Second Time's the Charm

by Knight, Vanessa

  “I didn’t realize that was a problem.” For him, anyway—for her it was more a nightmare than a problem. “Did you actually want something or did you just want to flaunt that body you like so much?”

  “I came to see why my bed was empty Saturday morning. You wouldn’t happen to know why, would you?”

  “Look, Adam,” she said and threw her shoulders back. “We seem to make this mistake every few years. I get it. I just figured I’d run out the door before you did. After all, it wouldn’t be fair to make you run from your own room again.”

  “Who says I’m running? That was you sprinting out the door.” He actually seemed angry. Angry. What did he have to be angry about? This was, after all, their way. One night of great sex and then abandonment in the morning. Hell, the only difference between this time and last was that he was a lot easier to track down.

  But this time was different. She walked away, not him. That was probably killing him. It was some sort of macho-penis-thing. Some ingrained, Neanderthal belief that men could leave women but women couldn’t leave men. His poor, fragile male ego must have taken a hit when the lowly Allison Southby didn’t worship beside his post-coital bed.

  Of course, she might be a bit bitter.

  “Anyway, what exactly do you get?” he added.

  “I get what this is,” she spit out as she pointed between the two of them. Anger found its way beneath her skin as her voice raised an octave. Control. She needed to control the noise, the words, before they had witnesses to their ill-begotten love life.

  “It’s okay. Now we can go back to normal,” she said in a quieter tone.

  “Great. You can explain to me what this is and what exactly is back to normal.” He sat on the couch across the room. He placed his ankle on his opposite knee and folded his hands in mock anticipation.

  Arrogant ass.

  What started as adulation for his body had morphed into contempt. She stared, feeling the fury build within her veins, as her blood simmered. She didn’t need his crap right now. She didn’t necessarily want to fight; he was technically her boss, however she was sick of…well…of him.

  “Look, Adam. Let’s just take this for what it is. We had fun. Now we can go back to being just coworkers.”

  “When have we ever been just coworkers?”

  “Fine. We aren’t really coworkers. We can go back to my being the employee and you being the big, bad company owner,.” she argued in frustration. Just once she'd like to know what he wanted her say.

  “That’s not what I meant.”

  “Then what do you mean, Adam? Please, explain it to me.” She slapped her hands against the desk. Frustration bubbled to surface. She was so done with this… With him. “Please explain why you ignored me for all these years. Well, except for that one night. Another one of my proud moments, thank you, thinking you wanted more than a lay. But what happened the next day? You were gone. No phone call to say ‘hi,’ not even a ‘screw you’. Nothing. So, what is it that you want from me now?”

  The stricken look spreading across his face took her by surprise. Guilt almost crept through her. That may have been a bit harsh, but she’d earned the right to say it. It felt so good to say, too. How long had she held that in?

  She started to wonder if there was anything else she was holding in…the euphoria from letting it go might be worth the fight. Hell, she was even looking forward to fighting with him. It had been a long time coming.

  “You’re right.”

  “About what, pray tell, am I right?” She dropped her head back, energy spent.

  Why were conversations with Adam so exhausting?

  “Most of it. However, I did not ignore you. You were at the center of every thought.” He rose to his feet.

  “You have a funny way of showing that.” She rested her elbows on the desk and raised her hands to her temples, trying to knead away the vise that was clamped around her head. She hated that he could get to her like this. He just had a way of pressing the right buttons to drive her absolutely insane.

  Her eyes slowly rose and caught Adam’s stare. She waited for his argument. She waited for him to tell her she was wrong. But no words came. He just stared and stared.

  “What?” she whispered.

  “I’m sorry. I was young and incredibly stupid.” He inched his way toward her. “But do you really want to be just coworkers? I know I won’t be here for much longer…”

  He spun her chair so she was facing him. He boxed her in, his right hand resting on the chair and his left hand on the desk. She leaned back as he leaned forward. Distance. She needed distance. She twisted her head to the side and pushed further into the chair. His breath brushed her cheek. Minty coolness mixed with spiced lavender overwhelmed her senses as he tilted closer.

