Mama Said (10 page)

“Not really.” Not that he’d offered. And not that she’d had a chance with all the drama going on.

They walked up a flight of stairs to his door. She wasn’t sure what she expected, but what she saw was a blend of old and new. The arched doorways, high ceilings with intricate woodwork detail, and stained glass windows were probably as old as the building itself. The kitchen was state-of-the-art modern with sleek black granite counters, stainless steel appliances, and natural cherry cabinets.

“Your place is beautiful.”

“Thanks.” After keying in a security alarm, he placed his keys on a hook, his wallet on a table, and walked toward the refrigerator. “Do you want anything to drink?”

“I’d love a beer or wine, something to make me think I’ll get some sleep tonight.” The change from humid weather to his air-conditioned space made her break out in goose bumps. Without her bra, her nipples were like headlights under her t-shirt. She tried to cover them by folding her arms across her chest.

“I don’t drink, but I do keep some beer in the fridge for company.” He pulled out a bottle, opening it with a twist, and set it on the counter. “You’re freezing. Let me get you a shirt.”

While he walked into another room, she sat on one of the stainless steel and leather stools at the granite breakfast bar. Taking a giant gulp of beer, she let the liquid travel through her body, hoping maybe it might help her forget all that had happened in the last couple of days.

A few minutes later, Shane handed her a blue and black plaid flannel shirt. “Sorry, it’s not Ralph Lauren, but it will keep you warm.” Even though he smiled, she could tell he was feeling awkward or preoccupied or a combination of both.

“Thanks.” The softness of the fabric slid over her skin. That ocean breeze scent of Shane lingered in the shirt. “You don’t drink?”

He shook his head and sat on the stool next to her. “Never cared much for it.” His short answer made her believe there was much more to that story.

“I don’t drink much, either.” Despite her words, she finished the beer in one long slug. “Which explains why I’m already starting to feel a buzz.”

He grinned, but then quickly adopted his normally stern expression. “I’d understand if you wanted to leave town. I wouldn’t blame you. With everything that went on tonight, and considering Annie…and Vanessa…I won’t be a prick about it if you want out of your contract.”

She touched his arm and wondered about the sudden rush of heat. Not five minutes ago she was freezing. “You just don’t want to share your place with me, do you?” Shane being nice and accommodating confused her.

“You can’t stay back at the apartment until I know what’s going on.” As he spoke, his mind seemed a million miles away.

“And you’re too cheap to put me up in a hotel,” she said to make things a little less serious. “But watch out, I kind of like it here. Close to the lake. Nice big apartment. Beautiful kitchen, even if I don’t cook.” An alarm system. Heck, she felt more comfortable than she had all day. “One more beer and I think I could fall asleep.”

“Coming right up.” He got a beer, along with a bottled water for himself. “Here you go. But take it easy. I don’t want to have to carry you to bed.”

In full-flirt mode, she touched the bicep peeking below the sleeve of his t-shirt. “I know I’m tall, but I don’t weigh very much. I think you could manage.”

He smirked. “That’s not the problem. It’s what I’d be tempted to do afterward that might come back to bite us both in the ass.”

She rubbed her hand over his as it rested on the counter. “Why Shane, are you saying you might possibly be attracted to me? ’Cause if you are, you are great at covering it up.” Every nerve ending in her body kick started. And it had nothing to do with fight or flight.

“You’re beautiful and sexy. You’ve got to know that. Even in a t-shirt, boxers, and my flannel shirt you’re sexier than most women stark naked.”

She flushed and gulped at her beer, which didn’t help matters. It only made her feel dizzy on top of everything else.

“Then you wouldn’t mind if I tried something out.”

“What—”

She didn’t let him finish because if she had, she would have lost her nerve. Quickly she moved her head towards his and kissed him. It was something she’d been itching to do since the first time she’d seen him.

Before she knew what was happening, he yanked her off the stool in one fluid movement and pressed her against the counter with his body. His hands wound around her back and held tight.

Just as she thought there was definitely a horizontal tango in her future, he pulled back. Even though only six inches or so separated them, that was a lot more room than she wanted right now. He peered at her with narrowed eyes.

“Was it my beer breath?” This close his eyes were unbelievable—clear and blue and positively hypnotizing.

Shane laughed, the sound rumbling through his chest. “One of us has to be the voice of reason.”

“Why?” It was a logical question and one she couldn’t seem to think of an answer for.

“I can think of a million reasons. You’ll only be in town another couple of weeks. Technically I’m your boss, even if you don’t believe anybody can tell you what to do….” His voice trailed off. While she could tell he wanted to say more, he didn’t.

“That’s the beauty of it. I will be leaving town soon. Isn’t that how you like things? No way to get emotionally entangled.” She chewed on her fingernail as if trying to conjure up their discussion from a few days ago when, in fact, she practically knew his script by heart. “All you’re looking for is the occasional night of straight up, no commitment sex. Isn’t that what this would be?”

She couldn’t believe she’d said that, practically begged him to have sex with her. Somehow she’d morphed from a clothes slut into a plain old slut.

She didn’t know how to explain how she was feeling other than to say it was like her body was itching from the inside out. A ‘Shane rash’ had invaded her and she didn’t know how to get rid of it except for the obvious. Chalk it up to a case of his aloofness coupled with his lack of emotion and his take-no-prisoners control. Her hormones were a-buzz. Somehow it was the guys who showed no interest she was most attracted to. She knew some psychologist somewhere could have a field day with that tidbit of information but for right now, she pushed it aside.

His lips inched up. She could tell he was trying to stop a grin. “You have no idea how tempting the offer is. But I don’t think anything between us could ever be simple. Why muddy a perfectly bad relationship with hot, steamy monkey sex?”

