But the idea of Linc leaving the office on a workday and driving hours for a woman? No. That would never happen.
Tim clapped his hands. “I told you about Becky and the drive, and the only thing you picked up on was Linc’s hunting expedition? That makes me worry for you.”
Thea hadn’t realized she’d drifted off until she heard the smack of Tim’s hands. Then she worried she’d missed a few words. “Why?”
“He tracked you down.” Tim’s eyes narrowed. “Do you get how strange that is?”
“To be fair, Tim’s right. I did come and find you. It’s not all that strange, but it happened and I don’t deny it.” Linc made the pronouncement as he pushed the front door the rest of the way open and stepped inside.
Her body whirred to life again at the sight of him. Funny how the pounding in her head started first. “What are you doing?”
“I need to use the bathroom.” He had the nerve to look innocent when he said it. As if he hadn’t been listening in, waiting for the right moment to pounce.
“No.”
“It was a long drive and Tim doesn’t stop very often.”
Headache or not, this time she didn’t fight the urge to roll her eyes. “Sounds as if you had my address and could get here without Tim’s help.”
“I wasn’t taking any chances that you got the word about my arrival and headed out early.” Linc shrugged and hitched his thumb over his shoulder. “So, am I using the tall trees at the back of this place or can I try your bathroom?”
She could see it now. He’d stand out there, and with her luck someone on the town council would come by and see him using a tree. Small towns had a lot of rules, even relaxed ones filled with summer cottages and a calmer way of life. “Over there, on the left.”
“Thanks.”
He took off before she could give him the restrictions, the number one being to stay out of her bedroom. It sat next to the bathroom, and she’d bet money he’d spend a minute or two looking around in there before she could catch him and pull him out.
Not that she planned to touch him. Those days were over.
Tim reached into his back pocket and grabbed a cell. “I’ll call Becky and—”
Before he could dial a number, Thea put her hand over his. “It’s okay.”
“Meaning?”
“I appreciate the concern but I need to talk with Linc. Alone. I can call you when it’s safe to come back over here.”
Truth was they’d been on a collision course since they’d met. The sex had been inevitable. She’d hoped it would last longer and mean more to him, but she could only control her half of the equation.
If he truly came to talk, then they would talk. No more waiting for the process server to come around with lawsuit papers. No more wondering if he still considered her a criminal. No more putting it off.
No more waiting on the baby news.
Concern flashed in Tim’s eyes. “Don’t do this, Thea.”
“Why?” As far as she could see, it was the only reasonable option.
“Honestly? You can’t fight him.”
“He won’t hurt me.” Her brain rebelled at the idea. He had a temper but even at his worst, and she’d seen it bad when his dad called, Linc never acted out of violence. She guessed he’d rather slice off an arm than do that.
“That’s not what I’m talking about.”
True, her weakness for him could get her all wrapped up again. “I need to talk with him and, honestly, Linc is not going to stop until he tells me whatever he plans to tell me.”
Tim exhaled with a good bit of male frustration behind it. “He can do it over the phone.”
“I don’t have her number,” Linc said as he opened the bathroom door.
Thea glanced up to see him leaning in the doorway. Gone was his usual business suit. He wore jeans and a slim blue sweater that slid over his firm runner’s build and the white tee peeking out underneath. The casual outfit highlighted each muscle. The stance radiated confidence, but she saw a hint of wariness around his eyes. As if he stood ready for her to uncoil and go after him.
Tempting.
“That was quick,” she said.
Linc closed one eye and made a face. “I’m not sure how to respond to that.”
Thea was about to laugh but the vibrating fury in Tim’s voice stopped her. “You got what you wanted, a few minutes with Thea, now you can go.”
“Nights.” One word. That’s all Linc said.
Tim shook his head. “What?”
“Not minutes. Thea and I are not done, and you are a nuisance.”
No ambiguity there. The man actually thought he could drive up here and find a place in her bed, or at least in her house. “Stop with the threats.”
It was Linc’s turn to shrug. “Why?”
She couldn’t figure out if his problem was ego or cluelessness. “You do understand I get a say in this plan of yours.”
He winked at her. “Of course.”
“Now I’m definitely not leaving.” Tim folded his arms in front of him.
“Mind if I get some water.” Linc stepped in close, his body almost brushing against hers as he reached over her shoulder to open a cabinet behind her head.
She refused to move. Wouldn’t let him see how every nerve ending flared to life when the heat of his body mixed with hers. Wouldn’t let him hear the gasp caught in her chest.
She cleared her throat, trying to bring her voice back to normal and her body under control. “You’re acting pretty comfortable around here.”
“I’ve always been comfortable with you.”
With that, the spell shattered. It smashed and the pieces fell around her feet as if a mirror had crashed. “Always? I seem to remember a day recently that being near me didn’t go so well. You actually called in security for help.”
Linc leaned against the counter across from Tim, trapping her in the middle between them. “I was a jackass.”
