Sweet Sal wasn’t going to get him out of this mess. As tempting as the Dulce de leche cake with the drizzle of caramel over the top was, he needed to stew on this decision more before committing one way or another.
“Maybe later.”
Her lips screwed into a frown, and she put the box back on the seat behind her. “You’re a hard nut to crack, Anderson.”
“It’s not my nuts that are hard, Campbell.” He lifted an eyebrow in her direction and smiled as her cheeks went from her usual pale ivory to a slight blush.
“Is that what it’ll take to get you to agree? You want sex?”
“Hell, no.” He tried to keep his eyes on the road while simultaneously glancing over to see if she was joking.
“Wow. Thanks for turning me down with such enthusiasm.” Her arms crossed over her chest, and she faced the window.
He couldn’t seem to win. “That’s not what I meant.” His fingers reached for her hand but she clasped her arms even tighter.
Her head swiveled his direction. “Sounded pretty sure about it to me. What exactly did you mean, then?”
Suddenly feeling a little hot under her glare, he pulled his shirt away from his body to get the air moving. This right here was why he’d never felt the urge to settle down with someone. He couldn’t even hold a conversation, much less build a life around an unpredictable, complicated woman.
“I meant you don’t need to promise me sex to get me to do something for you. Just let me think about it.”
“Fine.” She unclasped her arms and typed on her phone.
“You all right?”
“Yeah. I’m letting Teddy know where I am. Sounds like they’re having a great time without me.”
“Reagan?”
“Yeah?” She turned toward him, her fingers pausing on the keypad.
He swallowed hard, not wanting to come off too sappy, but hoping to smooth over their exchange. “I’m having a great time with you.”
She snorted. “Yeah, every guy’s dream. Let’s see, because of me you’ve been strip searched, bled on by a stray dog, delayed for God only knows how long—”
“Because of you I’ve had fun.” As the words left his mouth, he realized how much truth there was behind them. He’d experienced enough thrills in his lifetime to make an adrenaline junkie jealous: bungee jumping over a gorge in New Zealand, swimming with sharks in Belize, cliff diving in Acapulco.
But none of those experiences made him feel like he did around Reagan. Being with her gave him a sense of peace he’d been unable to find as he trekked around the globe. It felt like, geez, at the risk of sounding like a complete cheeseball, being around Reagan made him feel like he’d finally found a place to call home.
Her phone rang, disrupting the moment, and she glanced at the screen. “It’s Teddy. I’ve got to get this.”
He put both hands on the wheel and focused on the highway ahead while he listened to her end of the conversation. More last-minute details to work out. Reagan flipped through her notebook and rattled off answers to each one of Teddy’s questions.
Zach tuned her out and let his mind ponder potential solutions to his dilemma. Shouldn’t be too difficult. He figured he had two choices. Option number one: politely decline the job, drop Reagan off in Miami, and get on with his life. Scazzoli would rat him out and he’d have to work a few more years to save up enough to invest in a place of his own. Option number two: take the job, sell the photos, and get out of town before Senator Campbell wrung his neck.
As he made a mental tally of pros and cons for each, a third possibility materialized. He could take the pictures, enjoy the wedding, and tell Scazzoli to go fuck himself. That would leave him short of the cash he’d need to start up his shop, but it would also leave him on good terms with the Campbell family. He might even earn brownie points with the senator if he warned him the press was onto him about the affair. Would that wipe the slate clean between them and give him a shot of seeing where things might go with Reagan?
He cast a side glance at Reagan, who was still on the phone with her brother. Staying in her good graces for a little bit longer made the most sense. That would give him a chance to figure out what the damn twinge was trying to tell him. Spending a few more days with her was the only option that appealed to him. He nodded his head along with the beat from the bass flowing from the tiny speakers. Decision made.
Next up, should he tell her right away or make her squirm? She tossed a tentative smile his way. Squirming, he decided. There would have to be lots of squirming involved.
Reagan hung up the phone as they crossed from Georgia into Florida.
Zach beeped the horn when they passed the “Welcome to Florida” sign.
“Doesn’t look much different than Illinois.” She looked out the window at the scrubby grass and weeds along the shoulder and the tall maple and oak trees.
“Wait until we get closer to Miami. You ever been there before?”
“Once. A quick corporate visit to the hotel. Too bad I don’t have more time to check it out.”
“Maybe we can come back someday.”
Her heart skipped a beat at the thought of spending time anywhere with Zach. “Yeah, right. How often do you get back to Chicago?”
“Two or three times a year. But you could meet me in Miami. Or even Key Largo. I have a show coming up there next month.”
Reagan blew out a long breath. “Sure. I’ll just hop on a plane and fly on down.” Her tone conveyed so much sarcasm, she almost tasted the bitterness in her mouth. If only she could casually book a last-minute flight and meet a friend, or a friend with benefits, for a long weekend. Even the thought of being airborne sent tsunami waves of nausea rolling through her midsection.
“It could happen.”
“You and I don’t have a future, Zach. You’re a traveling photographer. I’m terrified of flying. My dad is going to be launching a national campaign. I’ll probably be standing by his side for the next eight months. That’s where I belong—the dutiful, supportive daughter. That’s who I have to be.”
“Doesn’t sound like that’s what you want. When do you stop living your life for your dad and start living for yourself?”
“Some of us have obligations and can’t hop around the world from party to party.”
“Is that what you think I do?” He chuckled. “I have a lot of fun, but I also work hard at my job.”
She hated that she sounded like such a bitch. But the thought of him being within a fifty-foot radius of anyone in a bikini turned her insides a horrible shade of green. Jealousy had never been a problem for her before; but then again, she’d never really had anything or anyone to be jealous about.
“I know you work hard at what you do. You just don’t get it.”
One of his shoulders lifted in a half shrug. “At least I live for myself. I can be me, not someone my dad defined.”
“Lucky you. You’ve figured out the key to lifelong happiness.”
“You should try it sometime.”
“Try what?” She squinted at him.
“Being true to yourself. Not living your life measured against your family’s standards.”