Page 151 of Her Defiant Warrior

Lainey ripped her hand away from Matt’s, then covered her mouth with both hands. Did she really just say that? What kind of codswollop, twaddle-minded idiot was she?

Matt burst out laughing. “That is wonderful. Did you really think that? I was pretty sure you thought I shouldn’t let the door hit me on the ass on my way out.”

Lainey slowly dropped her hands to the table. “Actually, I was thinking bottle rocket,” she whispered.

Matt chuckled again. “I like you, Lainey Simpson. I really like you. And so did my boss, Jada.”

“She did?”

“She absolutely did.”

“In that case, let’s break out the fernet. I haven’t tasted it. I hope it’s good.”

He winced. “It’s kind of an acquired taste, but whatever you don’t drink, I’ll finish.”

“Okay. It’s not like Jägermeister, Everclear, Moonshine or Absinthe, is it?”

“You’ve tried those?” He sounded surprised.

“I did go to school in the South. Clemson might not have been known as a party school, but I was in a sorority. It was kind of expected. I couldn’t get away with not attending some fraternity parties.”

“Shit, Lainey. You should have been more careful, drinking shit like that? You could have gotten into some dangerous situations.”

“I always had a sorority sister with me. That was a rule I took very seriously. And I always kept it to a two-beer maximum. And if I tried something wild, like those shots, I would only drink a sip or two. Heck, that was all I could really handle. That stuff was awful.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“But I do like lemon drop martinis. Those are really good.”

“Well, why don’t you make some coffee and I’ll open the fernet? But let me help you with the dishes first.”

It took her a moment to take in what he’d just said. There he was, all big and muscled, sitting at her table. She’d eaten with her father and brothers many times when it was just family and she’d cooked. Never once. Not ever, had they even offered to take their plates to the kitchen, let alone offer to help with the dishes.

“You don’t have to do that,” she assured Matt.

“You cook, I help clean. Them’s the rules.”

“O-o-okay.”

“I’ll clear the table while you start the coffee. Then I can load the dishwasher.”

When he took the plates into the kitchen, he shook his head again at the extension cord. He was going to have to help her get that taken down. What in the hell was maintenance going to think when they saw all the touch-up painting they were going to need to do? Actually, probably nothing. After all, they’d been called three times to reset her outlets. He grinned to himself.

“What are you grinning at?”

“Just how many flowers are in your living room. I didn’t realize how big the bouquets were going to be until I told the florist I wanted to spend the same amount on the daisies. When they handed me this big handful, I got an idea of how I might have overdone it. But then again, I did leave like my ass was on fire.”

“There was that,” Lainey agreed, with a twinkle in her eye. “Why don’t you just leave the dishes in the sink? The coffee’s ready, and I want to taste the fernet.”

“I like your sense of adventure. I would never have expected this from a banker.”

“Something tells me that even though you’re a scientist, you like to be challenged, and not just mentally. I bet you’re the type who likes adventure sports.”

“Busted,” he said as he took the two mugs of coffee from her. “I remember my abuelo telling stories about the old days. He was quite the adventurer himself. He made his living as a gaucho. But that didn’t stop him from going mountain climbing in the Andes.”

“Really?” Lainey’s eyes were wide. “Your grandfather was a cowboy and a mountain climber?”

“You know Spanish?”