She erupted into a giggle. “When you put it that way…hmmm…it would get kind of complicated back on the job, you being all surly with me knowing the whole time I’d seen your weenie.” She shook her head. “That couldn’t be good.”

For the second time in five minutes, he laughed. “And I certainly wouldn’t want to think about sucking on interesting places on your amazing body when you’re complaining about no maid service or no music or whatever is on your bitch list for the day.”

Despite the fact her whole body nearly erupted into flames at the visual he presented, she managed to shake her head. “Couldn’t have that.” But she wanted so badly to jump his bones at that very second and worry about the rest later.

“So we’re agreed. No sex.”

“Right. No sex.” While her mouth formed the words, her traitorous hormones were screaming like banshees inside. A chorus of ‘jump him, jump him, jump him’ pulsed between her legs and spread through her nervous system.

“Good.” He hitched back onto the barstool. “Now tell me why you really left Florida.”

In her hormonally-driven state, it took her a few minutes to realize he’d asked her a question. Once she yanked her focus off how she could seduce him without reneging on their agreement, she concentrated on his question.

“After college I started singing. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.” Her heart was still rat-tat-tatting in her chest and it took supreme effort not to lose focus.

“Why college?”

“My mother insisted. And I complied, with only a little whining along the way.”

“I’m sure.” He smiled and took a sip of water.

“After a while of schlepping around looking for work, I figured out I needed a manager. So I hooked up with Max.” She drew in a deep breath. “Are you sure you want to hear this? It’s really very boring.”

“I’m fascinated.” He folded his arms across his chest.

“At the time I thought, ‘This is great. I get to do what I want and somebody else does all the dirty work for me.’ ”

“I sense a but coming here.”

“Exactly.” She might as well lay all her cards out on the table—or at least most of them, anyway. Some things were better left unsaid. “You might not know this about me because I keep it well hidden, but I’m kind of naïve. My brother tried to warn me about Max, but I didn’t listen. Did I mention I’m also stubborn?”

“Were you involved with Max?”

She nodded, feeling a hint of the old shame resurface. “Not at first. But let’s say Max was screwing me over in more ways than one by the end. My brother found out that not only was Max cheating me professionally, but he was married with two kids and a third on the way. Let me go on record as saying that it burns me to know my brother figured it out before I did.”

“Were you in love with Max?”

She shook her head, realizing at that very moment that it was shame, regret, and disappointment she mostly felt. There had been companionship, but never love between her and Max. “No. But we spent a lot of time together. Things kind of evolved.”

“If you fired your manager, how did you get the gig at the Blues Stop?”

“I made the call pretending to be my booking manager. At the time, I wanted to get as far away from my family as I could since somehow they’ve got this weird notion they have to protect me from myself.”

Although she gave him the opening to probe further, for some reason he didn’t. “Why Chicago?”

“It was the one place I could count on to be alone without family interference. If I’d stayed in Florida or even in a state close by, there’d be a cousin, aunt, uncle, somebody asked to keep an eye on me.”

“You don’t seem to be the type who needs watching.”

“Tell that to my family.”

* * *

Holy frickin’ hell. What had he been thinking? Shane stuffed his hands under his pillow and tried to fall asleep even though his eyes were wide open and he had a hard-on to end all hard-ons.

Sure she was attractive. Check that. Gabriella was beautiful. And willing. But that sure as hell didn’t mean he should sleep with her.

But he’d been close. So close he’d do anything to have her up tight against him once again. Just for torture’s sake.

With everything going on, he should put her on the first plane back to Florida. Then she’d be out of harm’s way and there’d be no temptation. But he wanted her.

Bad.

If she stayed around much longer there was no doubt in his mind that they’d sleep together. And doing that could only lead to disaster. Even if he suspected, based on the burn-the-house-down chemistry between them, that he would enjoy each and every second.

* * *

Despite the strange environment and all the craziness last night, she’d slept in. Of course, it didn’t hurt that the spare bedroom he’d put her in was outfitted with a comfy queen-sized bed and high quality cotton sheets.

By the time Shane came to pick her up so she could get ready, it was close to one o’clock. The dreary weather from early morning had continued, and she’d put on her Florida Gators slicker over her shorts and t-shirt.

Shane was suspiciously quiet on the ride over but, then again, after last night when she’d thrown herself at him, he was probably fearful of what she might do. Every time she thought about it, an embarrassed flush ran through her.

Seeing Carissa inside the office, she stopped there before heading upstairs. After taking off her coat and hanging it on the hook, she helped sort through some of the remaining mess.

“I heard you spent the night with the boss.” Carissa’s eyes twinkled as she smiled. “He tells me you slept in his guest room. I’m not sure I believe him.”

“Believe it. But I do think I’m making some headway with him. He actually laughed last night.”

“Don’t get me wrong, Gabriella, I like you. But I swear to God if you hurt that man, I’m going to have to cause you some bodily harm.”

In some ways it seemed ironic to think this young petite thing felt a need to protect Shane O’Neil. But she couldn’t help thinking about the man who brought out such fierce loyalty. For the first time she understood it. Shane was a great guy. He just had this perverse need to not let anybody know it.

“No need to worry. We talked it all out last night and decided it wouldn’t be a good idea to get physically involved.” At least one of them thought it wasn’t a good idea. She wouldn’t mind a little experimentation. In fact, it was pretty much all she’d thought about until she finally fell asleep last night.

Carissa laughed. “That’s Shane, all right. I’m surprised he didn’t show you a spreadsheet where he’d worked out all the variables.”

“He more or less did that verbally.” She’d rather talk about anything other than how she hadn’t gotten lucky last night. Her hormones were still rebelling. “I’m starving.” Gabriella looked towards the diner. “How about you?”