  Not far enough. Pain squeezed her heart. On one hand she wanted him more than her next breath. On the other hand, he already said he wouldn’t be here for much longer. Could she just let him walk away? Walk away without getting hurt?

  His scent wrapped around her lungs as he skimmed her lips with his. The soft gentle touch wound its way through her body. Dammit. She was already too invested. He had her heart in the palm of his hand. If she let herself hope, let herself care about him, he would undoubtedly hurt her again.

  “But I don’t want to stop what we have, no matter how temporary it may be.”

  Allison’s body felt the gravitational pull of Adam deep in her hips. No matter what logic her mind threw out, her body had a very different idea. Heat pooled between her thighs as want coursed through her veins.

  No, she didn’t want this feeling to end.

  “I don’t either,” she whispered, and met his intense stare. He inclined toward her, and his tongue slowly traced the curve of her neck. Her heart pounded in her ears, drowning out her headache and any last remaining rational thought.

  “Unfortunately, we do need to pause,” he said as he nibbled her ear. “I have to be somewhere. Go with me to the Flurries game tonight.”

  He slowly pulled her to her feet and placed his lips on hers. A jolt passed through her as he drew her closer. Her body ached in need, every part screaming for more.

  “Huh?” she murmured when his lips travelled to her ear.

  He pulled his face away as his hand moved down the arc of her waist. “Are you going with me?”

  “Yes.” She threw her head back and sighed. She wasn’t sure what she just agreed to, but she didn’t care if it would keep his mouth and hands navigating her body.

  “I’ll pick you up at five thirty,” he said and cupped her face, pressing his lips to hers. He groaned, pulling away, and took her arms. He moved her a foot away. “Now you need to get home and get ready or we’ll be late.”

  She stared at him, lost. Late? Where were they going? What did she agree to?

  She was finally able to formulate a lucid thought. “What just happened?” she asked.

  “You just agreed to right an egregious wrong. You’re going with me to the Flurries game tonight.”

  “I am? Why don’t we just stay in?” She bit her bottom lip and reached for his shirt. He grabbed her arms again and placed them at her side. He pressed a soft kiss to the tip of her nose.

  “Although I am totally on board with your plans for the evening, they’re honoring my father tonight. I have to go to the game and I thought you might want to come.”

  “I’ve never been,” she said.

  “I know. That’s insane. You can’t call yourself a Chicagoan if you’ve never been to a Flurries game.” He smiled as her lip curled into a snarl. She didn’t want to watch a bunch of barbarians skate across the ice. What was that saying? I once went to a hockey game and boxing match broke out. She could think of a million things she’d rather do than watch testosterone-driven thugs skate around the ice.

  “I’d really like for you to be there, and I know it would have meant a lot to my father.”

  The candid look he gave her and the pleading in his eyes broke down every defens
e and quieted every argument. She might regret this later, but for now she couldn’t bear to disappoint that sweet face.

  “Using your father to get to me, Lieutenant Byrnes?” “Maybe. Did it work, Ms. Southby?”

  “Maybe. What should I wear?” “Jeans and a black T-shirt.”

  “Are you sure?” She knew this wasn’t a fancy outing, but jeans and a tee? That seemed a bit understated for an outing with the public.

  “And wear gym shoes.” “Really?”

  “Trust me.” He kissed her on the lips before disappearing from her office.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Allison listened as Loraine talked about the animals currently under her ward. The devotion and love in her voice filled Allison with joy. She worried about Loraine, all alone after all these years. Although Dale and Nadia were living at the house, Allison knew they were no replacement for the love of her life. It was nice to see her still so passionate about something.

  “My neighbor, John Schatz stopped by a week ago with a stray dog he found on the side of the road. I decided to name him Schatzi. He had been well fed, but he had a broken leg—his owners probably couldn’t afford the vet costs associated with such a sick animal.” A tear glistened in her eyes. “It must be hard to make that sort of decision, but I still don’t understand how people can just drop them in the middle of the road. Herb would get so mad when he’d heard stories like that.”

