“I like these,” he said.
“I’m glad,” she almost whimpered.
“They might be perfect. I once read that there’s no such thing as a perfect pair of tits, but I’ve just decided they’re wrong.”
“Flatterer.”
“Roewynn, you feel…”
He didn’t finish the sentence. He didn’t have to.
She turned in his arms, kissed his neck, his jaw, his ear, and said, “Condom.”
He pulled back and sucked in a sharp breath. “Condom,” he repeated, sounding like he might be on the verge of panic.
She narrowed her eyes. “Don’t tell me you don’t have one.”
“No. I mean yes. I mean I was prepared for trick or treat. I never thought…”
Learning for certain that what was happening had not been planned or even considered made Roewynn all the more sure that she’d made the right choice.
“Just a minute.” He rolled off the bed to his feet and began investigating the contents of the nightstand drawers.
Thank all that’s holy, he thought as he pulled a ribbon of condoms out of the drawer.
“Yes!” he said. “One. Two. Three. Four. Five.”
Roewynn laughed. “Ambitious?”
He leaped onto the bed, still grasping condoms. “Just realistic.”
“Well, try one on. Let’s see if it fits.”
“The condom? Or the dick?”
“Yes. Both.”
Apparently that was what Dash needed to hear to let the sexual beast free of its chain. He ripped the condom with his teeth, eyes shining with an inner light that was sexy enough to make her orgasm. Because nothing is more erotic to a woman than seeing that she’s desired in a place that few ever know. A place that exists beyond lust or even reason. Dash was consumed by the moment; body, heart, and soul. And the secret feminine place that is thrilled by owning that power over a lover bloomed and came to full flower inside Roewynn.
He searched her face one last time before entering her and becoming lost in the heat and friction. She didn’t know what he was looking for, but it didn’t matter. What mattered was that now they knew that the two of them fit in every way.
Dash was skilled enough as a lover to ensure that she climaxed when he did. He hadn’t known that he knew what to do, but apparently there was sexual history buried in his mind. The University of Colorado hadn’t tested him for that.
As they each descended back to earth, together and separately, she said, “Dash, I…”
He raised up and looked into her eyes. “What?”
“Nothing. I guess I forgot what I was going to say.”
“I guess that was too amazing for words?”
She laughed softly. “Yes. It was.”
“You sound sleepy. Don’t go to sleep. There’s more to come.”
“Really?”
“Oh, yeah.” He kissed her chin and rolled to the side where he could stare at her.
But there wasn’t more. They both went to sleep right away.
Neither of them set an alarm.
The next thing Dash was aware of was a shriek coming from Roewynn. He opened an eye.
“IT’S TEN O’FREAKING CLOCK IN THE MORNING! HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?”
“Relax. I’ll talk to your boss.”
“Very funny,” she said as she scurried around gathering up pieces of clothing strewn on the floor.
Nothing was likely to upset Dash. Not only had he thoroughly enjoyed the most amazing sex of his life. He smiled to himself as he corrected that impression by admitting that it was the only sex he remembered. But more importantly, he’d slept through the night. Like a baby. No disturbing dreams. No sick feeling in his stomach.
He checked in with himself. No. The thing wasn’t there. That was when he knew that Roewynn was the key, the ultimate distraction that made him feel, well, normal. Or at least what he imagined was normal.
He looked over at what she was doing. She was almost dressed and seemed a little crazed.
He raised up on his elbows. “Roewynn. Slow down. You slept in a little. So what?”
“SO WHAT?!?” She gaped. “Did you hear me speak the words ten o’clock?”
“No. I heard ten o’freaking clock.”
“Maybe you can sleep in Mr. CEO. But only if somebody is answering your phones, responding to your email, and managing the fires you’re not there to put out.”
Dash’s head listed to the side. “Christ. You’re more important than I am.”
“See you later.”
She started for the door, but he was up in a flash. Dash blocking the door made her giggle in spite of her impulse to be outraged by his irresponsible behavior.
“Nobody gets out of here without a good morning kiss.”
She planted a dry peck on his mouth. “That’ll have to do for now.”
“I’m letting you get by with that, but only because I haven’t brushed my teeth.”
She laughed. And was gone.
CHAPTER Eleven
When Roewynn practically ran through the front entrance of Fonteneau Food Services, Susie raised both eyebrows. In her haste to get to the office, it hadn’t occurred to her how it would look for both of them to arrive just in time for lunch.
Once home, she’d hurriedly showered, pulled her hair into a messy bun, and put on clothes that were more corporate than she normally wore, reasoning that, if she was going to be a horrible executive assistant, she could at least dress like she deserved the job.
“I had something to take care of.” She used a haughty tone with Susie to cover her embarrassment.
It was hard to tell if Susie bought it. She just nodded and said, “He’s already here.”
Roewynn hoped Susie didn’t catch her surprise. She walked to the stairs wondering how he’d managed that. He lived closer, but not that much closer. She concluded that it just took men less time to get ready. A lot less time.
She was pulling the strap of her bag off her shoulder as she rounded the corner and entered the still bare outer office. What she saw caused the breath to stop in her lungs at the same time her body went stiff as concrete.
