Do Not Disturb (16 page)

Had he? He honestly didn’t know. “No. I don’t think so. Talia’s parents divorced more than ten years ago, but someone went to a hell of a lot of trouble to wipe her father out of her history. Now, that could be because the guy was an abusive bastard. I’ve helped a few people with stuff like this. I know how to do it so someone like me can’t find anything. Someone did that to Talia’s dad.”

Jed’s gaze narrowed. “You said it yourself. Maybe the guy was a total dirtbag and it’s better to let him disappear than dig him up.”

“This coming from the guy who had me dig into his future wife’s history to find out if she was the daughter of a famous murdered painter.”

Jed shrugged. “Old news, buddy. I’m marrying the girl, remember?”

“And you’re damn lucky to have her.”

“All of which I know. What I don’t know is why you’re digging into Talia’s background like a man possessed.”

He wasn’t possessed. “I’m curious. It’s in my blood.”

“You’re also hot as hell for her. You’re an idiot if you think you’re hiding that from anyone.”

“I’m not trying to hide anything.” He wanted to add “fuck you” to the end of that statement but kept his mouth shut because he knew Jed would torment the hell out of him for that.

“I know you and Belle talked the other night, but did you mention the fact that you’re screwing around with one of her best friends?”

“We’re not screwing around, for chrissake. We’re . . .”

“Fucking.”

No.
“Seeing where things go. Slowly.”

“And when was the last time you decided to go slow with a woman?”

“What the hell is your problem? Jesus, Jed. I like her. All right? I’m trying not to be an ass and screw things up. And apparently that’s harder than I thought. You ready to go?”

Jed rose and headed for the door, a slight smirk on his lips. “After you.”

They headed for the elevator through the offices that housed most of the staff of Connelly Media’s magazines. A few people nodded as they made their way through the office but no one stopped him to ask a question or show him a layout.

Probably because he looked like he wanted to tear someone’s head off.

The cab ride to Tiffany’s in Rittenhouse Square was thankfully short, and Jed managed not to piss him off any more by mentioning Talia again.

When they entered the store, he headed for the counter where he’d seen the bracelets he’d wanted to get his sister and nieces for his sister’s upcoming birthday. For some reason, when he’d been here with Jed to look at rings a few weeks ago, those bracelets had caught his eye.

Delicate silver links connected with genuine gemstones. His sister’s bracelet would have a stone for each of her children. The girls’ bracelets would have only their birthstones.

“Hey. Come look at this.”

Jed called him back, holding out his hand, palm up with a ring in the center.

“She chose the matching ring to mine.”

Dane picked up the delicate gold band inlaid with yellow and white diamonds.

When he glanced at Jed, Jed’s smile made Dane shake his head. “You really are a sap.”

“Sue me. I love her.”

“Yeah, I know. And you’re damn lucky she loves you just as much.”

Jared took the ring from Dane and held it up in front of his face, his smile softening. “I never thought I’d do this. Never thought I’d find a woman I wanted to wake up beside every morning or go to bed with every night. I thought I’d be bored out of my skull having to spend so much time with one woman. And here I am, thinking I just won the lottery.”

“If you start to cry, you’re on your own. I’m all out of hankies.”

That made Jed laugh, as it was supposed to. And when Jed turned to smile at him, Dane couldn’t help but grin back as he shook his head.

“There’s still hope for you,” Jed said.

No way was he giving Jed ammunition. “I never said I didn’t want to get married. Hell, my parents are the poster children for marriage. For that matter, so are my brother and sister.”

“So you do think about it?”

Dane shrugged. “Honestly . . . No. I’ve never had the urge to ask anyone to marry me.”

“At the risk of sounding like a Hallmark commercial, when you meet the right woman, you’ll know it.”

Nodding, Dane tried not to laugh in his best friend’s face but finally lost the battle. Jed didn’t take offense, though.

“Go ahead and laugh, buddy. Someday the shoe will be on the other foot.”

“Not sure there’re any more like Belle out there, so don’t be fitting me for new shoes just yet.”

“So, you’re gonna ask Talia to the party.”

