Crap! She resisted the urge to slap her own forehead.
“Actually, yeah. Karina returns on Monday. She wants an appointment for the following week to go over the returns and recommendations for next year. Totally forgot to ask Ryan.”
“Mm-hmm.” She smiled knowingly. Hell, what did she know? Had Ryan been blabbing? He didn’t seem the type. Trinity flipped through the calendar on Ryan’s desk. “Looks like Uncle Sandro, Aunt Giselle, and my mom will all have availability in two weeks, at one thirty. Will that work?”
“It should. Pencil us in, and if anything changes, we’ll call.”
“Great. See you soon.”
Elissa turned to go.
“Hey, Elissa?” A bright pink finger beckoned her closer.
“Yeah?” She took a few steps toward the desk.
“Be careful,” Trinity whispered, her voice barely carrying the foot or two between them. “He’s more vulnerable than he seems, okay?”
Elissa froze. Crap, she knew. Or at least strongly suspected. She could continue to deny or appease the familial bond. Once more, guilt tore through her. This was a bad idea, but it was also the best thing to ever happen to her.
She answered in a voice just as quiet. “I will.”
Before Trinity could say anything more, Elissa wheeled around and left. This was future-Elissa’s problem. Today’s Elissa needed to get back to work. Future-Elissa had enough on her plate.
thirty-eight
point taken
Two days later, Ryan could still smell her powdery perfume, taste her sweet mouth, hear her soft moans. It was driving him up a wall. He kept his phone within arm’s reach all day Saturday. But no call from Elissa.
He’d been worried until the kiss on Thursday. She kept turning down dates. He told himself she was dealing with a lot, but a part of him, the part he thought he’d healed over the past five years, kept muttering she was one more person who put him second.
“Do you think if you keep staring at it, it’ll miraculously ring?” Iz asked as they cooked dinner.
“No,” he grumbled.
Iz cocked a perfectly manicured eyebrow at him and waved the spoon.
“Maybe,” Ryan amended.
“That girl is busy right now. They heaped a shit ton of extra work on her. The best thing you can do is give her space. She’ll be back.”
Iz was right, as usual. And Ryan was wrong, also as usual. But dammit, he wanted to hear her voice. Wanted to see her face. Wanted to feel her pulled tight against him. Wanted?—
It didn’t fucking matter what he wanted. Not right now. What mattered was what Elissa needed. And right now, she needed him off her case. She would call when she could. She’d promised, and Elissa Wright kept her promises. He’d bet anything on that.
But maybe she needed what he needed. A little alone time. A little one-on-one. Sex. Fuck, he needed sex. With her. It had been too long.
Iz plated some huevos rancheros, and Ryan dug in. Teo was at his sister’s in Glendale for the weekend—some kid’s fifth birthday, if Ryan remembered correctly.
“So, how’s the job?” Iz broke the silence.
“Sucks. Putting a smile on every day is hard enough, but meaning it is impossible.”
“But it gets you closer to your goal.” Iz waved their fork at him. “I know you know this, my dude, but there are half a million people in this city who would gladly trade places with you.”
“I know, I do. Doesn’t mean I have to like my job.”
“Lots of people hate their jobs.”