April was there. She’d just gone up on her toes, thrown her arms around Dash’s neck and kissed him in the sort of familiar way that suggested they were a couple. Deciding that she couldn’t let that stop her mission to prove she was worth the most outlandish employee package ever scored by an EA, she forced all her will into her limbs and moved.
“Good morning,” she said. “Should I come back later?’
Dash pulled away from April like he’d been snake bit and looked at Roewynn with guilt written all over his beautiful face.
“No. No. No,” April said cheerfully. “I just needed to drop off Dash’s tie for tonight.” She smiled at Roewynn conspiratorially. “Special color for a special event.” Turning back to Dash, she said, “Pick me up at eight, babe? I’ll be ready for a late night.” Turning to leave, April punctuated ‘late night’ by showing Roewynn a wink.
Dash flicked an unreadable glance at April and said nothing, but it didn’t matter because apparently April was already disappearing through the outer office door.
Roewynn turned from watching April leave to Dash. The strap of her bag was still in her hand. Instead of setting it down, she pulled it back up over her shoulder
“Mr. Fonteneau,” she said quietly. “I’m taking a personal day. I’ll work from home and see you Monday.”
“Roe!” Dash ran around her and, for the second time that morning, blocked her exit. “That was not the way it looked. I mean I don’t know for sure how it looked, but by the look on your face, I’m guessing it didn’t look good.”
Dash got that what he’d said was not what she wanted to hear because Roewynn’s amazing green eyes flashed at him like she wouldn’t mind turning him into a toad.
Turning him into a toad? Where did that come from?
Through clenched teeth, she said, “Get out of my way,” and sounded like she meant it.
“You have to let me explain. I didn’t kiss April. She caught me by surprise.”
“That did not look like surprise to me.”
“Well, it was!”
“It looked like guilt!”
“That wasn’t guilt. It was fear that you might think exactly what you are thinking!”
“You’re dating her.”
“I’m not!”
Roewynn looked at him like he was insane. “You’re not?”
“No!”
In a voice that sounded like she might be losing the battle with rationality, she said, “Here’s your tie for tonight? Pick me up at eight? Babe?”
Dash was shaking his head. “It’s just a thing cooked up by Adrienne. I…”
“Adrienne wasn’t forcing you to kiss April.”
“I wasn’t kissing April. She surprised me. Like I said.”
“Surprised you.” She almost spat the words out. “Survey says you’re full of shit, Mr. Fonteneau. Now you will get out of the way.”
“No. I won’t. You can’t leave like this.”
“Are you planning to stand in the doorway all day?”
Dash could see that Roewynn was struggling with her composure, trying to hold it together, but on the verge of tears. He knew her well enough to know she was proud and he didn’t want to push her to the point of humiliating herself at work. He loved her too much for that.
Loved?
He checked in with himself. Yes. Love was the right word. How did he feel about that? Good. Or at least he would if the woman he loved wasn’t ready to hang his balls on the line to dry.
The best thing for him would be to keep her there until she believed him. In a lot of ways that was the best thing for her as well because he could see that she was hurt. She looked stricken. Over a misunderstanding. The best thing for her would be to let her go and explain later, somewhere that wasn’t public. He had to choose whose need was greater in that one moment in time. He chose her, deciding that love was doing the best thing for her. So he clenched his teeth in resolve, stepped aside and let her pass.
He turned around, walked back to his desk, sat down, and stared at the empty chair where she should be. Just as he could have predicted, the instant she was out of sight, the thing was back, clawing at him from the inside out.
Zane appeared within seconds. “Are you okay?”
“You heard that?”
“Everybody heard it.”
Dash sighed. “Well, I guess now everybody knows we’re an item then.”
Zane barked out a laugh. “Who do you imagine didn’t already know that? Larry who drives the Castle Rock route?”
Dash scowled.
Zane scoffed. “I’ve never seen anybody so completely gobbled up and spit out by love sickness.”
“Wow. You make me sound like an idiot.”
Zane shook his head. “No. Just somebody who found the right girl and fell hard and fast.”
“She hates me right now.”
“Yeah. From her point of view, that’s kind of understandable. Don’t worry. It’s fixable.”
“You sure about that?”
“Here’s the thing. As much as you’re love bug vomit, so is she.”
“Like the image.”
Zane brightened. “I’ve got more.”
“Another time maybe.”
“You want to clear out and grab lunch?”
Dash shook his head. “No. I want to give Roewynn time to get home and finish throwing things then go knock on her door.” Dash swiveled around, looked at the mountains for ten seconds, then swiveled back. “You think she’ll open up?”
“If you make enough noise and refuse to leave.” Zane smiled. “Or she’ll call the cops. Hard to say.”
“You know what vacillate means?”
“I told you I wasn’t great at school. But I’m going to guess it has something to do with the plumping of vaginas?”
“Get out.”
Zane chuckled. Dash thought the man who was supposed to be his brother was taking his predicament way too lightly. “Okay. Here’s my real prediction. You’ll laugh about this with your grandkids.”
Slowly, as Dash integrated that image, his brows drew apart and he gave way to a slow smile.
