Wilde Side

by Jannine Gallant

  Syd had been euphoric over the poll results—until yesterday when he’d left the congressman’s private office pale and shaking. Whatever the two men had discussed, the campaign manager wasn’t talking about it. Neither was Walton. He’d been upset—and that was before his wife’s panic attack.

  Can this day get any worse?

  Devin forced herself up off the couch and headed into the bathroom. After turning the shower handle to hot and letting the water warm up, she stripped off her skirt and blouse and pitched her underwear into the hamper. Stepping into the tub, she adjusted the temperature and stood under the stinging spray, head hanging. A moan of pure pleasure slipped through her lips as her cold skin heated and tingled. She could only think of one thing guaranteed to warm her up faster, but sex wasn’t on the agenda tonight. Too bad, since she could use the stress release.

  Images of Sawyer wearing nothing but a pair of swim trunks as he rose up out of the river, chest wet and glistening in the afternoon sun, floated around in her tired brain, dispelling some of her lethargy. The tingles spreading through her focused into one tight ache. Sucking in a sharp breath, she grabbed the shampoo bottle and went to work on her hair. There was absolutely no point in getting all worked up thinking about Sawyer. Wishing a couple thousand miles didn’t separate them wouldn’t make it so.

  Anyway, she had plenty to keep her occupied, even if following up on her new job search wasn’t as thrilling as wild sex with the man who constantly invaded her dreams. She also needed to call the hospital to check on Cathy and see how Walton was holding up. That thought doused her libido more effectively than turning the water tap to cold. After rinsing the shampoo out of her hair, she shut off the shower and wrapped herself in a towel. Thank God Cathy had only suffered a severe panic attack and not the heart attack they’d all feared. Still, her boss was a wreck.

  After slathering on lotion, she shrugged into her pink fleece robe and finger-combed her hair. Leaving the bathroom, she headed into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. Ignoring the chicken she’d bought, she settled for a couple of eggs. Once she’d scrambled them, she sliced a chunk of French bread off the loaf she pulled out of the grocery bag. After pouring herself a glass of Chardonnay, she sat at the bar counter with her impromptu meal then called Walton.

  He answered on the first ring, his voice gruff. “I thought I told you to go home and relax.”

  “I am home. How’s Cathy doing?”

  “Resting. Thank God the last of the tests came back negative, but the doctors want to watch her tonight, just as a precaution.”

  Devin poked at her cooling eggs and sipped her wine. “You sound less tense.”

  “I am, now that I know she’s going to be fine. Cathy’s had these attacks before, but it’s been years and years since the last one, so I was caught off guard. I hope I didn’t look as panicked as I felt. The damned media is everywhere, but Syd is handling everything with his usual aplomb.”

  “Anything I can do?”

  “Nope. Take the night off. Actually, I don’t need you until late tomorrow morning, so sleep in while you’re at it.”

  “Gee, you’re all heart. Since tomorrow’s Saturday, and I haven’t had a day off in nearly two weeks, I may just do that.”

  His chuckle sounded rusty. “This’ll be over soon enough, one way or the other. I—what?” His voice faded before returning full force. “Gotta go. Syd needs something. Let’s just hope the media focus on this latest newsflash will keep the vultures happy for now.”

  Devin frowned. “What do you mean by that?”

  “Nothing. See you tomorrow.”

  The phone went dead. She laid it on the counter and went back to eating her rubbery eggs. When two hard raps sounded at the door, she nearly knocked over her wineglass. Her gaze shot to the clock on the stove. After seven-thirty. Maybe old Mr. Rossetti had locked himself out of his apartment for the second time that week. Which was exactly why she kept his spare key handy.

  Slipping down from the stool, she tightened the belt on her robe and headed toward the entry. A glance through the peephole assured her the man on the other side wasn’t her elderly Italian neighbor.

  She pulled open the door and scowled. “What do you want?”

