She released him quickly and cleared the discarded trash.
“Same old, same old. It’s been ages.”
He rolled his eyes at her exaggeration. “Three weeks.”
“Well, when I’m used to seeing you at least once a week, three weeks is ages. What brings you in?”
Ryan glanced at Elissa. She had a strained smile on her face and some of the twinkle had gone out of her eyes. Crap, did she think he had a thing for Becca? He’d nip any misconception she had in the bud.
“I invited Elissa out for the best Sonoran dogs in Tucson.”
“So, no pressure, then?” Becca laughed.
He ignored her for a moment and focused on Elissa. “Becca and I are friends from way back when. I helped her find the job here.”
The tightness at the corners of her lips eased.
“Helped.” Becca shook her head. “I guess it helps when your best friend is the owner’s kid.”
“Well, yeah.”
“Are the Sonoran dogs here really that good?” Elissa asked Becca. “We used to get tacos from the one near our house, but I’ve never tried the dogs.”
“I wouldn’t know—I’m a vegetarian! But this doofus raves about them all the time.”
“I might be a little biased. I’ve been eating here since I was old enough to drive myself.” His parents would never lower themselves to eat at a simple taco joint. Nopalitos, sure. Los Vaqueros, every chance they got. But not Mama O’s. Pity. They were missing out.
“Let’s put your money where your mouth is.” Elissa grabbed him by the hand.
His mind slipped right into the gutter. He knew exactly where he wanted his mouth, and money had nothing to do with it.
twenty-three
swearing at a copier
A jolt of desire shot through her as soon as her fingers touched his, creating an ache deep in her core. An ache she’d never felt before, an ache she knew in her heart could only be soothed by one person.
They placed their order and returned to the table with a beer for him, a limonada for her, and a number on a stick. Ryan stuck the number into the condiment tray as he sat next to her. Elissa’s skin prickled as his arm grazed hers.
“How was your day?” he asked.
She surprised herself with disappointment at his nice, normal question. Their last conversations had been so much more interesting, even when they’d been discussing the stupid files. This one was so…prosaic.
As she opened her mouth to respond politely with an equally boring answer, he spoke up.
“That was weak sauce. I don’t care how your day was. What I meant to ask was, did you miss me?”
He gave her his thousand-watt smile, which she couldn’t help returning.
“You’re supposed to care how my day was,” she shot back, needling him.
“Why? You’ll just say ‘fine.’ We don’t know each other well enough for you to tell me about the client who made you want to tear your hair out, or how you swore at the copier when you had to change the toner, or?—”
Elissa laughed, full-throated and genuine. The only other person who could make her laugh like that was Jules. She took it as a promising sign, another thing to like about him.
“So, did you miss me?” Ryan asked again.
She tried so hard to give him a stern look, matching her mother’s expression when she’d caught one of them, usually not her, misbehaving. She failed. Instead, Elissa pressed her lips together and shook her head.
