His face brightened. He looked so cute he made her knees weaken. “I have simple tastes, too. Take me to a good burger place, Jane. Are there any out-of-the-way grease haunts around here? I miss Harvey’s in Toronto.”
“We have the White Spot. It makes Harvey’s look sick.”
“Bite your tongue, lady.” He laughed softly and loosened his silk tie, revealing a smooth, deliciously tanned throat. “Now you have to take me to White Spot. I have my curiosity roused, and when that particular part of me’s aroused it got to be game over for anything else. Want to go fill our boots? I’m starved.”
“I really can’t, Rob--” He stared at her mouth for a long moment. “What? Is my lipstick smeared?” she asked.
“No, but the night’s still young. You’ve been saying my name. Not Mr. Murphy. Rob... and I like the way it sounds, Jane.”
She looked down at her hands, resisting the urge to chew her thumbnail like a dumbstruck schoolgirl.
“Trust me. Just a burger and I’ll take you home.”
Riley bit her lip. What could it hurt? She was starved, too. “Okay... I will go for a burger with you, but I want to take a cab back to the Connors’ place--”
He stared at her for a long moment and nodded. “We’ll do whatever you like.”
“Meet me at the front door in ten minutes.”
“We could--”
“Separately, please.”
He showed her the flats of his large palms in mock supplication. “Whatever you say, Jane. I know when not to push my luck.” He started to turn, then gave her a wink over a wide shoulder. She watched him stride away--not quite a strut--hands shoved deep in his pockets so it drew even more attention to a perfectly shaped backside.
Oh, damn, she groaned to herself. Why did he have to be so sexy? If he was a plain old normal guy she could be casual friends with him, but looking the way he looked, being rich and eligible, people were going to assume that she was looking at him the way a woman looked at a potential mate--
All she could expect would be a part-time lover.
God forbid, but it did sound so damned good. The thought of being in those strong arms for a night. Peeling off those expensive clothes item by item to reveal the glorious male form beneath--
She felt a sudden pang of longing deep in her belly and breasts. She wanted him. There was no denying it.
Four
The man liked to eat. And Riley liked that. Men who were afraid of fat and a few calories seemed prissy to her. She knew he probably normally ate for good health and worked out religiously with that body, but it was nice to see a guy licking Triple-O burger sauce off his pinky finger. “God, that was good,” turning to look at her in the front seat of the car, a satisfied grin from ear to ear. “How was your milkshake?”
“Delicious,” she said truthfully. She was at that point in the vanilla shake where it was melting and slightly thin. She loved that.
“I think I just may steal some of your fries.”
She covered the paper container with the flat of her hand. “No way, Murphy. People who do that find themselves minus a finger or two.”
He laughed. “You’re ruthless when provoked, aren’t you?”
Riley set down her authentic metal milkshake cup. “You should turn on your headlights now. I used to work here as a kid. It takes forever to get one of the carhops to come to life and get the tray; the place closes at twelve.”
“Then you’ll just have to let me finish your fries.”
Riley laughed, pushing over the paper dish. “Okay. Fine, Robert. You go for it.”
“Did you put vinegar and pepper on these?” Rob asked, grimacing after a few.
“I did. It was survival of the fittest where I came from. You had to do that so other kids wouldn’t take them.” She’d just stuck her foot in her mouth. Thank God it seemed to go over his head.
He took another fry and bit into it. “It’s not that bad, really, if you ignore the sogginess. How old were you when you worked here?” he asked.
“I worked here when I was seventeen, until I quit at nineteen. I worked after that as a cocktail waitress in a club. Frankly, I liked this job a lot more.”
He gave a slight nod. This man couldn’t possibly know what it felt like to juggle two, sometimes three, go-nowhere jobs, to have no exciting future to speak of--unless it was going to come by divine intervention.
“What’s your field now? Do you have formal training?”
“I’m trained as an occupational therapist. I got my degree a little over a year ago after my friend Annika’s father had a stroke. I used to go visit him in the hospital and I got hooked. Being a companion to Mary is my first job since school.”
