by Raquel Belle
“Before I answer, did you remember the wine?”
Karen snorted. “Of course I did. We can’t unpack all of your shit sober now can we?”
“I adore you, Karen. Marry me.”
“Sorry, babe, you’re not my type. If you suddenly grow a penis, you would be.”
Evie giggled and stepped aside for Karen to bounce in. It was a wonder the woman had so much energy after her long shifts. Karen’s caramel complexion glowed without makeup and her wild tight curls framed her heart-shaped face. She was two inches shorter than Evie and more slender, but her personality was huge. The two were polar opposites, and that was why Evie suspected they’d been great friends for so long. Karen provided a balance in her life, always ensuring she didn’t work herself to death and didn’t take life too seriously—most of the time.
“I guess you and I will never be then.”
“Which is a shame because you’re actually kind of hot.”
“Kind of?” Evie scoffed.
Karen hummed and eyed her outfit. “In that ratty t-shirt and washed out jeans, you’re lucky you got kind of.”
“What would be the point of getting dolled up just to unpack?”
“What if it wasn’t me at the door, Evie? What if it had been that hot neighbor of yours coming over to borrow milk or sugar or something. He would see you looking like ... this.”
Evie grabbed the paper bags from Karen’s grasp and grinned. “First of all, no one knocks on anybody’s doors to borrow milk or sugar anymore. Second, I think my hot neighbor is into guys. I saw him checking out one of the mover’s ass when I moved in.”
Karen’s shoulders sagged. “Really? I didn’t see.”
“That’s because you were busy checking out that same mover’s ass.”
Karen bellowed out a laugh. “Oh, that makes sense. I do love a man with a nice tight ass.”
Evie rolled her eyes and made her way into the kitchen. She could appreciate a nice ass on a man too. As a matter of fact, she knew who had an amazing backside. Jared. He had an amazing everything.
Karen hopped onto a stool and grabbed one of the boxes Evie laid out on the granite counter-top island. “I’m starving. Forget the plates. Let’s eat right out of the boxes.”
“Awesome. I don’t want any dishes to wash later. Let me just get two glasses.”
Nodding to the empty bottle of wine on the counter, Karen cocked a brow. “Your day was that bad, huh? You only drink wine like water when you’re stressed.”
Placing two glasses down, Evie climbed onto a stool and opened a takeout box. Shrimp and broccoli, her favorite. Karen probably knew her better than anyone else in the world. “Before we get into my miserable day. How was yours? I don’t want to be selfish.”
She shrugged. “My day was fine. Nothing exciting.”
“’Nothing exciting’? You’re a doctor. You work in the ER. Something eventful always happens there. It's called the emergency room.”
Karen smirked. “Sure, there were a few interesting cases. But that text you sent me about running into Mister One-Night-Stand took the cake, baby. I freaked out, Evie. I wanted my shift to end so badly to come over and hear everything. Hell, I was so eager to get here, I doubt I showered properly.”
Evie wrinkled her nose. “Eww.”
“Never mind that, woman. Spill. Now. I want to hear everything,”
“I think it's pathetic that you have to live through me, you know. Once upon a time, you were the one getting into all kinds of crazy shenanigans.”
“I know, right? It’s like we’ve entered an alternate universe or something where you’re the one with all the juicy stories.” Karen pointed chopsticks at her. “Start talking.”
Stabbing a shrimp, Evie groaned. “It was like something out of a nightmare, Karen. I stepped into Dad’s office, already stressed about working for him, only to see Jared—that’s Mister One-Night-Stand’s name—sitting in the office. I was so shocked, that I tripped over my heels and nearly landed on my face. Can you imagine falling in front of them? It would have sent my humiliation level to an all-time high.”
Karen had abandoned her food and was gaping at Evie. “Oh. My. God. Your dad knows that you two …”
“No! I would have died. We pretended that we hadn’t seen each other before this morning. Well, he initiated it, and I played along.”
