He raised an eyebrow. “Tough? I thought I was a boring banker?”
She laughed. “No, you didn’t and neither did I.”
His arm tightened around her shoulders and he looked down into her eyes. “Not even for a minute?”
“Nope. Not even for a minute.”
He shrugged. “The banking world isn’t as stodgy as it used to be.”
“Maybe not, but …” What was she doing? She appreciated him not pressing her for details she didn’t want to give, so why was she pushing him? “What do I know?”
“Okay. So why law? And why IP law, of all things?”
“Revenge.” It came out before her brain had time to censor her mouth. Shit!
He raised an eyebrow, and she breathed a sigh of relief when he chuckled. “And let me guess. You’re not going to elaborate on that either?”
She shook her head adamantly. “I know you’re not going to forget that I said it, but I wish you would.”
“Fair enough. Let’s get back on neutral ground then, huh? What’s your favorite color?”
She laughed and looked up into his eyes. “Blue.”
He laughed with her. “Flattery will get you everywhere with me, baby.” He drew her to him and kissed her. She loved the way he kissed her, the way his arm felt around her, and the way his fingers felt as they stroked her neck. She could happily kiss him for hours—and not just because it was so much easier than talking.
When he finally let her come up for air, he still held her close. “That’s something we have in common.”
She gave him a puzzled look, not understanding.
He looked deep into her eyes. “Blue’s my favorite color, too.”
He was only playing with her, but the warm and fuzzy feeling was back in her chest. If she were someone else, someone less complicated, she could fall for him so easily.
~ ~ ~
When Ryan woke on Saturday morning, he stared up at the ceiling. He shouldn’t be here. He shouldn’t have brought Leanne here. He rolled onto his side to look at her. She was so damned beautiful. Her face was relaxed in sleep. Her hair spread around her on the pillow. He had to resist the urge to lean down and kiss her, to wake her up and take her again. It seemed he just couldn’t get enough of her. It was less than forty-eight hours since he’d told her that he wasn’t looking to get matched—just to get laid. And now he couldn’t even count all the times that he’d had her. At his place, on the sofa, in the shower, in his bed.
Even when they’d gone to her place for her to pack a bag yesterday morning, he’d followed her into the bedroom. He hadn’t intended to get her under him again. His intention had been to check out her underwear drawer. He almost believed her that she was the kind of girl who only wore thongs and lacy things, but he wanted to be sure. He’d made a joke out of it, looking over her shoulder as she packed. She’d known he was suspicious and had turned it around on him. Emptying the whole drawer out, holding little scraps of lace up to his face, then modeling them for him. Of course, they’d ended up in bed. He was hard again just thinking about it. But instead of reaching for her, he slipped out of bed.
In the kitchen, he started the coffee brewing and then checked his phone.
His heart sank when he saw that he had two texts from Callahan.
The first one had come in at eleven-ten last night. He and Leanne had been in bed by then.
Check in, Brady.
The second had come in at six-fifteen this morning.
You’re off script.
He blew out a sigh. He could hear the tone of his superior’s voice—even though there were only three words—and they were written.
He stared at the screen, wondering what to say. Then tapped out a reply.
Is it so unlikely that a guy would meet a girl and want to hook up?
He glanced over at the coffee pot, needing some caffeine to go with this conversation.
No. Hooking up is fine. Romantic weekend away? Not so much.
It wasn’t a … Ryan scowled. At least, he hadn’t intended for it to be a romantic weekend away. More of an extended hookup.
And your hesitation in answering tells me that’s what this is.
Ryan didn’t even bother to argue. Callahan seemed to know him better than he knew himself. He just waited to see what he’d have to say about it. Would he order him back to the city? Would he go if he did?
Make the most of it, Ryan. I want you back here on Sunday evening.
That was better than he’d expected.
And when you tell her goodbye, it has to be goodbye.
That was more like it.
I know. It will be.
He hit send then set his phone down and went to pour himself some coffee, wondering why he felt so bad. Callahan hadn’t said anything he didn’t expect him to. He already knew that this weekend was all he’d get with Leanne. Hell, he’d even been upfront with her about that.
He shrugged and took his mug to stand in front of the window and look out at the huge trees looming in the morning fog. Leanne was amazing. She was beautiful, smart, funny. She was all the woman he could handle—maybe more. But he didn’t need a woman. Wasn’t looking for one—and as Callahan had just reminded him, he couldn’t have one even if he were.
He’d known that going into the job. He could screw around as much as he liked as long as it wasn’t ever the same woman twice. He smiled to himself. He’d sidestepped that rule with Leanne by getting a whole weekend with her. His smile faded. Once they got back to the city, it’d be over. It was going to be tough to work with her and Dan and not want more, not want to see her again, to sleep with her again. But tough was a relative term. In the grand scheme of things, it was no big deal.
He turned at the sound of movement in the bedroom. She was awake, then. He poured her a mug of coffee and went to join her. The drinks would probably be cold by the time he’d said good morning, but he didn’t want to waste a minute of the little time they had left.
Chapter Eight
Present day.
Leanne drained the last of her Jack Daniels, wishing that she’d asked for three. But then she hadn’t known that she wasn’t going to have to drive. And she sure as hell hadn’t even imagined that Ryan—or Dan—would remind her of that first weekend they’d spent together. She caught herself smiling. It’d been the best weekend of her life up to that point. Before she’d met Ryan, she’d had a pretty rough life. For a while there, he’d made her feel like the bad times were behind her.
She risked a peek at him, and of course, he caught her. He gave her a rueful smile. He looked like he was going to say something, but he stopped himself.
She picked up her magazine and put it back in the seat back pocket. They’d be starting the descent soon and she really had to pee. She hated having to ask him to move but there was nothing for it.
She unfastened her seat belt, hoping that might give him the hint. It didn’t.
She picked up her purse and turned toward him. “Can I get out?”