by Lea Hart
Standing up, he smiled at the woman who was making sure that he would be able to take care of his family for the rest of his life. “Sorry about the ex-girlfriend. I didn’t mean to put you in the line of fire.”
Waving her hand, she stood up. “That’s what I’m here for.”
“I’ll check in with you next week.”
Ronnie watched him leave and moved over to the window to stare out at the beachgoers. People were relaxing and enjoying the warm sunshine and not having crazy people after them. Feeling jealous of them seemed ridiculous, so she turned back to her desk and tried to focus. Shaking off her gloomy mood, she returned to her chair. Time to get back to work. She opened a program and soon was lost in the numbers. This is where she felt most comfortable, and she should try and remember that wealth management wasn’t usually a dangerous profession.
********
“You don’t need to announce me. I’ll just go in and give her the cookies.” Chase flashed a winning grin as he quickly walked past Ronnie’s assistant.
Standing in the doorway, he admired the woman sitting behind the desk. “Hi, honey.” Holding up the bag up, he watched her eyes raise in his direction. “I brought you some cookies.”
“What are you doing here?”
Walking in with confidence, he moved around the desk and kissed her head before she could do anything. “I thought you might need some afternoon chocolate.” Before she could gather her defenses, he moved out of striking distance to the other side of her desk.
“Thank you for the chocolate cookies. Now please leave.”
Planting himself in the chair that faced her desk, he glanced around and tried to ignore the angry woman across from him. “I came to see how you’re doing. I had so much fun sparring with you last night at dinner that I want to do it again. When are you going to be done today?”
“I’m not available this evening or really any other evening. My dance card is full, so please don’t waste your time.”
“Didn’t you enjoy last night?” He wondered if he was the only one, but could’ve sworn that she was into it.
“Sure, it was fun, but I think once was enough.” Opening the bag of cookies, she took one out and tried it. It was a soft dark chocolate delicious treat. Just because he had good taste in cookies didn’t mean that he deserved a second chance. “One dinner together doesn’t mean anything, but if we have another one, then it means that I’m giving you another chance. And I don’t want to do that. Even if you did bring me these yummy cookies.”
Reaching across the desk, he grabbed one out of the bag. Popping it into his mouth, he ate it quickly. “Gerald likes me. Maybe we should see what he thinks.”
“Sure, why don’t you do that?” She pulled the bag in her direction and took another one. “He isn’t going to give you his blessing, but if you think you have a chance, then by all means, be my guest. Go have a chat with him and let me know how it turns out.”
“I think I’ll head on over to your house and see what he thinks.” He stood and gave her a confident grin. “See you soon, honey.” A funny thing about dance cards, they could be rearranged, and he was going to make sure that she did just that. All he needed was an opportunity to change her mind.
Waving, she watched him walk out of her office. He was too handsome for his own good. Who cared what stupid Chase Bedford thought? There was no way she was taking a chance with him, no matter how entertaining he was. She had a date that evening, and she wasn’t going to think about the man who brought her chocolate for one more second. Or his sexy behind. Staring into the bag, she realized that she’d eaten all of them. Next time, she’d make sure that he brought her more.
CHAPTER SIX
Wednesday
Ronnie sat in the car and waited for Scott to come around and open her door. Glancing over, she noticed a large black SUV parked next to the side of the house. Strange, Gerald had left that morning for his month long vacation. Maybe it was one of his friends’ vehicles. Shrugging, she figured there was a note explaining everything. The car door opened, and she admired the pretty blue eyes of a man who was showing more interest in her than she felt comfortable with. She couldn’t figure out why he wanted to spend time with her.
Her gut instinct told her he felt at ease around her, and that’s why he was making a big push. The energy between them was more brother-sister and less romantic. He held out his big hand, she slipped hers into it, and unfortunately felt nothing. It had been that way the whole evening. He was all fun and games, and they’d never stopped talking, but she wasn’t looking forward to the kiss like she’d hoped. The face of a certain retired quarterback kept creeping into her mind. Like a fungus. Pasting a debutante smile on her face, she climbed out of the car and led him toward the front door.