Zane snapped his fingers and walked away whistling, like he thought his work was done.
CHAPTER Twelve
Roewynn had gone home, jerked the stupid sticks holding her bun in place out of her hair, thrown her beautiful navy and white dress with the fabric-covered buttons, diagonal color blocking and pencil-shaped skirt on the bed, huffed when it fell onto the floor, but refused to pick it up. She growled and kicked it for good measure.
She pulled on the softest pair of old faded jeans that she owned and threw on a salmon-colored tee shirt that said, What are you lookin’ at? It couldn’t have fit her mood more perfectly. Deciding the occasion called for bare feet, she looked down. Her manicured toes were the same color as the tee shirt, which irritated her. She didn’t especially want to be color coordinated, but it didn’t irritate her enough to motivate a change of clothes. She managed a disgusted huff instead.
The main thing, above all else, she wasn’t going to cry. She’d made up her mind. She was, however, looking around for things to throw. Wisely deciding she didn’t want to have to clean up broken glass or pottery, she settled on books. And began throwing them at the wall with all her might.
That might have made a bigger statement if they were hardcover books, but almost all of them were paperbacks. Still, it was a big enough statement to get a call from her neighbor downstairs.
“Hey.” She sounded awful. “I really hate to bother you, but I’m home sick today? I guess you’re home sick today, too?”
“Oh, shit.” Roewynn looked at the pile of books that had hit the wall and slid to the floor and tried to imagine how that must have sounded downstairs. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think you were home. Go back to sleep. I’ll be quiet as a little mouse.”
“Thanks, Roewynn.”
Roewynn ended the call, glad that she hadn’t been asked what she was doing. She sat down on her couch and picked up the TV remote. After surfing through the channels and finding absolutely nothing interesting, she said out loud, “Where is Oprah when you need her? Bitch.”
She looked around the apartment with darkness behind her eyes wondering what she could destroy silently without regretting it later. While she was contemplating, she muted the show about the mating habits of zebras. The fact that the apartment was so quiet made her very aware when she heard footsteps on the old wooden stairs that led upward to her half of the house.
She went to the door, fully expecting to see her neighbor from downstairs asking to borrow tea or ramen or a can of chicken noodle soup. She swung the door open, almost grateful to have something else to think about, even momentarily.
It wasn’t the neighbor. It was Dash with his hand raised in the air to knock.
“I’m closing the door,” she whispered. “Whatever you have to say, I don’t care to hear it.”
“Why are you whispering?” he whispered.
“Because my neighbor is home sick.”
Roewynn was completely unprepared for the gleam that jumped to Dash’s eye. She wouldn’t have thought he was capable of the level of wickedness that infused the smile spreading across his face.
He raised a finger to his lips in a shushing gesture as he walked forward, knowing she couldn’t protest loudly without disturbing the neighbor. Feeling like she had no choice, she did back up and let him in.
Once the door was closed, he looked around. It was every bit as eclectic as he’d known it would be. It almost looked like the place was a study in how to furnish an apartment with stuff nobody else wants.
His phone rang, but he ignored it and let it go to voicemail.
Seeing the pile of books on the floor he said, “What happened there?”
“None of your business. Say what you have to say and get out.”
“Can I sit down?”
“No.”
“Wow. You’re tough.”
“Mr….”
“Cut the crap, Roewynn. I’m not Mr. anything to you. I’m Dash, who aspires to be your full time exclusive lover. But at the very least I’m friends forever. No matter what. You pinky swore.”
He’d hit home. She faltered at that. His phone rang but he ignored it and let it go to voicemail.
“That’s not fair. I couldn’t have imagined what happened this morning when I swore that.”
“Hence the ‘no matter what’ clause of the pinky swear. Of course it’s fair.”
She narrowed her eyes, took in a deep breath and let it out. “It looked like…”
“I know what it looked like. But it wasn’t what it looked like.” He looked at his watch. “Where were you three hours ago?”
She lowered her chin. “In bed with you.”
“That’s right. And that was the truth. It was what it looked like. It was what it felt like. I wouldn’t put that at risk for anybody. Least of all somebody like April.”
For a second Roewynn allowed for the possibility that he might be telling the truth. What if? “Where are you going to be tonight at eight?”
“Wherever you are.”
“Wherever I am? Every night?” The idea that he was telling the truth was beginning to take hold.
“No matter what.”
He stepped forward tentatively and reached out for her. The fact that she didn’t try to move away was a good sign.
When the phone rang again, he said, “Christ. Just a minute.”
After seeing the name on the face of his phone, he glanced up at Roewynn. “It’s Jack. I should take this.”
She nodded.
“Jack?” he said. Pause. “Oh.” Pause. “Uh-huh.” Pause. “Yeah. Ah. Okay.” Pause. “Alright.”
When Dash ended the call, Roewynn couldn’t have stopped herself from asking, “What is it?” Her feathers were still a little ruffled. But seeing the change on Dash’s face caused an immediate internal shift from concern about her own feelings to concern about his.
“You know I told you I was found near Central City?” Her brows drew together. She hadn’t been expecting that. She nodded. “They found the car I’d been driving in a canyon. I guess it went off the road.”
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