An excited squeal bounced off the walls. Karen clapped her hands. “This is amazing. So juicy!”
Evie’s eyes rounded. “How did you get ‘amazing’ from my embarrassing scenario?”
Karen swiveled her stool around to face Evie. “Hello? You said that man gave you the ‘best sex ever.’ You now have the opportunity to pursue something more with him. Maybe you two could go out on a couple of dates and see where things go. You said there was chemistry, right?”
Shaking her head, Evie jabbed the corkscrew into the wine bottle and twisted violently, releasing her frustration. The cork came up with a loud pop, and she filled her glass. After taking a huge gulp, she fixed Karen with an outraged stare. “Go out on a couple of dates? Have you asked yourself why he was in Dad’s office?”
“Nope, I was just stuck on the great sex you said you had.”
“He’s the client dad wants me to work with.”
Karen’s mouth formed a surprised O. “I see.”
“Great, so you see the problem.”
“I didn’t say I saw a ‘problem.’ So what if he’s a client?”
“You can’t be serious.”
Karen blinked slowly. “That only makes things more exciting. Think about it. You two have to be professional during meetings, then when you’re alone you can tear each other’s clothes off and have hot office sex.”
“Clearly somebody has been reading too many romance novels.”
Karen shrugged her shoulders and then shoved rice into her mouth. “I’ve slept with colleagues before, and that didn’t stop me from doing my job.”
“You and those colleagues don’t work for your hard-ass father. You see the huge problem now?”
“Daddy Davis doesn’t have to know a thing, sweetie.”
Evie sighed. “No, he doesn’t because absolutely nothing else will happen between Jared and me. He hasn’t made up his mind about taking me on his team yet. So, there’s a chance I won’t have to deal with him at all.”
Karen scoffed. “You disappoint me, Evie. Here you are with the chance to have some fun and that prude in you is taking over.”
“Hey, I’m no ‘prude.’ I’m just cautious. Besides, I had all the fun I needed with Jared last week.”
“One night was not enough. Why don’t you want to try dating him? Is it because you’re still hung up on that asshole ex-fiancé of yours? I never did like that man,” she said. “Always knew there was something shady about him.”
Evie appreciated Karen not adding I told you so. When Karen had visited her in Los Angeles and met her fiancé, James, she’d disliked him on sight but had remained civil for Evie’s sake. She’d warned Evie not to accept James’s proposal, but she’d been caught up in her illusion of happiness, so she assured Karen she was worried for nothing. Boy, had she been wrong. “I’m not hung up on anyone, Karen,” she said, quietly. “I admit … I’m still hurt, but I’m not ‘hung up.’” She pushed aside her food, her appetite vanishing.
“I’m sorry, Evie. I shouldn’t have brought him up.”
“Don’t worry about it. You almost finished? We should start unpacking those boxes. I don’t want to keep you too late. We both have to work tomorrow.” Evie was stubborn. If she decided that she didn’t want to talk, she wouldn’t.
With a sigh, Karen turned her attention to her food. After a while, she said, “I like this apartment better than the one in LA.”
Evie looked around. “I do, too.” She could see the living room from there in the open space. The yellow and cream walls gave a warmer feel. It was smaller than her last apartment and had a cozier atmosphere. She had the chance to make the apartmen
t all her own. In LA, she’d shared with James and couldn’t have everything how she wanted it.
The conversation after her ex was all light-hearted chatter, as they finished dinner and got to work unpacking. By the time they were finished, they were both giggling uncontrollably, an effect of too much wine.
Karen checked her phone and giggled. “I am so tipsy right now. My Uber is almost here. I should go downstairs.”
“Do you realize that we barely got through two boxes?” Evie looked around the living room and laughed. “All we did was drink and talk about nonsense.”
Karen held up a finger. “You’re the one who brought up high school.”