  “Is that a nice way to greet a person?” One of Porter Scanlon’s brows shot up to his perfectly styled blond hair. “Can I come in?”

  She stared at her ex-boyfriend. “Why?”

  “Because I want to talk.”

  “We talk at work.”

  “Only when you can’t find a way to avoid me.”

  Against her better judgment, she stepped back and held open the door. “Come in, say whatever it is you want to say, then leave. I’m not exactly dressed for company.”

  “I’ll say.” He eyed her up and down as he shut the door. After taking off his overcoat, he hung it on the rack. Blue eyes gleamed. “I’m hardly company—and I’ve seen you in a lot less than that robe.”

  “Porter…” Her voice held a warning.

  “Fine.” He put up his hands. “We’ll just talk.”

  Devin headed back to the kitchen to set her plate with the last of the eggs in the sink. The piece of French bread landed in the trash. Picking up her wineglass, she turned to stare at him through narrowed eyes. “Let’s get this over with. What is it you want to say?”

  “Did I interrupt your dinner?”

  “It wasn’t much of a meal, and I seem to have lost my appetite.”

  “I wouldn’t mind a glass of whatever it is you’re drinking. We still work together. Can’t we be civil?”

  “I’m civil.”

  “Come on, Devin. One glass of wine.” He turned on his most charming smile.

  She wasn’t charmed.

  He sighed. “I came to apologize.”

  “Fine, one drink.” If it will get him talking and out of my hair sooner. “Maybe it’ll help you wash down the crow you’re about to eat.” After taking a glass from the cupboard, she pulled the bottle of Chardonnay from the refrigerator and jerked out the cork. A few drops splashed on the counter as she poured. “Here.” She handed him the glass then topped off her own. She had a feeling she was going to need it.

  “Let’s sit in the living room.”

  “Porter…”

  “Does it make you feel better to stand in the kitchen and glower at me?”

  “Actually, yes.” A small smile curved her lips before she let out a long breath. “Whatever. We’ll sit.” She took the single easy chair and arranged the folds of her robe to cover her legs.

  He chose a spot opposite her on the couch and adjusted his suit pants so they wouldn’t crease. After a full day of wear, the jerk looked like he’d just left a fashion shoot.

  “I was a total ass.”

  “Agreed.” She swirled the wine around the crystal bowl before looking over at him. “Is that what you came to tell me?”

  “You aren’t going to make this easy, I take it?”

  “Why the hell should I? You used me. Honestly, I should have asked Walton to fire your lying ass. Lucky for you, I have ethics.”

  “Believe me, I appreciate that.” He leaned back against the cushions and regarded her with sober eyes. “I never meant to hurt you.”

  “I was just collateral damage on the road to your future. Lucky me.”

  “I may have originally asked you out as a way of getting an in with the congressman, but somewhere along the way, that changed. I liked you. A lot. Spending time together wasn’t exactly a hardship.”

  “A prime job and sex. What’s to complain about?”

  “Wow, bitter doesn’t begin to describe your attitude. I’d like to think your anger is because you still care about me.”

  “Well, you’d be wrong.” She set her glass down on the coffee table. “I made a mistake in judgment. A big one. That eats at me, makes me doubt my ability to read people.” She clenched her hands together in her lap. “I don’t like being made a
fool of, so maybe I am a tad bitter.”

  “You didn’t misjudge me.” He leaned forward. “I’m not such a bad guy. I didn’t lie about my feelings for you. They grew to be pretty damn strong.”

  She let out a sigh. “Why are you here? Apology accepted, but I’m not the forgiving sort. If that’s what you want, I can’t guarantee I’ll ever excuse the way you treated me.”

  “I’d hoped if I gave you a couple of months to reflect on the good times we shared, you’d quit being so pissed off. That’s the only reason I’ve stayed away this long.”

  She scowled down at her bare toes. “Seems like a good plan. Stick with it.”

