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“That was a long time ago, girlfriend. If you think he’s sincere, and it sounds like he is, I think you should give him a chance. Get to know him better. Then, make your final decision.”
Callie knew Lauren was right. “We’ll see. I don’t think his wife likes the idea. She was polite, but there was something about her.”
Lauren put down her container of food and reached for a dumpling. “Were his children there?”
“Just my half-sister, Sara, who definitely does not want me around.” Callie didn’t mention Dylan, although she didn’t know why. Never in her life had she been so attracted to a man in the same way. Without intending to, her thoughts drifted to their day together. It’d been the first date-like situation she’d been in for a while, even if it hadn’t been a true date. But that wasn’t why it’d been so delightful.
Dylan had been easy to be around. He’d been funny and charming. She’d actually forgotten who he was and why they were together. Instead, it had felt as if she was just spending time with a good friend, an exceedingly handsome friend, who did crazy things to her insides.
Lord was he gorgeous. She couldn’t help but picture him that day on the beach. Don’t go there.
The picture stayed despite her orders. Disgusted by her lack of control, Callie pushed the partially full container of food away. Sitting and envisioning Dylan on the beach wasn’t helping her to sort out her feelings regarding Warren and his family. Rather, it only complicated the situation.
As if I need this to be any more complicated.
“Feel like going for a walk, Lauren?” Maybe some fresh air would help clear her head. If nothing else, it would help burn off all the extra calories she’d just consumed.
***
Three days had passed since Dylan jumped on the family’s private jet and headed back to New York City. During those three days, he’d thought of not only Callie but also his damn agreement with Phillips. If he’d honestly felt Callie was any kind of threat, he wouldn’t feel at all uncomfortable with keeping an eye on her or, better yet, having someone do it. However, despite his mother’s insistence that she be watched, he didn’t feel it was necessary.
Nevertheless, late Wednesday afternoon, Dylan found himself in front of her apartment door again. Earlier that morning, he’d flown into Boston. After a long and tedious business meeting, he’d checked into his hotel suite before driving to Slatersville.
Running his excuse for being there through his head one more time, Dylan knocked on the door. Immediately, he heard barking followed by Callie’s voice telling the dog to calm down.
As usual, she pulled the door open without asking who it was first. “Oh! Hey,” Callie greeted, her eyes wide. “Come on in.” She pushed open the screen door and took a step backward.
“I hope this isn’t a bad time.” He followed her into the kitchen. Today, all kinds of papers and a laptop computer covered the table.
Reaching for some papers, she quickly started to stack things up. “No, no. I was just about done with this.”
Dylan watched as she started to open her mouth to speak again, but then stopped and chewed her bottom lip instead. Automatically, he envisioned himself nibbling on her lips.
Back to reality. Stay focused. This is Warren’s daughter.
“I have some business meetings in Boston this week. Today’s ended a little early, so I thought I would stop in and see you,” he said, using the story he’d settled on earlier, a story that wasn’t complete a lie. Since he’d known he was coming to the area to check up on her, he had his executive assistant reschedule some meetings that he planned to attend in Boston next month to this week.
“Sunday, I had to leave suddenly, and I didn’t get a chance to see how things were going for you.” While it had sounded like a plausible excuse in his mind, now that he’d spoken it aloud, it sounded weak. Pathetic.
Callie didn’t immediately respond. Instead, her intense blue eyes held his gaze as if searching for something. Worried that she might learn something he didn’t want to share, he looked away.
“Good... okay, I guess. A little surreal, but I’m glad I went.”
Dylan watched as she spoke and continued to remove papers from the table. Although she was trying to appear calm, her rapid movements and haphazard manner gave away her true state.
“Do you want something to drink? A coffee or some lemonade? Or something to eat? I was just about to start cooking dinner.” The words rapidly tumbled out of her mouth, and she clutched her papers and books tightly against her chest like a shield.
Am I really making her nervous?
Though she hadn’t actually asked him to stay, he pulled out one of the colorfully painted chairs and sat down. It felt like the right thing to do. “Whatever you’re having. I was going to see if you wanted to go out, but home cooked is even better.” He’d originally planned to take her somewhere for dinner as an excuse to spend time with her. Staying here would work even better.
“Let me put this stuff away, and I’ll start cooking.”
Dylan let his eyes follow her as she walked down to one of two doors off the short hall to what he guessed was her bedroom. Without intending to, he thought how shapely and tanned her legs appeared that afternoon on the beach. Much to his disappointment, today her legs were completely hidden by a loose pair of gray yoga pants.
Thoughts of their day on the beach brought back memories of how soft her skin had felt when he’d rubbed sunscreen on her back. It had felt like satin under his hands. He wondered if the skin on the rest of her body was just as smooth and soft. Images of him peeling off her clothes to find out overtook him. Immediately, he felt his body respond.
Don’t. She’s not for you. Untucking his t-shirt to hide the evidence of his arousal, he hoped she didn’t notice the change when she came back. If she did, would she guess what prompted it? Talk about embarrassing. It wasn’t like he was a teenager who’d never been around a beautiful woman before. Hell, he’d dated lingerie models in the past.