Evie blew away a lock of hair that dangled in her face. “Don’t you miss those days when the most complicated thing about life was worrying about what clique we fell in with?”
“Considering that we fell into the nerd/loser crowd, no I don’t miss those days.”
Evie chuckled. “I had no problem with being a nerd.”
“And that’s very troubling. It’s a good thing you have me in your life.” Karen gave her a quick hug and grabbed her jacket and handbag. “I’ll come back for part two of the packing if you need me. Maybe we’ll get more done another time.”
“As long as there’s no more wine.”
“Agreed. See you, Evie. Lock up behind me. This is a posh neighborhood, but there are crazies everywhere.”
“Yes, ma’am. See you.”
After Karen left, Evie leaned against the door and eyed the rest of the boxes warily. They’d have to wait because she was exhausted and in need of a long, warm bath. And that was exactly what she did. Twenty minutes after settling into the tub, she started to doze. Her cell, resting on the floor, rang, interrupting her peace. It had to be Karen checking in. For someone so carefree about most things, she was a stickler for safety. With a groan, Evie answered without looking at the screen.
“Yes, I locked the door behind you. Can’t a girl get naked and soak in peace without the interruption of your paranoia?”
“A girl certainly can. But I usually like to be present,” came the masculine voice.
Evie gasped, her eyes flying open as she jackknifed into a sitting position, sending soapy water sloshing over the rim of the tub. The phone nearly fell into the water, but she managed to juggle it back to her ear. “Mr. Hawthorne … Jared! I ... Why are you calling this number?” There was a reason why she had a separate phone number for work, so she could avoid embarrassing things like what just happened.
There was a chuckle. “I requested your personal number from your father.”
“And he gave it to you just like that?” She sighed. Thanks a lot, Garrison.
“Well, since I’m now your client, he didn’t see a problem. So, you’re ... soaking?”
Evie groaned and stood up, reaching for her towel. She wrapped it around herself, anchoring the phone between her ear and shoulder. Somehow it just seemed too provocative to be naked while she spoke to Jared on the phone. “Disregard that, please. I thought you were someone else.”
“You had company?” There was an edge to his tone, which she chose to ignore.
“I did, not that it’s any of your business. What did you say about being my client?”
“I decided to take you on as a member of my team, Evie. If you’ll accept, that is.”
“Oh, wow. That was quick. I assumed you’d take more time.”
“I did a thorough check on you, and I trust Garrison and his firm. I’m sure I’ll come to trust you as much as I did your predecessor.”
“Yes, yes, of course. I won’t disappoint. Thank you for the opportunity.”
“I think we’ll work just fine together, Evie.”
She thought so, too, as long as they put their wild encounter behind them. Evie was elated. After the way she’d dismissed him from her office, she was sure he wouldn’t hire her, and she knew Garrison wouldn’t be happy. She didn’t want to give her old man another reason to resent her. Things would be just fine after all.
Jared coughed. “Back to you being naked and soaking ...”
Evie froze, hating that his tone sent her hormones into overdrive. Her skin heated, and she caught a glimpse of her flushed face in the mirror. “You just hired me, Jared. I’m your employee. I’m pretty sure a line regarding our topics of conversation has now been drawn.” He sighed, and she shivered, remembering the way his warm breath had brushed over her skin as his mouth had trailed down her body. Squeezing her eyes shut, she forced the image out of her mind.
“I suppose you’re right. I apologize, Evie. Tell you what, I won’t call this number again.”
“Wait. It’s fine. You can call me whenever you need to on any number. We’ll just keep things professional.” Now that he’d taken her on, she intended to keep him happy—work wise. She was walking on eggshells with her father at the moment. She’d do her best not to do a thing to offend Jared any more than she already had. Garrison had rambled on about what an important and profitable client Jared Hawthorne was.
There was a pause. “Fine.” He cleared his throat lightly. “ I’d like to invite you to dinner tomorrow evening.”
“Jared, I just said …”
“It will be purely professional. Your father will be there.”