  “I’m tired of waiting. You asked what I want? I want you back. I’ve missed you like crazy.” He ran a hand through his hair without disturbing the careful waves. “I didn’t think losing you would hurt so much. I was wrong.”

  She stared at him as the seconds ticked by. “Why are you saying this now?”

  “Life’s too short for regrets. I thought the congressman was going to lose his wife today. It made me realize some things are more important than my career.” He put down his glass and stood, then stepped around the coffee table to kneel in front of her. Long fingers clasped her hand and held on when she tried to pull away. “Maybe I started a relationship with you for all the wrong reasons, but my heart is in the right place now.”

  “I don’t want to hear this. Please stand up.”

  “I kind of like it down here.” He leaned in and rested his free hand on one fleece-covered thigh. “Between your legs. Tell me you don’t miss what we had together.”

  His eyes glittered, and his mouth opened slightly. His breathing quickened in a way she recognized all too well. She clamped her knees together. “No.”

  The hand crept higher up her leg. “Come on, Dev.”

  “We’re not getting back together. Even if I was willing to forgive your lies, which I’m not, I met someone else.”

  He reared back slightly. “You aren’t dating anyone. I’d have heard about it around the office if you were.”

  She tugged her hand from his grasp with a mighty yank then pushed the other one off her thigh. “I met him on the rafting trip. Move it!”

  Instead, he shrugged one shoulder and leaned back in, arms trapping her in the chair. “A vacation fling. Big deal. I admit I did the same after we split up, but the woman didn’t rock my world the way you do. This guy can’t mean anything to you since you have absolutely nothing in common with some jock from a rafting company. I can forgive the lapse and move on.”

  His words found their target and elevated her irritation another notch. When she raised one knee, her robe parted. His gaze dropped, and blue eyes glazed.

  She gritted her teeth. “Back off, or I swear I’m going to nail you in the balls. And not in the way you’re hoping. You’re pissing me off, Porter.”

  “I can think of a few ways to channel that energy. God, you’re hot when you’re mad.”

  A knock sounded. Her head jerked around as the door opened. Before she could move, or even think, footsteps crossed the entry.

  “Devin? You should really lock your door.” Sawyer rounded the corner “Sur…prise.”

  With a shove, she pushed Porter onto his ass then scrambled out of the chair. “Oh, my God. I can’t believe you’re here.”

  His gaze left her to narrow on the man pushing up off the carpet. “Maybe surprising you wasn’t the best idea I’ve ever had.”

  She hurried toward him but stopped when he took a step back. “It was a wonderful idea. Honestly. Porter was just leaving, and I can explain everything.”

  “What’s to explain?” Porter brushed off his pants. “Is he the one you mentioned earlier?” His attention turned to Sawyer, and his lip curled. “Does that little mole high up on her left thigh make you as hot as it makes me?”

  “Get the hell out!” Her shout echoed in the room.

  “No need.” Sawyer’s eyes filled with contempt. “I’m gone.”

  “Don’t leave! Please!”

  The door slammed shut behind him.

  She whirled to face her ex. “Bastard.”

  “It’s for the best, Devin. I just saved you from a messy breakup.”

  “Out. Now!” She sucked in a breath and clenched her fists at her sides. “Before I punch you in your smug face!”

  “Fine. We’ll talk later when you’re in a mood to be more reasonable.” Taking his coat from the rack, he gave her a final, lingering glance. “I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”

  As soon as the door shut, Devin flew into the bedroom and tore off her robe. Grabbing jeans and a shirt from the closet, she dressed in record time then stuffed her feet into a pair of tall boots without bothering with socks. Scooping up her purse, she took a hooded jacket from the coatrack and left the apartment, only pausing to lock the door before running down the two flights of stairs. Bursting out into the drizzling rain, she struggled into her jacket while waving frantically at a cab. It blew by her, the tires sending up a spray of water to splash her from the knees down. When a flash of yellow down the block caught her attention, she waved and let out a piercing whistle.

  “Going somewhere?”