“I already did.”

Jed didn’t bother to look surprised. “And . . .”

“She’s going to let me know.”

“Ah.”

“Don’t make me tell you to fuck off again.”

Turning back to the counter with the bracelets, he ignored Jed’s quiet laughter and ordered the damn bracelets for his family.

***

Talia tapped her fingers on the back of her phone as it lay on her desk, trying to decide if she was going to make the call or not.

She wanted to make the call. Felt like she’d crawl out of her skin if she didn’t make the call. And yet . . .

What?

She hadn’t had much time to think about Dane this weekend. She hadn’t been kidding when she’d said she’d be busy.

And yet . . . he’d crept into her thoughts more than she’d liked.

Which meant she’d been debating calling him, because any man who took up this much of her brainpower was a man who had the potential to have way too much power over her.

And isn’t that what you loved about Thursday night?

She sighed, spinning in her chair to look out her office window, which basically looked out over Penn Avenue. This time of day there was a lot of traffic. At least, a lot of traffic for Wyomissing.

If she moved to Philly, which was still a big if, she’d have to get used to a lot more traffic. A new apartment, a new office. She’d have to pay to park everywhere and, and oh, my god, there were so many more people.

Which made her sound like a total hermit, when, in reality, the only reason she was having any kind of second thoughts was because of Dane.

Ugh.

She should call and tell him no for tonight and the weekend.

But . . . she wanted to say yes. Which was why she was having this silent argument with herself.

With a huff, she picked up her phone and made a call.

“Hey Tal, what’s—”

“You busy?”

A pause. “No.” Kate drew the word out to about five syllables. “But you sound like you are.”

“Not busy, just . . . I need you to be honest.”

“About what?”

“Dane. The man is driving me crazy, and I need to figure out what to do.”

Kate fell silent for several seconds. “About what?”

“He invited me to the Salon Saturday night.”

Another pause, this one longer. “Ah.”

“Seriously. That’s all you have to say?”

Kate snorted. “Well, you could give me a few seconds to process. Shock will do that to you.”

“Should I be worried that you’re shocked?”

“Oh, jeez. I think this conversation requires alcohol, and I’m working with lace at the moment, so no alcohol for me. I take it things have progressed with Dane.”

“I don’t know that
progressed
is the right word.”

“So what is the right word?”

“I’m not sure yet.”

A short pause this time. “Fair enough. And don’t take this the wrong way, Tal. I like Dane. He’s the kind of guy you want on your side if you’re in serious trouble, because he will find a way to get you out of it. But . . . I’ve never heard of him being in a, ah, monogamous relationship.”

“Then I guess I’m glad we’re nowhere near the relationship stage. We’ve had sex a couple of times and gone to dinner once. It’s not like we’re declaring everlasting love.”

“Uh-huh. Okay.”

The amused scoff in Kate’s voice made Talia want to stick her tongue out at her friend, even though she wouldn’t be able to see it.

“Now you’re deliberately pissing me off.”

Kate’s laugh rang through the line and now it sounded more like Kate. “It’s my goal in life. You know that. Sorry, Tal. I don’t mean to be a bitch. And, honey, if the sex is good enough to keep you coming back for more, then more power to you.”

“Now tell me why you’re shocked that I know about the Salon. Apparently my friends are all in on the secret.”

“Talia—”

“Sorry, sorry, sorry. That came out way bitchier than it should have.”

“For the record, I want you to know we didn’t keep it from you intentionally. You obviously signed the nondisclosure so you know how restrictive it is.”

“I know. And I understand. I do, really. It’s just . . . now that I do know, I’ve got so damn many questions, I don’t even know where to start.”

“So just ask the first one that comes to mind.”

“Have you and Tyler had sex in front of other people in there?”

Kate’s laugh was a sharp bark. “You’ve met Ty. Do you really think he’s gonna let other people watch him get busy?”

“So that’s a no.”

“That’s a big no. But that’s not to say we haven’t used the room, because we have. That black leather horse in the corner? Let’s just say I’ve probably logged more hours on that than I have on any other piece of furniture in that room.”