  A sad smile crossed her lips. “That’s probably why I fell in love with him.” Loraine dabbed her eyes with a tissue from her pocket.

  “Are you okay?” Allison asked.

  “Fine, dear. I just get a little weepy now and again, but I’m fine.” Her eyes dried as she continued. “I just take it one day at a time. He would have wanted it that way.”

  Adam leaned over and placed his hand on hers. She drew the hand to her heart. “Mom, he would want you to be happy.”

  “I am happy, dear. I have my boys and girls to keep me on my toes. I also have the refuge. I am a very lucky woman.” Loraine wrapped her other warm hand around Allison’s and squeezed. “Speaking of girls, where is Brook tonight?”

  “She has some big case she’s been working on. They’ve been working nonstop for over a week. I can only imagine how exhausted she must be with all the hours she’s put in.”

  “That girl needs to stop working so hard.” “I tried to tell her.”

  “Maybe I should talk to her. Then again, I try to tell you the same thing and you don’t listen to me, either.”

  Guilt. The woman was a master at guilt.

  “So, anyway, I can’t stay tonight. Shortly after the ceremony, I’m heading back to care for Schatzi. He doesn’t like being alone. I’ll send the car back to pick you up.”

  “Mom, you didn’t have to come tonight. We could have handled this,” Adam said.

  Allison’s chest filled with emotion watching him interact with his mother. He was so much like his parents, with his attentive nature and kind heart. That heart was the reason Allison found it impossible to stop the train wreck of feelings that always ran her down when he was around.

  “I know you can, honey, but I’ll mingle with the philanthropic crowd a bit and then I’ll head back to the barn. After all, if I want this refuge to grow, I’ll need capital. It’s important to keep these contacts.”

  Allison loved Loraine’s large, giving heart. Despite the sadness darkening her eyes, her focus remained on the welfare of the orphaned animals. She always put others first, which is why it was so hard to watch her suffer through such loss.

  The three sat in silence as they rode the last few blocks. Loraine opened her compact and fixed her makeup. Allison smiled at her basic outfit. They looked like twins in their black jeans and black T-shirts. It seemed a bit simple, but Adam swore that it would be perfect for a group outing watching hockey.

  The limousine stopped at the large gray-brick coliseum. They pulled up to the private suite entrance and stepped out toward the Dietrich Arena. The Chicago Flurries called the building home.

  They entered the exclusive entrance and rode the elevators to the penthouse suites. Allison wasn’t sure what she expected from the venue, but the dapper hallways and sports memorabilia hanging along the walls were the perfect décor. The simple silver frames surrounding the iconic pictures enhanced the masculine vibe. The dark gray carpet and black leather chairs screamed ultimate-man-cave.

  They made their way down the hall and located the Byrnes and Company suite. She entered the large room and walked across the light gray carpet, past the dark gray leather recliners facing a large flat screen TV. A wet bar lined the back wall by the hallway door. She headed to the front of the room where a huge opening led to fourteen plush stadium seats, overlooking the vast expanse of the Center.

  She walked down the steps to the glass railing in front of the first row of stadium chairs. The cool, crisp air mixed with the smell of pizza and beer hit her as she leaned over the rail. The stands below were slowly filling with energized spectators.

  Her family had never been into sports, playing or watching. Well, except for the ballet classes and gymnastics classes her mother forced her and Brook to take as children. Her parents never missed a chance to see their daughters twirl. But otherwise, sports weren’t high on their list of priorities. It might have been due to their nomadic nature that they never had a team that was theirs, and therefore couldn’t get into the competition. Who knew? All Allison knew was that she was a Chicagoan now, so this was her team. She was going to attempt to enjoy the game if it killed her. Or she had to be drunk to do it.

  She jumped as small arms wrapped around her right leg. She looked down into two gorgeous green eyes. “Hey small-fry!”