She pulled out her key and was about to open the door when she felt Scott’s hand on her arm. Twirling, she glanced up at his too handsome face and knew in her heart they were never going to be more than friends. The electricity she hoped for never materialized, which was fine. She could still kiss him though, because it never hurt to kiss a man with a face like his. “Do you want some dessert?”
His eyebrows lifted, and his eyes got big, and he tried to hold back a smile of victory. “I’d love some of your dessert.”
Realizing her mistake, she patted his solid arm and gave him a sweet smile. “I’m talking about ice cream, Scott.”
“Of course, I knew that.” He leaned down and kissed her cheek. “I know you have someone on your mind, Ronnie, and it’s not me. I guess there’s a first time for everything.” He watched her open the heavy door and ran into the back of her as she skidded to a stop. Glancing up, he followed her gaze and laughed to himself. That must be the person that had captured her attention. Leaning over, he noticed her expression and understood the problem at once. She didn’t want to feel whatever was running through her heart.
A shrill question escaped her lips, “Chase Bedford, what the hell are you doing in my house…drinking my liquor?”
“Are you kissing Scott?” He stood up and faced the two of them like he was going to do harm to one of them. He observed Ronnie shrink against the quarterback, as if she was seeking his protection. That made him even madder, which he realized made her angry. She straightened her shoulders and took a step in his direction, and if he was smart, he would start apologizing now. But…no one ever accused him of that, so he stood his ground, kept his mouth shut, and prayed silently for mercy.
“I told you that you can’t ask me that.” She twirled around, grabbed Scott’s hand, and pulled him down to whisper quietly, “If you like me at all, then I would appreciate you giving me a kiss that will make him blow his top.”
Not a man to back down from a challenge, he bestowed upon her the smile that had paid him millions. “It would be my pleasure.” Dropping his mouth slowly, he pressed his lips to hers and kissed her with everything he had. Things heated up, and soon he forgot they were putting on a show, and he really gave her a kiss. A loud bellow interrupted him, unfortunately messing with his mojo. Lifting his head, he gave a dirty look to the man he considered his idol. Damn inconvenient.
“Quit kissing the mother of my children or I will have to do some damage to that throwing arm of yours,” Chase yelled.
Well, that put a whole new color on things. “Ronnie, is there something kinky going on here? Because no matter what you hear, I’m not into that sort of thing.” Her hand swatted his chest, and she pulled away from him.
“That man has broken into my home and is an uninvited guest. So whatever nonsense comes out of his mouth is not to be believed.” She gazed up and realized that she’d left some lipstick on his mouth. Rubbing her fingers over his lips, she slowly wiped it away. “By the way, that was some kind of kiss.”
Tipping his head against hers, he grinned. “Ronnie, I couldn’t agree more. When we get rid of that angry bear over there, we can do it some more.”
“No more kissing,” Chase stated loudly.
; Stomping over, Ronnie got in his face before addressing him. “Why have you broken into my home?”
“I have not broken in. Gerald invited me to stay while he was away on his vacation. He’s worried that the woman who’s been threatening you will make good on it. He doesn’t like you being here alone. I volunteered to stay and make sure you were taken care of. I think I ran into her the other day near your office, and she’s crazy.” He smiled and prayed like hell she wasn’t going to kill him in his sleep. He knew what he was playing was a long shot at best. But if he ever wanted to be happy, he had to convince her to give him a chance.
“He’s fired. When he gets back next month, I’m releasing him and sending him back to Mama.”
“He told me to tell you that you couldn’t fire him, because he works for your parents and not you. So your idle threats mean nothing. He also said something about December 2012. Whatever that means.”