One of Tim’s eyebrows lifted. “Whoa.”
“I’m man enough to admit it.” With that Linc had the room’s attention.
Tim eyed Linc with what looked like reluctant admiration. As if one guy watching another admit he’d been a jackass qualified as some huge thing on the male-bonding scale.
She knew better.
“Nu-uh.” No way was she falling for the quick drop of a pseudo-apology.
Linc leaned forward. “Excuse me?”
She’d been Linc’s assistant for long enough to figure out he’d assessed her mood and decided a quick admission would work best to pacify her. He was rock stupid when it came to women, but off-the-charts smart when it came to business and strategies. Thanks to the lessons he’d taught her, this time she would be smarter.
“Me, this, is a challenge of some sort for you. Well, you forget how many meetings I sat in on. How many calls I listened to.” He played a good game. He could schmooze and convince expert businessman they believed one thing when they came in believing another. Now he’d turned those tactics on her. She wasn’t buying it.
“This is personal.” Linc shook his head. “I treated you poorly, and I’ve been trying to find you to talk with you, as Tim can attest. Now I’m here.”
“You’re telling me it took your highly paid investigators nine weeks to track me down.” She didn’t leave breadcrumbs but she didn’t hide either. She hadn’t done anything wrong and refused to act as if she did. She used her real name and anyone with an internet PI license could have tracked her down.
Linc sighed. “Three weeks.”
She didn’t expect that admission. So, he did sit around sulking for six weeks without trying to find her. How incredibly flattering. “You cared about my well-being for three out of nine weeks?”
“I didn’t say that. I went looking three weeks ago and have known about that long.”
“Yet you waited. How charming.”
“I admit I continued to be a jackass for a long time after you left. When I figured out you ran out of town, my mat
uring process shifted into fast-forward.” Linc shot her a sexy half smile, complete with twinkling eyes. He sobered when he looked at Tim. “What?”
“I can’t believe you’re admitting you messed up.”
“Me either.” Her senses clicked to high alert. Something was not right. This was too easy. Too…something. “Your whole dramatic confession, which needs work I might add, can only mean one thing.”
“What?” The question came from Tim.
“You figured out I didn’t steal from you,” she said, hitting Linc and his bullshit head on. “This is about guilt.”
“I’m happy to have this conversation—”
Finally. “Took you long enough, but good.”
“—without Tim.”
A charged silence filled the room. It was clear Linc thought he was in control. From the way Tim didn’t come out verbally punching, she guessed he viewed Linc as the leader as well.
After a few seconds that passed more like hours, Tim offered a token comment. “I can stay.”
But Thea knew it didn’t matter. Linc had staked out a position and he was not going to budge. It was all there in his voice and the way he carried his body, stiff and straight, with his legs slightly apart in battle stance. “He’s not negotiating terms.”
“No, I’m not.” Linc’s firm tone made his stand clear without the words.
“It’s not your house,” Tim said.
“And it’s not yours either.” Linc glanced at her. “Thea?”
This was a war she hadn’t planned to fight yet. They had an epic battle ahead, but putting it off would only make it worse. Besides that, she wanted answers.
His accusations had ripped her life apart and shredded her reputation. The least he could do was lay them out and let her answer them, though she still believed she shouldn’t have to. The man needed a lesson in trust.
And if she didn’t hear an apology soon there was no telling what damage her pregnancy hormones might unleash on his sorry butt.
She put a hand on Tim’s arm, more to get him moving toward the door than anything else. “Go to the inn. Let Becky know I’m fine and will call her later.”
Tim’s mouth dropped open. “You can’t be serious. After what happened? Becky will kill me.”
Thea tried to imagine that conversation back in the room at the inn. Tim had to take care of that one because she had her hands full here. “I can handle Linc.”
Linc smiled at her. “Yes, you can.”
Chapter Eight
It took another ten minutes to get Tim out. During that time Linc had to refrain from grabbing the guy and shoving him through the door. Since the goal was to convince Thea he wasn’t a condescending prick and open up to him, Linc guessed manhandling was a bad move.
While Thea stood on the porch and saw Tim off, Linc took the opportunity to check the place out. Rustic was the word that came to mind. The wood on the outside had grayed over time. Inside the rooms were small, with every space opening up to the main living area. No hallways or empty spaces. Every inch housed something, storage or furniture.
The cottage was the exact opposite of his usual taste. Nothing sleek and modern about the layout, but it fit Thea. From the photos on the fireplace mantel to what looked like a handmade blanket thrown over the end of the small couch, it struck him as cozy. Like everything else about her, it worked for him.
The perfect place for their peace talks.
She walked back in and closed the door behind her, shutting the cool breeze out. “Don’t move.”
“Okay.”
She walked past him and into the bedroom. Before he could call out, she came back out again. Without saying anything, she set a cell phone down on the counter with a crack. “You won this round but it’s going to be a short victory.”
“We can debate that later.” Especially since he had no intention of leaving any time soon.
“Why are you here?”