“What exactly does an occupational therapist do?”
“Well... there’s this sort of lame joke that explains it. How many occupational therapists does it take to change a light bulb?”
“Don’t know.”
“None. We teach the light bulb to change itself.”
Robert smiled. “Good one. That explains it very clearly. So... you’ve got a good job, a career you love--I assume that’s the case. What’s next, Jane?”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re pretty young.”
“If pushing thirty-two is young, I guess I am.”
“Do you see someone? Is there a future husband in your life? Kids. All that stuff?”
“I don’t know. There are some other things I have to take care of in my life before I can think about dating and future kids and things like that. I’m looking for someone I lost a long time ago.”
He stared at her for a moment, his lips parting. She’d probably gone too far, blurting things she usually kept private. His sudden silence was a little perturbing. “A man?” he asked.
“No!” She laughed. “God, no. I’ve never lost a man I wasn’t glad to be rid of.”
“That’s brutal.”
“It’s true.” Sort of true.
“You don’t stay friends with old boyfriends?”
“I don’t like this line of questioning. I’m not a nun. I see men from time to time. No one steady at the moment. I have male friends, one in particular.”
“Oh... Okay. Well, that’s good to hear because I was thinking that you’re single because you are a nun, or gay, or maybe the men around here are blind idiots.”
It was such an outrageous thing to say that Riley couldn’t help but laugh. Fortunately the carhop came back just then to take the tray and she didn’t have to talk about her lack of male companionship any longer.
“So, what is it that keeps you so busy that you can’t set aside time to find the right man? Are you a die hard career woman?”
Riley sighed. “No, though I’d like to go somewhere in this career.”
“Who’s this lost person you’re looking for?”
She hesitated. “My half sister. I really don’t feel like discussing this at the moment. Not with someone I’ve just met.”
His eyes softened--as much as eyes so dark could soften. “Sure. I can understand that.”
She switched the focus back to him after the distraction. “Are you sure you didn’t see anyone you liked tonight, Robert? A future Mrs. Murphy?”
“I saw a few nice looking women other than the sixty-year-old running, jumping soybean lady. Don’t know if any of them seemed right for me.”
“Maybe you should try putting an ad in the paper,” she teased. “Maybe the Georgia Straight newspaper’s singles section. There are some interesting possibilities there, so I’ve heard from my friend Craig. Not that he needs the help.”
“Yep, Jane. That might be the way to go with this thing.” He started the car and pulled out of the parking lot onto the busy main street. They drove in silence for a while. Then he said, “I’m really curious about your sister. I know you really don’t want to discuss it, but why’s your sister separated from you?” he asked after a time. “I promise if you don’t want to tell me I’ll just drop the subject for good.
”
Riley thought that he had dropped the subject once already. She might have known that Robert Murphy was not the sort of man to let go of something that intrigued him.
Riley sighed. “I didn’t have the ideal childhood. Unlike you.” He raised a brow, but said nothing. “My mother had some psychological problems. She was bipolar and possibly schizophrenic. She was with a lot of different men. Grace was her daughter from a prior relationship. Grace’s father came one day and took her away somewhere and I never saw them again. It’s like they disappeared off the face of the earth.”
“That sucks,” he said succinctly.
“Yes.” She gave him a smile. “It does, rather.”
He took a corner expertly, if a little fast. He drove like a man who loved to be on the road, preferably in his own car. A far hotter, faster model than the staid rental he drove. “Was there anything good in your childhood, Jane?” he asked softly.
“All depends on how you look at it. If not having everything I dreamed of as a kid was bad, I guess I had a hard time. I did okay, though. I found out that there were people who loved and cared for me as much as blood family could. I just had to make myself be open to it. But I guess you’ve noticed that I’m still not completely open sometimes--”
“To intimacy, you mean?” He looked right at her mouth.
She swallowed hard at that. Good Lord.