Her eyes narrowed, and she glared at him with every fiber in her being. It was actually impressive and not something he needed to see on a regular basis. Maybe he should work on making her happy and not pissing her off if wanted a chance at anything other than an early death. He was going to get started on that as soon as he got rid of the kid. He stepped around her and made his way over to Scott. Holding out his hand, he offered his congratulations. “Great season, kid. Watching you this year was a real pleasure. The Sharks are lucky to get you.”
Scott shook his hand, and the two of them started a conversation and quickly forgot about the woman who was about to lose her mind. Sometimes the only thing a man could do was ignore the impending blast and hope it would go away. Small stomping footsteps told both of them that wasn’t going to be a real possibility.
Announcing loudly that she was going into the kitchen for ice cream, the two men followed slowly behind her. Apparently, Scott was a huge admirer of Chase, and he couldn’t get his questions out fast enough. Scott was officially off her list, no matter how well he could kiss. He had clearly picked his side in the battle, and it wasn’t hers. Traitor. Why did Chase have to be so popular? It was annoying.
Slipping her shoes off, she left them by the hall and then moved to the fridge. Pulling the door open, she saw several options and had never been so happy. The men in her life were a problem, but the cartons of ice cream facing her were going to make it all better. Pulling out several, she placed them on the island and got out the bowls. She scooped out large servings for the men and handed them to them. Chase gave her a smile, and she pointed to the drawer where the spoons were. He nodded and grabbed enough for everyone. She watched both men sit at her kitchen table and continue their conversation. Apparently, they had a lot to talk about. She considered taking her ice cream up to her room and leaving the two blockheads alone, but felt the weight of her mother’s disapproval and decided to be a good hostess for the next ten minutes. That’s all the two of them deserved. Hell, they didn’t deserve anything, but she wanted to hear what they had to say.
Making her own bowl of ice cream, she added some chocolate sauce and sprinkles. This was the sort of evening that required sprinkles and—come to think of it—bourbon, too. Walking over to the table, she made a mental list of all the things that were wrong with the picture before her. By the time she got to twenty, she gave up. Sliding into a chair, she studied both men and thought about how she could pay them back.
A warm hand slid along her leg, and she observed Chase lift her leg into his lap. He started to rub her tired foot, and she felt like crying, because it felt so blessedly wonderful. Scott hardly seemed to notice that his competition was taking advantage of her as he peppered the legend with questions. How rude. Chase’s big warm hand slid along her other leg, and he lifted her foot and gave it the same treatment. She was about to become jelly in her kitchen, so she pulled herself together and moved her legs out of his lap. Neither man paid her the slightest attention as she slowly rose. She took her bowl over to the sink and rinsed it and put it in the dishwasher. Nothing from the kitchen table. They were like two little boys who just discovered their new best friend. Whatever. They deserved one another. She left the kitchen and made her way upstairs. Walking past one of her guest bedrooms, she noticed that Chase had his stuff out. Gerald was definitely getting fired…as soon as she could find him.
*******
Chase walked quietly along the hall and noticed that light was spilling out of Ronnie’s room. Checking his watch, he realized it was later than he thought. Somehow, he and Scott had lost track of time. It was fun to talk to the kid, and he tried to answer as many as questions as he could. Ignoring Ronnie had been wrong, but he had hoped that it would give her time to cool down. This was the biggest gamble of his life, and he wanted it to pay off. Knocking lightly, he waited for a response. Nothing. He pushed the door open a little and was greeted with the sweetest picture. Ronnie was asleep with her glasses on and a book in her lap. She wore a college T-shirt and no make-up, and he’d never seen a more beautiful woman. Women had seduced him over the years with every glamourous trick, and he’d gladly fallen for it. But the woman in front of him had stolen his heart, and all it took was her sass and sway. She’d never tried anything on him, and in the end, that was all that was needed. The next fifty years with her were going to be entertaining as hell.
