Harper started to agree when her cell phone rang. She pulled it out of her jeans pocket and checked the caller ID. Her stomach knotted when she read Chase’s name.
“It’s him,” she said to Shana, finding it ridiculously hard to breathe.
Shana grinned. “Guess the man isn’t as big a fool as I thought.”
Harper rolled her eyes. With a steadying breath, she pressed the phone against her ear. “Hello, Chase.”
“Hello, angel. It’s good to hear your voice.”
It was good to hear his, too. “I didn’t think you were going to call. You said it wasn’t a good idea.”
“I didn’t think I was, and it isn’t. But I can’t seem to get you out of my mind.”
“I’ve...umm...been thinking about you, too.” Since Shana was still grinning, Harper walked over to the window, where her friend couldn’t hear.
“I was wondering if maybe we could get together and talk,” Chase said. “Maybe start all over again. You know, go out on a date or something. We could take our time, get to know each other.”
“A date? You want to take me out on a date?”
“Yeah, angel, I do. I was thinking maybe tonight. We could go to the movies or dinner, do something normal.”
Something normal. Oh, my God!She wanted to see him in the worst way but, dammit, she had plans she couldn’t change. “I can’t go tonight. I have a business dinner.”
“How about tomorrow night?”
“I’ve got clients in town.” Silence fell.Oh, God.“What about Friday night?” She held her breath. Was she really this desperate to see him? Yes, she was.
“Friday would be great. The show or dinner?”
How about you take me straight to bed?But she didn’t say that. “Dinner sounds good.”
“Seven okay?”
“Perfect.”
“Good, I’ll see you then.”
Harper still held the phone when Chase hung up. She was going to see him again. He wanted them to talk, get to know each other. Funny thing was, she felt as if she knew him better than any man she had ever met. He was honest and brave, he was a successful businessman, unbelievably sexy and amazing in bed. What else did she need to know?
She walked back to the cutting table. Shana was still grinning. “So you’re seeing him again.”
She nodded. “Friday night. He wants us to get to know each other.”
“All right, Harper!”
For the first time since her return to Dallas, it was Harper’s turn to grin.
It was Thursday, the office humming with activity. Chase had spoken to Mindy Stewart about working as a full-time receptionist, and she had happily accepted. One task completed.
He walked over to Maddox, who leaned back in the chair behind his desk, his scuffed brown cowboy boots propped on top. At Chase’s raised eyebrows, he swung his feet to the floor and flashed an unapologetic grin.
Jason was a big guy, six-four, two-hundred-plus pounds of solid muscle, with dark hair and blue eyes. He was a former spec ops marine and a notorious bounty hunter, the best in Texas. He was smart and reliable and way too reckless. But one way or another, Hawk Maddox always got his man.
“So what’s up?” Jason asked.
“Just wanted to thank you for taking over while Bran was gone. Looks like you did a damn fine job.”
“Yeah, well, I did my best. Running an office ain’t exactly my cup of tea. I hate bein’ cooped up.” Maddox was a footloose kind of guy, which was one of the reasons he was good at his job. He’d bird-dog a bail skip to the end of the earth if that was what it took to make an arrest.