  Julie’s son, Cody, smiled a heartwarming grin up at her. “I not small, Auntie Al’son,” Cody remarked. “I a grow’d up.”

  “That’s too bad. I have a really cool toy in my purse for a three-year-old kid. Do you know any three-year-old kids that need a new toy, Mr. Grown-up?” Allison pulled off his ball cap and tousled his blond hair.

  “I need a new toy.” Cody jumped up and down. “Yeah, but this toy is for kids, not grown-ups.”

  “Oh.” His face fell. Allison almost gave in, but instead she held out while he tilted his head in thought.

  “Well, I’n a kid. I only a grow’d up sontimes.”

  Allison smiled and reached in her purse for the action figure she’d picked up for Cody.

  His eyes sparkled and his mouth twisted into a grin as he took his new toy. “Tank you, Auntie Al’son. You is da best.”

  “I might have heard that somewhere. So, are you a kid again?” Allison smiled as Cody bobbed his head up and down.

  “He’s a kid, all right. I don’t think grown-ups get in trouble for pouring glitter on Sandy Spencer.” Julie lifted him in her arms and nuzzled his chin. “Now go say hello to Aunt Loraine. She wants to see your cool new Flurries jersey.”

  “That is a nice jersey you got there.” Allison grabbed the bottom of the tiny replica shirt.

  “I got it from Mommy.” His chest expanded as he ducked his chin to stare at the Flurries logo—a whirling tornado of snowflakes—on the front of his jersey.

  Julie eased him down until his feet hit the floor, patting his butt as he ran back into the room, his new action figure’s arm dragging along the floor. “No running, Cody! Please behave!” She sighed as she straightened up.

  “You okay?” Allison asked.

  “Yeah. Sometimes it’s hard being a single mom.” Julie’s eyes narrowed as she watched Cody run across the room again. “Cody!”

  The towheaded boy turned his chubby cheeks toward his mother. His little green eyes narrowed to match his mother’s. “I’n being have, Mom!”

  Julie smiled and shook her head. “Please try to behave better. No running.” “Otay, Mommy.” His little lips curled up into a heart-stopping smile.

  “What a heartbreaker. He’s going to be breaking hearts and causing trouble before you know
it.” Allison nudged Julie.

  “Don’t remind me. I’m choosing to ignore that inevitable part of my future.” “I know this is a taboo subject, but does Cody’s father live in the area? Maybe he could start helping out. If not willingly, you do have a lawyer for a father.” “Not necessary. I’ll be fine,” Julie said, and then changed the subject. “It looks like there’s going to be a full house tonight.”

  Allison wasn’t too surprised her friend dodged the question. The women had talked love, fears, and sex. She knew everything about Julie, but Cody’s father was forever and always off limits.

  She glanced back at the guests wandering into the suite. Apparently, the room had filled as she was gawking at the venue. Edward, Adam, and other guests were standing around talking business, and the odds of a Flurries Winner’s Cup run.

  “I’m actually surprised to see you here. How did they talk you into coming to the game?” Julie teased.

  “They used guilt.” She wasn’t about to tell Julie who used said guilt. She knew she needed to tell Julie about Adam, but she wasn’t ready yet. She didn’t need another lecture about the idiocy of getting involved with him. Not yet. She was already getting that particular lecture series, hourly, from herself. “I’m here for Herb.”

  “You don’t sound so thrilled.”

  “I just don’t know anything about hockey. I mean, I’ve got a few things down, but not enough to sit through… How long are these things anyway?”

  “There are three periods. Each one is twenty minutes.”

  “Oh, so a game only takes an hour?” Allison’s mood was brightening. She thought for sure she would be here all night. An hour. She could handle an hour.

  “Well, there are intermissions and they stop the clock for penalties and time- outs. So it’s more like two and a half to three hours.”

  “Oh,” she snarled just as Adam walked over with drinks. He handed a glass of wine to Julie and a mug of tea to Allison. Allison stared at the drink, confused. Last time she checked, she was old enough to partake in a glass of wine. “Tea?”