“That good, huh?”

“Please. If I had my way, I’d be tied to it at least three times a week.”

“Dane had me tied to one of the chairs.”

“We haven’t had the opportunity to try those out yet. They’re fairly new. So . . . are you coming Saturday night? Oh, wait,” Kate said as Talia started to laugh. “Maybe I should rephrase that.”

“Don’t bother. And I’m not sure. I’m afraid I won’t be able to participate the way he’ll want me to.”

“Honestly, I don’t know what to tell you about that. Sometimes I think you have to jump in with both feet and damn the consequences, you know? But if it’s not for you, don’t do it because he expects you to.”

“Maybe I’m a little afraid I’ll like it too much.”

“With this crew, Tal, trust me, that’s not a bad thing.”

***

Dane grabbed his ringing phone, checked the name and started to smile.

“Hey, I’m glad you called.”

Actually, he felt like beating his chest like a caveman but decided Talia probably didn’t want to hear that.

“Hi, Dane. How are you?”

“Better, now that I hear your voice. How were your events this weekend?”

“They went well. The anniversary party, especially. After fifty years together, the couple still likes each other. I call that a win.”

“I’m sure your party was perfect for them. And I’m hoping you called to tell me we’re on for tonight.”

“Actually, I did. If you’re still free.”

He’d actually turned down an invite to go drinking with friends on the chance that she would call, but he wasn’t going to tell her that. “I am. So what time can I pick you up?”

“You want to come up here?”

“If that’s okay with you. I thought we could grab dinner at the Retreat.”

And have sex until they passed out in the Sultan’s Room. He’d already checked with Jed and no one had reserved it for the night. Not that he would mention that now. Didn’t want her to think sex was all he wanted from her.

Even though she was all he’d thought about all weekend. Not that he was obsessed with her or anything.

“Sure, that sounds great. I haven’t actually eaten there yet. Do you want to pick me up at my apartment and we can drive over together?”

“Sounds good. I’ll pick you up at seven. See you soon.”

***

Dane hung up before she realized he hadn’t asked for her address, so she figured he already had it. Which reinforced the fact that the man had checked her out.

And while he definitely had more resources than she did, she’d admit to Googling the hell out of him.

She managed to stay on task the rest of the day, getting as much work done as she possibly could. She tied up a few loose ends for Annabelle’s wedding, worked out a schedule based on the information Dane had given her for his company’s board meeting, and set up a meeting in two weeks with a bride for a Christmas wedding.

By the time six forty-five rolled around, she’d changed her clothes twice, put her hair up, taken it down, and picked up her phone to call Sabrina, only to put it down before dialing.

She had no idea what she would’ve said. She wasn’t a teenager who needed affirmation before her date with the football quarterback.

Of course, she’d never gone out with the quarterback. The quarterback of her high school football team had been way more interested in the cheerleaders, and Talia had still been way too angry at life to consider going out for squad.

Instead, she’d played field hockey and soccer and gotten a job at one of the local supermarkets when she’d turned fifteen.

She realized now that she’d needed to have some control over her world, and making her own money had helped with that.

When her bell rang, she took a deep breath and tried to tame the wide grin on her lips.

Which died a fast death when she opened the door.

“Ms. Driscoll?”

The man was fortyish, balding and slightly rumpled, as if he’d spent all day in his car. And he looked as if he hadn’t slept all night.

“Yes?”

“Certified letter.”

A clipboard and pen appeared before her eyes before she could blink. And once she’d signed the paper, he whipped a letter out of his pocket faster than her brain could process.

He was already turning away when he said, “Have a good one,” and left her staring at his back holding a business envelope in her hand.

Since the door to her apartment opened onto a small outdoor courtyard that provided a buffer between the building and the parking lot, she could see the man get into his small car and drive away. She watched as Dane pulled into the very next spot seconds later.

Since he could clearly see her, she squashed the impulse to slam her front door closed and hide the letter. Because she knew what it was. The lawyer had warned her it was coming, but she’d forgotten. How the hell had she forgotten?

The answer to that was easy and walking toward her with a smile on his face.