“Oh.” Was it ridiculous that her heart dropped just a little? “Dinner sounds good.”
“Great. I’ll have a car pick you up.”
“No need. Just tell me the name of the restaurant. I’ll meet you guys there.”
Chapter Six
Jared
Jared spotted her before she saw him. Evie climbed the stairs and stopped to look around. She clutched a black purse in front of her as if it were her lifeline and nibbled her lower lip. He wondered if she was nervous about seeing him. But why would she be? He’d told her Garrison would be present. At least, he thought Garrison would be present until five minutes ago when he’d called to back out of dinner. Something about having to consult on some case. Now, Evie would think she’d been set up. He took a sip from the glass of water he’d been nursing at the bar while he waited.
Finally, her eyes landed on him, and he raised his glass. He couldn’t take his eyes off her as she walked toward him. She was dressed modestly—very appropriately for a business dinner between lawyer and client. Yet, he felt his blood heating up. He had to stick a finger in his collar to get a little air inside his shirt. It was going to be a long night—longer still since he knew he wouldn’t be taking Evie back to a hotel room to relieve his sexual tension. Not with her anyway. He could always make a phone call and have a woman waiting for him if he wished. For some reason, though, the thought wasn’t as appealing as it once had been. He wanted another night with her, the woman giving him a tight smile, as she neared.
“Jared.”
“Evie.”
Would the awkwardness between them ever dissipate? It was ridiculous. If it were any other woman, there would be no uneasiness on his part. Things just weren’t working for him with Evie, as they always had with other women. She jiggled her ankle in her pumps, further giving away her anxiety, and he smothered a smile. At least, he wasn’t the only one affected.
“Where’s Mr. Davis?”
Jared laughed. “You can address him as dad in my presence, Evie. Your relationship is no big secret.”
She lowered her lashes but not quickly enough to hide her gloom. “It’s a habit. He prefers I address him as ‘Mr. Davis’ if it has anything to do with work.”
His heartstrings tugged, getting a brief glimpse of a sad, little girl. He’d had a similar sad, little boy look more than a few times growing up until he’d gotten over fighting for his father’s affection and lived his life only to please himself.
“Garrison isn’t here, Evie.”
She squared her shoulders, once again the confident, cool woman who spun circles around him. “Are we going to wait for him or are we going to get started? I assume you have something to discuss. You did say this was
a business dinner.”
Jared set his empty glass on the bar and gestured for her to follow him. “We can get started.” Maybe telling her that Garrison wasn’t coming wasn’t the best idea until he had her seated. She would be less likely to haul ass through the door then. “Our table is in the next room.”
Evie followed. “This place is very nice. I’ve never been here before.”
“Well, you weren’t living here for a while.
“But, I did visit. I tried to as much as I could. I came to see my best friend a few times, and we’d always go out to eat. Karen would visit me in LA more, though.”
She didn’t mention spending time with Garrison when she visited. Interesting. Just how estranged were they? Of course, if she’d ever spent time with her father on her visits, more than likely Jared would have met her before last week. “I see. Well, I’m glad I can provide a new experience.” He stopped at their table and immediately a waiter approached to pull Evie’s chair out. Jared waved him off and pulled her chair himself.
She smiled. “Thank you.” It was a genuine smile, not a plastic one she’d plastered on for the sake of appearances, and he found himself pathetically soaking up that smile as if it were the last ray of sunlight. It softened her features and made her look like an innocent maiden waiting to be corrupted by him.
Jared seated himself and picked up the wine menu. “This place has amazing wine. You’re a wine girl, aren’t you Evie?”
She flashed him another smile. “I am. How did you figure?”
“You were drinking red wine the night we met.” She froze and her smile vanished. Damn. Jared cursed himself for bringing up the night that should never be mentioned.
“No alcohol for me tonight. This is business, after all.”
Snapping the menu shut, he nodded. “Of course.”