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Her story fascinated him. She seemed so laid back, not like a Type A personality at all. There was a simmering energy about her, though, a baseline alertness few people had. He could see her efficiently powering through her days, demanding more from herself than others did. “So you decided to hang up a shingle?”
“No, first I tried scaling down. I took a position with a small, family-run company. I ended up spending all my time doing customer service and all the unskilled tasks everyone else didn’t want to do.”
“Sounds like a waste of talent.”
“That’s what it felt like. I burned out fast. So I turned freelance. I still clock long hours, but with way more flexibility. Sometimes it gets the better of me, but it’s not all-consuming the way it used to be. I have a social life now. I can go on vacation.” Her tone became reflective. “Back then, I was in a fantastic relationship that went bust due to my schedule.” She fixed him with a curious stare. “I can’t believe you’ve been doing what you do for this many years without burning out.”
“I take time off when I need to,” he said, and drummed his fingers on the wheel. “Who was the guy?”
“Guy?”
“The fantastic relationship.” He pulled into a quiet street, avoiding the traffic circus he could see ahead and slowing down as he parked on the lawn of a family he’d been neighbors with growing up. He knew they’d recognize his car. If they bitched at him, he’d get them gift certificates to Emmender’s.
“Oh, Will. We were together for two years. Will was a nice guy. I took him for granted.” She sighed. “He fell in love with my roommate behind my back.”
“He cheated on you?” He shut off the ignition and turned to face her.
Christmas lights reflected off her silver nerdy glasses. Behind the lenses her eyes looked huge, thick-lashed and asking to be kissed shut while he slid in and out of her body.
“No, he waited to be with her until I caught on to what was happening and pushed them together. I told you, he was a nice guy.” She was fiddling with her phone. “This is them. Ayli and Will.” She handed him the phone. He glanced down at a way-too-good-looking brown-skinned dimpled guy with his arm draped around a curvy woman with electric blue hair and a glowing smile. “Cute, aren’t they?”
There was nothing cute about the mental image of the man in the picture making love to Paula. Which was insane. Jealousy was foreign to him. “Mm.”
“Is this the place?” She peered through the darkening twilight.
“No, I’m parking out of the way so we can leave when we feel like it. I probably should have ordered a limo.”
He didn’t add that if it were solely up to him, without the obligation to make an appearance, he wouldn’t go in at all. He’d stay out here and neck. He’d incline the passenger seat, part Paula’s purple coat, slide up that dark blue velvet skirt and spread her legs wide. Not forgetting first to pull down those silky midnight tights. Then his face would have free access to warm places to...neck.
He cleared his throat. “I’m glad he showed no taste.”
Her gaze hooked with his. “Taste?”
“Leaving you for another woman.” He handed her back the phone. “It means you’re available.”
He saw her mouth part, moist with the lip gloss. “I...I mean I’ve dated since then.”
“Anybody serious?”
“Sure. Sure, a few. Worst one was a white guy,” she pointed out. “Completely hung up on himself.”
A grin broke free, despite yet another disagreeable image of Paula with somebody not him. “You’re holding me responsible for your bad taste in boyfriends?”
“I hold anybody responsible who uses their looks to take advantage of people.”
“So that’s a compliment. You’re saying you like the way I look.”
She let out a laugh. “You are unreal.”
“You don’t like the way I look?” He shook his head as if confused, privately deciding he was addicted to Paula’s laugh. There was a strange feeling growing in him. Free and light-hearted, like the world was full of new possibilities.
It was an extremely inopportune thing to happen, not to mention dangerous. In just a few minutes he’d be having to mingle with his family and their clan of vultures. He didn’t need to relax; he needed to keep his guard up, or he’d find himself sucked into investing in his dad’s worthless business, dating a cold-hearted heiress, or worse.
And yet keeping his guard up was the last thing he wanted to do.
He hated to admit it, but it was starting to look like Paula had been right. Tonight was a mistake. He probably should have sacrificed his ego, resisted temptation, and stuck with Georgette. At least with Georgette, he wouldn’t be aching to get her alone.
Georgette was pure business. The only reason he’d invited her to spend the night had been because of the party the next day. He’d had no interest in being intimate with her. The last time they’d been to bed together had been over six months ago, and he didn’t miss it, hardly remembered it.
