avoid disruption in their schedule.
“Hopefully, we’ll be able to find someone soon. I already have three applications. Also, I’m putting together a bid on another project.”
“It sounds good, but will it be feasible with the limited staff? I don’t want to put us in the position of having to work overtime to meet any deadlines.”
“Which brings me to my next topic.”
“What?” Jeremy asked warily. Chris had always been a go-getter, which was how he’d made his first million dollars at age twenty-two. He applied the same work ethic to their company.
“I’m thinking we should hire four for the trial and keep the two best. It would give us an extra person, so we could take on one or two more projects.”
He mulled it over. “Okay, but can we afford it?”
“I ran the numbers and we’d be good financially. And if we get this next contract, it would give us a fair amount of breathing room.”
“Alright. Let’s go with it.”
“How’s Madrid?”
He smiled. “It’s great. I met an incredible woman.”
Chris laughed and shook his head. “Are you still talking about being able to know on sight if the woman is for you?”
“Yes, and I think it’s her.”
His laughter faded. “What? Jeremy, you can’t be serious. I know you don’t believe that kind of thing really exists.”
“Of course I believe it. Why wouldn’t I?”
“Because...because... This is reality and not some fantasy romance that you read in books.”
“You don’t think you could meet a woman and feel like she’s the one you’ve been waiting for?” As crazy as it might have sounded, that was how he felt.
“No,” Chris said emphatically. “I think you’ve got a serious case of sexual attraction going on, nothing more.”
Jeremy laughed. “Yeah, that, too.”
“Oh, hell. You slept with her already?” He dragged a hand down his face. “Jeremy, this isn’t like you.”
“You’re right, which is why I know she’s special.” She stimulated his mind just as much as his body.
“If you say so. What’s going to happen once you come back home? I assume she’s not local.”
“She lives in Reno and I’m more than willing to keep getting to know her, but I won’t know how she feels about it until I ask tonight.”
“Well, I hope it works out. With the way things are today, you might want to proceed with caution. People aren’t always who they say they are. You almost need to do a full background check.”
Smiling, he shook his head. “I’ll take my chances.” He heard a knock. “Someone’s at my door.”
“Probably your mystery woman.”
“Yep.”
“I’ll talk to you later. Hit me up when you get back on Sunday.”
Jeremy nodded. “Later.” He cut the connection and went to open the door. His smile widened when he saw Serita standing there. “Come in, baby.” He bent to kiss her. “How was dinner?”
Serita rolled her eyes. “Ugh. I should’ve canceled. Caroline took it upon herself to invite these two guys to join us. They ran the bill up to several hundreds of dollars and had the nerve to suggest we split the bill.”
He smiled at her annoyed expression. “I take it you weren’t too happy about that.”
“You take it right. I wasn’t paying one dime more than what I ate.”
Chuckling, he pulled her into his arms. “See, if you’d accepted my dinner invite, you wouldn’t have had to deal with that kind of foolishness,” he teased.
“Tell me about it. Anyway, enough of that.” She backed out of his arms. “Are you working?” She pointed to his laptop, which still had mechanical parts displayed.
“A little bit.” He gestured to the chair. “Have a seat.”
She sat and picked up the mystery thriller on the desk. “I have this book, but haven’t had a chance to read it yet.”
He sat on the edge of the bed. “I just started it. How about we discuss it once you’re done? We can do it over a dinner date.”
Serita laughed softly. “So is that your way of letting me know up front?”
“Yep.” Jeremy figured this would be a good time to bring up his proposal. “I’ve really enjoyed spending time with you this week and I’m hoping we can continue once get home. I have no problem driving to Reno to see you.�
� He had his place in Tahoe, as well, and could see them spending a weekend there. However, he would rather do it before it got too cold and the snow started.
“I appreciate what you’re saying, but how do you know it’ll be the same or whether things will work out?”
“I don’t know, but I’m willing to find out.” What he did know was that this woman moved him like no other and he would do whatever it took to find out whether she was the one. “What do you say?”
“I would like to say yes, but you need to know that relationships don’t seem to work out for me.”
The tone of her voice gave him pause. Had she been hurt...and how many times? Jeremy left the bed, hunkered down in front of her and grasped her hands. “We’ve all had relationships that didn’t work out, but we won’t ever find the right one if we don’t keep trying.”
“True.” She appeared to be weighing his words. Finally she said, “Okay.”
Jeremy leaned up and kissed her, wanting to assure her that he would do everything in his power not to hurt her. He reached behind her, picked up his phone and opened the contacts. “Can you put your info in?”
Serita took the phone and started typing. As she handed it back, the cell rang.
He frowned. He rarely used his phone when he traveled out of the country to minimize costs and fees. Seeing his cousin Lorenzo’s name on the display made his frown deepen. “Can you excuse me a moment—it’s my cousin.” He hit the button. “Hey, Zo.”
“I know this is long-distance, so I’ll keep it short. Randi went into labor an hour ago and is in the hospital.”
Jeremy slowly rose to his feet, his heart pounding. “What do you mean she’s in labor? She’s not due for almost two months. What happened?”
“We don’t know. She called Ced from her office and told him she’d been having contractions and he took off. He just called to tell me they’re keeping her. He’s not taking it well.”
“How’re my parents?”
“Worried, but they seem to be holding up okay. My parents are here at the hospital, too.”
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