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She turned her head on the back cushions and studied his face. “You’re smart.”
He raised both brows then brought them down fast pulling them together in a concentrated frown. “You’re right. I am. If my clean record doesn’t get me into the pearly gates of heaven then I’ll be sure to challenge Saint Peter to a calculus equation.”
She gave him a look that said, “smart aleck” then turned her attention back to her wine. “You don’t drink.”
His eyes shifted to the wine in his hand.
“I mean really drink. The heavy stuff.” She told him. “I think drinking wine is permitted.”
Nodding, he said, “All right, what else?”
Turning in her seat, she sat facing him. “You don’t swear. Well, much.”
His eyes locked with hers and he found he was having a hard time breathing. She was sitting closer than he realized. Over a sudden frog in his throat, he asked, “What else?”
“You don’t have illicit sex.” Her eyes devoured his face, examining every inch of his features. Enough to cause a corresponding response in his chest. He had to force himself to remain still and hold her gaze.
“Not yet.” He implied quiet
ly.
Whether she heard or not, he wasn’t sure. All he knew was that he had a desperate urge to reach out and touch her. Then she smiled and shook her finger at him. “I may have consumed too much alcohol and it has distorted my thinking, but I’m clear-minded enough to know better.”
“You do, do you?”
“Yes, Daniel, I do. You are a man who has urges just like any other. But you are also very gullible. There is a nice young and decent woman somewhere out there waiting for you.
She sighed and reached up to push his glasses into place. “Tristan Manning doesn’t have the decency to spare Audrey, but I do, Daniel. I couldn’t do that to you.”
He sighed inwardly feeling frustrated. He couldn’t really argue the point seeing as she believed she had his good intentions in mind.
“Will you help me get Tristan back?”
He blinked. It felt as if she had thrown a cold bucket of water on him. While they sat there staring into each other’s eyes, an emotional string drew them closer. He could feel it. He was certain she could feel it. Which explained why she was running.
With effort, he controlled the taste of vile in his mouth and the wrath burning behind his eyes. That was one thing he had forgotten about Sonya. She never gave up until she got what she wanted. It was obvious she wasn’t quite ready to give up Tristan. He had no idea how to convince her that she deserved better.
“How?”
Her green eyes turned pleading as she drew her legs up under her knees. “I can’t go alone this weekend.”
He frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“Tristan has invited us to his cottage for the long weekend.” She told him. “Maura will be bringing Patrick and Tristan will be chasing Audrey’s skirt the entire time.”
“What has that got to do with me?”
“Daniel, I can’t go alone. I would be the fifth wheel.” She beseeched him with her eyes. “I cannot be the fifth wheel. Please?”
Sonya searched his face, looking for the slightest inclining he would relent but only noticed a perturbed expression enter his eyes.
“You want me to come along and protect you from the unjust Tristan Manning?” Leaping to his feet, he slammed his glass down on the coffee table. “I don’t think so. You’ll have to learn to deal with it, since you know, you do work with both of them.”
Angry, she too leaped to her feet. “I don’t need your protection. That wasn’t what I was asking.”
He turned to glare down at her. “Then what?”
Her face softened. “It’s just so humiliating. I’ve made no secret of my attraction to Tristan. Then to have to spend an entire weekend with them and have everyone feel sorry for me is unbearable.”