  Turning on the heels of her boots, she pressed a hand to her chest. Sawyer stood under the awning of a café several yards away. Wary eyes regarded her above lips tightened into a firm line.

  “To the airport to find you.” When the cab slowed beside her, she motioned the driver on.

  “Your boyfriend took off in a sweet little Porsche a few minutes ago.”

  “He’s not my boyfriend. Not anymore. We split up two months ago.”

  “If that’s how you treat your old lovers, I’m onboard.”

  Her shoulders stiffened. “I’d planned to explain. Maybe I won’t bother.”

  He let out a breath. “Sorry, that was low, despite the fact that I feel like a complete fool. You’re getting wet. Come in out of the rain, and we’ll talk.”

  When he turned back toward the door of the café, she hesitated. “You don’t want to go to my apartment?”

  “I already placed a quick order. Thanks to flight delays, I got here much later than I intended, and I haven’t had a meal since breakfast.”

  The thought of food settled like a lump of lead in her stomach. She could watch him eat, she supposed. When Sawyer held the door, she hustled through. The heat and cheerful murmur of conversation inside enfolded her like a warm embrace as she followed him to a table for two by the window.

  He waited until she was settled across from him to speak. “Do you want something to eat?” His expression hardened. “Or maybe another glass of wine?”

  She shook her head. When the waitress paused by their table and raised one thinly plucked brow in inquiry, Devin cleared her throat. “A cup of chamomile tea, please.”

  “I’ll be right back with it.”

  “Thank you.” Devin picked up the napkin on the table in front of her and folded it into squares before flattening it out again and clenching her hands together in her lap. “I didn’t invite Porter over. He just showed up.”

  “The two of you looked pretty cozy.”

  She gritted her teeth. “Looks can be deceiving.”

  Sawyer leaned back in his chair and sipped his coffee. “You don’t have to explain yourself to me. We aren’t in a committed relationship. Maybe I’d hoped that was where we were headed, but—”

  She drew in a breath. “If I’d walked in on you with some girl practically in your lap, I’d have been hurt, too. And angry. I’d want an explanation.”

  She stopped speaking when the waitress returned with her tea along with a plate filled with a club sandwich and fries.

  “Anything else I can get you?” Despite the fact that she had to be pushing sixty, her appreciative gaze lingered on Sawyer.

  “I’m good, thanks.”

  After the woman walked away, he took a bite of his sandwich and chewed. �
��I’m listening if you want to talk. When we were rafting, you mentioned the men you dated in the past hadn’t always treated you well. If that over-groomed piece of work is one of them, I don’t understand why you’d let him back into your apartment.”

  She stirred honey into her tea. “I’d had a shitty day, what with Cathy winding up at the hospital and Walton completely losing it.”

  “What?” He dropped the fry back on his plate and straightened.

  “Cathy had a panic attack, but we didn’t know that for several hours. She’s fine now, though she’s spending the night at the hospital just to be on the safe side.”

  “Jesus.”

  “Exactly. I was exhausted and emotionally wrung out when I got home. Then Porter showed up wanting to talk. Since we both work for Walton, I try to maintain a veneer of civility.” She sipped her tea. “Anyway, I was too tired to argue with him. I figured it’d be easier to let him have his say so he’d leave.”

  Sawyer set down his half-eaten sandwich. “I’m guessing he didn’t want to discuss work.”

  “No.” She rubbed her fingers against throbbing temples. “Apparently he was feeling lonely and horny and thought we should get back together. I threatened to knee him in the balls when he pushed the issue.”

  Sawyer’s eyes flashed, and his lips drew back. “I should go after the asshole and knock a couple of his perfect teeth down his throat.”

  She reached over to lay a hand on his arm and squeezed. “I was never afraid the situation would get out of control. I can handle myself.”

  “On some level, I know that.” He let out a long breath. “I take it that’s when I walked in.”

  “Yes.”

  “And overreacted.” He turned her hand over then held on tight.