He opened one of the upper kitchen cabinets and found stacks of plates. The next contained an odd assortment of cups and mugs. He grabbed the closest one and poured a cup of coffee. “Want a cup?”
“You act like you live here.” She stood next to the refrigerator, coming within a few feet of him.
Not close enough, so he moved in. When she didn’t bolt, he stopped two feet away to keep from pushing his luck. “It’s pretty homey.”
She glanced down at his mug. “That’s decaf.”
The news was enough to get him to dump the mug in the sink. “Since when?”
She crossed her arms over her middle and shot him a look that said his countdown had started. “Answer my question.”
Since her sigh could slice through metal, he didn’t pretend to misunderstand. There was no point. “I’m here because I missed you.”
She actually snorted at that. “Come on.”
He hoped for a little more excitement to his news. Any reaction other than disbelief would have been good. “Surprised me too.”
“Your flattery is underwhelming.”
Being this close to her and not touching her pushed his control to the breaking point. Adrenaline pumped through him and that twisting in his gut pulled even tighter. “I was furious with you.”
“Over nothing. I didn’t do anything.”
He took the last step and breached the physical gap between them. The emotional one would take longer, but in the meantime his hands went to her shoulders and gently massaged her joints.
“We’re not going to fight about that part right now.” Mostly because he still didn’t know what to think about her claims of innocence.
The evidence pointed straight at her. There was little doubt, and he still believed what he saw on that damning security tape. But as the days passed without her, being miserable trumped his anger over her betrayal. The tension lessened, and now he just wanted an admission, a short explanation and a way to move on.
He was not the forgiving type, but with her the usual need for vengeance failed him. He was smart enough to know that meant something and he had to find her, no matter what.
“I don’t want to fight with you at all,” she mumbled.
Now there was some good news. “Then we’re agreed.”
Her arms dropped to her sides. “You know just showing up at my house and refusing to leave is pretty controlling behavior. Like, there are books written for women about how to handle men like you.”
One hand slipped through her soft hair to cradle her neck. “Do you want to handle me?”
“No.” But her whisper suggested otherwise.
“Really?” Her leaned in, ready to kiss her and giving her plenty of time to back away.
Her voice stopped him. “This is a dick move.”
The breath left his lungs with a punch. “Probably true.”
“But you’re not leaving.” She said it as a statement, not a question.
He wanted to believe that was a good sign, but he’d honestly grab on to any sign of hope at this point. “Not until we’ve talked this through.”
Which probably wouldn’t happen so long as he kept touching her. His fingers hit skin and his brain misfired. Likely had something to do with the blood rushing out of his head to his lower half.
“We could have done that the morning you fired me, but you decided to have me dumped on the sidewalk instead of engaging in an actual conversation.”
It took all his willpower, but he let her go. His hands fell but he didn’t move back. This close he could smell her and see energy zap in those sexy eyes. “I don’t deny I lost my cool.”
“That’s all you have to say?” When he didn’t answer, she rolled her eyes and stepped away from him. She somehow managed to put the entire breakfast bar between them in only two short moves.
Score one for Thea.
He stood across from her with his palms resting on the countertop. “Clearly you want to have this out. Fine, I’m ready to talk now.”
“How nice for you.”
The spunk had appeal
ed to him from the beginning. Sure, he could use a little less of it right now since it slowed things down, but he’d take angry and feisty Thea over devastated Thea any damn day. Nine weeks in and he still couldn’t erase from his mind the pained expression she threw him before Stan escorted her out of the office. It ripped through Linc, and he started to think that shredding would never leave him.
“We can begin with me telling you about the evidence I have against you.” He’d walk her through it and then—
“Wait, have or had?”
Not the response he expected. “I don’t understand the question.”
“You’re here because you found out I didn’t do it, right?” She smiled. Also mumbled something about him being an idiot.
“I’m here about our personal relationship, which appears to be wrapped up in the business mess.” And the combination kept kicking his ass.
Her eyes narrowed as she pointed a finger at him. “You just said—”
He closed a hand over hers and lowered it to the countertop. He would have kept holding on but she slipped her palm out from under his.
His gut said she didn’t do it, but he knew better. The best he could do was explain his choices then see where they went next. “I want you to know why I did what I did.”
“I don’t care.”
He didn’t believe that for a second. Her body stayed on alert, leaning in with those intelligent eyes following his every move.
He wanted to wrap his arms around her and spell it all out, but he forced his body to remain still. “I think you do.”
As if she could read his mind, she held up a hand. “Linc, don’t.”
“I won’t touch you unless you want me to, but damn, I hope you still want me to.” He needed more than one night. Even if money problems or some revenge scheme he didn’t understand had driven her to steal from him, they were not done.
“You’re not going to be staying here long enough to do anything other than rest a few minutes then turn around.”
Wrong. “Did we agree to that?”
“If you plan on sticking around, find a hotel.”
Baby, It's Cold Outside: Men at Work, Book 1 Page 7