Whatever. “I’ll put the money into your usual account. Double if you find them before noon tomorrow.”
“Sure thing, Suit.” The line went dead.
Rick sat back and pressed his palms to his forehead. These days, he spent far too much time waiting for other people to get the important shit done. No wonder his blood pressure was pegging the needle.
Time for some seriousstress relief.
He made another call. “Sonya? I need you.”
Would you stay with me?
Jeff had panicked. His relief at learning of Luciano’s arrest had been tempered by the realization that there was nothing to make Tara stay.
Obviously, Jeff wanted her to be safe.
He also wanted her with him. More than he dared to admit.
Jesus, how selfish could he be? He wanted her. He couldn’thave her. Why couldn’t he make up his fucking mind?
She’d infiltrated his senses the way rain seeps into the earth, permeating his body and soul before he understood what was happening.
“What about Evan?” she asked, pulling him out of his thoughts. The wide-eyed expression on her sweet face was a mix of surprise, confusion, maybe a little hope.
Shit. What was he doing?
Jeff didn’t wantto face tomorrow alone. Which was beyond dumb. He’d been facing things alone for years now. He’d been waiting for this day for months. Tara wasn’t gong to be part of his and Evan’s lives moving forward, so involving her now could only lead to heartbreak.
“If you stay, you can meet him before we go back to Colorado.” His son was part of him, and Jeff suddenly wanted to share all of himself withher. But nothing else had changed. Better to get that upfront now.
The sparkle in her eyes dimmed. “That would be nice, but I don’t want to get in the way of your reunion.”
Jeff rubbed his temples with one hand. He was fucking this up. “It’s not just that.” He took a fortifying breath and crossed his arms. “I’ve been handling this on my own for months, not talking to anyone outside of my PIabout it, notdealingwith it. I thought that was how I wanted it, but now you’re here and I realize…I was wrong.”
For a fraction of a second, he thought she might cry. Her dark eyes glittered with emotion and she swallowed hard. Then she tilted her head and gave him a coy smile, lifting a shoulder as she switched to seductress mode like flipping a coin. “If you want more sex, just ask.”
He laughed out loud, letting her lighten the mood, even as he took the direct hit. “I’d be lying if I said no, but that’s not why I’m asking you to stay.” He cleared his throat. “I don’t want to be one ofthoseguys, Tara. I value everything about you.”
She looked away and bit her lip. Could she really doubt her appeal?
“I know you don’t need my protection any more, and I don’t have anythingelse to offer. I understand if you still want to leave first thing in the morning…” He’d hate it, but he’d absolutely understand.
“We’re friends, aren’t we?”
“I’d like to think so.” Friends with some stellar benefits.
“So why wouldn’t I stay?” She shrugged and ran her nail along a seam in the seat. “It’s not like I have anything else going on, and I’d love to meet your son.”
“Thank you.”Rather than whoop in triumph, he held out a hand. “How about we get some dinner? I’m starving.”
Neither of them had the patience for a dine-in restaurant, so they walked to a busy deli nearby and brought sandwiches back to the RV. Now that the sun had set, street lamps and interior lights shining through the windows of Winnebagos and Coachstreams lit the campground.
Jeff laid out the foodwhile Tara filled two glasses of water and set them on the table. As he slid into the dinette, he couldn’t stop thinking about tomorrow, imagining how and where he’d see Evan again, what he’d say, what his son would look like after four months. Would the kid remember his dad?
A lump formed in Jeff’s throat and eating his reuben suddenly seemed like an impossible feat.
Tara chewed a bite ofher Mediterranean veggie sandwich and lowered her brows, daintily wiping her mouth before asking him, “What’s wrong?”
He took a drink and shook his head. “Nothing. Just thinking about tomorrow.”