Thankfully, at that moment the cellular phone in her purse rang. She fumbled in her bag, so glad that Mary had chosen this moment to interrupt. She was the only one allowed to call her on this particular phone. “Hi, Mary. Is everything okay?”
~ * ~
Rob watched in the half-light from the street lamps as Riley’s lovely face went from relieved to concerned. “Isn’t Brian going to come back to the house?” she asked in a near panic.
Rob knew that Brian was the chauffeur. “Oh, no, that’s okay. I planned take a cab back. I can stay at the house by myself... Mary, of course I’ll be fine alone... I want you to have a good time with your friends as long as they look after you. Do you have your pills? Belinda will be gone for the night, will she? What about Todd?” She crinkled her forehead in a frown. “Oh... you couldn’t get hold of him.” She gave a small sigh. “Yes. I’ll see you tomorrow. If you need me for any reason--”
Rob suddenly took the phone out of her hand. Her lips parted in dismay and she tried to wrestle the tiny phone back.
“Hi, Mary,” he said. “It’s Robert Murphy. I’m a little concerned about Jane staying alone in that huge house of yours. No doubt you have adequate security, but--”
“Give me that damn phone,” Riley hissed at him. If she’d had a gun, he’d be nailed by now.
Rob didn’t give the phone back. Mary was saying exactly what he hoped she’d say. “You think I should do that? Stay with her? She does seem a little nervous--”
“What!” she sputtered.
“I’d be happy to stay with her. That hotel’s getting a bit boring and I doubt she’d come there to stay with me.” He raised an eyebrow cheekily.
“Give me that phone!” she demanded, trying to get the cell phone out of his hand. She almost climbed into his lap in the effort. He had to pull over quickly with one hand. The car practically jumped the curb.
With the car parked, after a fashion, he lowered the phone, dropping his voice to a low growl. “That was stupid, Jane. That spaz-attack could have killed us.”
“As if!” she sputtered. She was livid. Her bright green eyes flashed like a neon sign. “You didn’t do what I asked you to do, Robert Murphy!”
“No, I guess I didn’t. That’s a problem, I take it?”
“I hate men who don’t do what I ask them to do. I hate men with personal agendas.”
“I’ll bet you do. You’re a control freak.”
Her nostrils flared in furious reaction.
“Let me say goodbye to Mary. You behave yourself, Jane.” He lifted the phone, watching her sputter and huff. “Bye, Mary. Nope, everything’s fine. Don’t get too crazy tonight.” He nonchalantly handed Riley the phone.
Riley put the phone to her ear. “Mary? Hello?”
“Is she gone?” he asked.
She turned to Rob, looking like she wanted to punch his lights out. All he could think about was kissing her full lips, pressing his mouth to that place on her throat where her pulses fluttered wildly.
“What the hell was that about, Robert? You don’t think I can stay in that house by myself?”
“Have you ever had to do it before, Jane?” he asked calmly.
“Once.”
“Was Todd hanging around making his creepy advances towards you?”
Riley took in a huffy breath but she looked like she was grappling with something huge that she didn’t quite believe herself. “I told you that I can handle him.”
“I believe that to a degree.”
“I don’t know you! Who says that I’d want to be in that house alone with you? What if you’re really a crazed psycho and you tie me up, steal the silverware and remove one of my kidneys to sell on the Internet?”
He laughed. “The ‘tie you up’ part I like. But only if I get to be tied up, too.”
“I think I hate you,” she muttered, tilting her head back against the seat.
It was about all Rob could take. He made a quick decision, leaned over and kissed her, pressing his mouth over her full parted lips, swallowing the testy little gasp of surprise she made. He thought he felt her relent for what amounted to one second, but he sure as hell wasn’t going to push it. She’d probably bite him. He moved reluctantly away.
Riley stared. “What the hell was that?”
“Not much, I’ll admit. I can do one hell of a lot better, but I didn’t relish getting my eyes scratched out.”