Slowly pulling the book out of her hand, he set it next to the lamp, and then gently took her glasses off. She opened her eyes and stared at him. “Everything is locked up, and the kitchen is clean.” He leaned down and kissed her forehead and turned off the light. “Sweet dreams, honey. See you in the morning.” He watched her roll over and close her eyes. He adjusted her blankets and walked to the door. Standing, he stared at the woman in bed and knew he would do anything to win her heart, her trust, and respect. He’d give up his fortune, his Super Bowl wins, and anything else asked of him. The woman in that bed was his future, and he would do whatever it took to make sure that it was a happy one. Maybe he should start with not pissing her off all the time.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Chase walked into Ronnie’s room with a cup of coffee and a smile. She was fast asleep, and he wondered if she was a morning person. He knew her sweet innocent expression was one that only happened when she was unconscious, but he didn’t care. “Honey, wake up. I brought you coffee.” No movement. “Good morning,” he sang. A small groan escaped as she waved her arm in his direction. “I have your coffee.” More waving and then she pulled the covers over her head. Being the gambler that he was, he sat down on the bed. Setting her cup down, he peered over and noticed that she was playing possum. “I’m going for a run, and I wondered if you wanted to come with me. But based on your attitude, I’m guessing not.” He placed his hand gently on her back and started rubbing circles through the blanket. “I like to get up early and get a jump on my day, but something tells me you don’t, so I’ll see you after I’m done. I can make us breakfast or take you out. You can let me know when I get back.” Standing, he gazed down and wondered if she liked pancakes or waffles.
The covers whipped over her head, and she sat up and gave him a glare that would cut glass. If glares could cut glass? She wasn’t sure because she hadn’t had coffee yet. “Where is my gun? I’m going to kill you, Chase.”
“Now, honey…that’s just mean. Drink your coffee, and I’ll see you in a little bit.” He moved out of the room as a pillow was hurled in his direction. “Love you too.” He heard a loud groan as he made his way down the hall. Love and hate were two sides of the same coin, so once he got her turned around, he hoped that she would embrace it. He figured it was a fifty-fifty chance, and it could go either way. Whistling, he moved down the big staircase and hoped like hell she didn’t find her gun before he got back. He had the impression that she was a hell of a shot, and he didn’t feel like paying a visit to the hospital today.
Looking over at the coffee, Ronnie picked up the cup and took a sip. It was surprisingly good. He had added the sugar and just the right amount of cream, and she cursed his name
as she finished it off. How was it that he had wormed his way into her home? No man had ever accomplished it, and she had to think long and hard about what he was after. Was this just a big game to him? Moving off the bed, she walked into her bathroom and slammed the door. It gave her some small satisfaction, even though she was the only one to hear it.
********
Sitting at the kitchen table with her coffee and toast, she glanced out the big window and saw Chase walking up the path. He wore running shorts and no shirt, and she’d never seen a more delicious man in her life. I hate you, Chase Bedford. There on display was his perfect chest, his perfect arms, and his perfect legs. Leaning forward, she tried to figure out what wasn’t perfect. Then she saw him smile and wave, and she remembered instantly. His attitude and behavior. That cooled her right off; she turned back to her laptop and concentrated on the spreadsheet she was working on. The back door opened, and she ignored it as she stared at the numbers before her. She should have searched for her gun before she sat down to breakfast.
“Hi, honey. Are you ready for breakfast?” She was hunched over her computer and doing her best to snub him, and she was doing a bang-up job. Walking toward her, he leaned over and kissed the top of her head.
“Get away from me. You are sweaty and disgusting.”
“That’s what happens when you run five miles in the humidity.” He grabbed her napkin and wiped his face. “I’ll go take a shower and then make you breakfast.”
“I’ve eaten, and I’m going into the office soon.” Staring up at him, she gave him a lazy smile. “When are you leaving?”
“Not any time soon. Gerald told me about the problems you’ve been having, and I’m not leaving you alone in this big house. From what I understand, the woman has breached the gates before, and I do not want to take any chances.” He moved out of striking range and went to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water. It might be a good idea to be on the other side of the room when she blew her top.