Riley lifted her hand. Her fingers hovered at her lips for a few seconds. “I meant what was that for?”
Rob shrugged. “I haven’t made a single pass at you up until now.”
“That I’ve acknowledged, you mean.”
“Yeah. You’re one tough little cookie.”
Her eyes widened. “Was that inept kiss a pass?”
“Nope. It’s out of my system now. You kinda taste like onions anyway. I guess I should have had them leave the onions on my burger.”
Her mouth dropped open in horror.
“Listen, I got tired of waiting for you to make the first move. I’m going to let you make the next one, seeing as you’re the bossy type.”
She glared at him. “Next one? I hope you like long waits, Robert. I’ve only known you two days.”
“I feel like I’ve known you for years, Jane.”
“I don’t like cads.”
“Cads?” he sputtered. “You think I’m a cad? Is that payback for saying you’re bossy?”
“That’s how I see you. You are a cad.” She worried her lip with her teeth. “I’ve just decided to go to a friend’s place. I’m going to call him right now.”
“Is this a good friend?” Rob asked.
“Yes. I sleep over at Craig’s all the time.”
He nodded, satisfied with that reply and yet... Rob had known deep down that she wouldn’t let him in the house, but he hadn’t expected her to say that she had a male friend she could just hop on over and sleep with.
Who the hell was this Craig?
Rob steeled himself not to think about it. He had a job to do. He’d go to the mansion alone tonight and get it over with. He’d have time to snoop around the Connors’ mansion, get the lay of the land, have a peek through Blake Connors’ office and see if he could figure out the security codes. What Otis didn’t know about break-ins wouldn’t hurt him.
She was already punching in the numbers as he turned his key and revved the car’s engine to life. “Craig, you’re home! Thank goodness. I’m coming over. You don’t have company, do you?”
~ * ~
Ten minutes later Rob insisted that he walk Riley up into the building even though she had her own keys
to Craig’s place. She was still reeling from the fact that he’d kissed her. She wanted to tear his head off for the onion comment, even though it was likely true. She may have considered for a mere second the idea of asking them to leave the onions off her burger. She really adored raw onions. She’d left them on the sandwich out of stubbornness, not dreaming that he’d kiss her.
Or maybe wanting him to kiss her and knowing that he’d be grossed out.
Idiot that she was.
“This is a pretty seedy part of town.”
“It was. It’s very chic now. And how would you know the seedy parts of Vancouver anyway? Not being a native.”
“I’m not an idiot either, sweetheart,” he snapped back. “You’ve seen one reclaimed warehouse area, you’ve seen them all.”
Subdued by his indignation, she didn’t reply.
Craig came to the landing door before she could get her keys in the lock. He was dressed in a black silk bathrobe and matching boxers with golden Oriental medallions on them. On a lesser specimen than Craig they’d look silly. Craig was the essence of cool, especially out of his clothes.
Riley had to admit that Robert Murphy might have the edge on the remarkable Craig for sheer masculine presence. She wondered how he’d look in nothing but black silk boxers.
He’d look phenomenal in all likelihood.
“Hey, Riley Jane. It’s late.” Craig gave her a kiss on the lips. Good man, she thought, clinging to him a little longer than necessary. That seemed to take both men aback.
“Yuck,” said Craig. “What the hell did you eat? Onions?”
Oh, thank you, she thought. This is icing on the cake.
So why did she want Rob to think that she had a man in her life, especially when she hadn’t spent a minute since she’d met him not drooling over him? If she wanted him, she could have him. There was no law against it.
He wanted her, too. So why the hell did she feel she had to fight this attraction? It had been a year since she’d had sex with anyone other than the firefighter’s calendar and that hadn’t been at all satisfying.
Craig grimaced. “Whoa. Been scarfing the menu at White Spot again, Riley?”
She glared at him, partly for the use of her real name. “Shut up, Craig. What are you doing home on a Saturday night anyway?” she asked grumpily.
B. G. McCarthy - A Thief At Heart Page 6