She turned onto Huron Avenue. The Ritz was just ahead. He didn’t have much time to convince her to let him make it up to her. Thank God there was a traffic light, and it had just turned red.
“Look.” She stopped at the light and turned toward him. Her eyes appeared dark and mysterious in the glare. “I don’t know what game you’re playing, but I’m not part of your team, okay.”
She put her pixie nose in the air. He supposed she was trying to look off-limits, but it served to emphasize her cuteness—like an annoyed little angel. He fought an incredible urge to break through the wall she’d erected...to touch her.
Instead, he clasped his hands together and did his best to sound contrite. He wanted to get to know Bethany better. Hank couldn’t remember the last time he’d wanted anything more. And this was more than mere physical attraction. He wanted to know what she thought about—her dreams and heartbreaks and loves. He cleared his throat. “This is no game.”
She snorted. “Sure it is. You’re not used to a woman saying no. I represent a challenge or something, don’t I? Be honest. After this weekend is over, you’ll be back in Los Angeles. You’ll start panicking because you’re out of work. You’ll start thinking maybe a fitness center isn’t such a bad idea after all.”
“Well...” Hank tapped a finger on his knee.
The light turned green, and Bethany steppedon the gas. Her lips thinned. “That’s what I thought.” She pulled up to the hotel. “Here you are, safe and sound.”
Her tone could freeze water. She glanced his way, giving him the kind of look a bus driver might give her passengers at the end of the night. A get-off-my-bus-so-I-can-head-home sort of look. Impersonal, tired, cynical.
“Good night, Hank. Good luck with your career. I’ll look for your lease agreement in the morning, and I’ll make sure you get your rent check on time.”
The crazy idea he’d mentioned to his financial advisor earlier surfaced like a fan waving a poster to get his attention. Hank stayed put. “What if I do?”
Bethany turned to frown at him. Now he had her full attention.
“Do what—open a fitness center in my building? Force us out of business?”
“No, stick around.” He unbuckled his seat belt. His heart raced as he leaned toward her. “I mentioned that my series was canceled. I have no job, nowhere to be at the moment. And I’m interested in diversifying. What if I invest in your business? I’ll start by checking out the building—determine what repairs need to be made.” The more he talked, the more the idea took on a life of its own.
Her eyes widened but she remained unmoving—except for her lips, which turned down in a frown. “You can’t be serious.”
He kept his expression businesslike, looked into her magical eyes, and did his best to persuade her. “Oh, but I am. If I’m going to allow you and the other tenants to stay in the building, I should make sure the structure and businesses are sound. I’ll start with yours. Unless”—he raised a brow—“you have an issue with me checking out your place? Is there something you’re not telling me?”
She narrowed her eyes. “How long are you talking?”
Hank lifted a shoulder. “It’s a historic building. Might be a while. Let’s say a month?”
“Where will you stay? At the Ritz?”
“With you,” Hank could not resist saying, smiling at Bethany’s outraged expression. “Relax, I’m kidding. I have options. It’s not a big deal.”
She put the car in park, but her hands still gripped the steering wheel. “Don’t you have people to inspect the building? What do you know about old structures and repairs?” Her lips parted as if she couldn’t quite believe she was considering his idea.
He shot her a superior grin. “A lot. I grew up in old buildings. My mom wasn’t much good at fixing things, and as I told you earlier, my father wasn’t around. I’m a decent handyman. Don’t look so surprised.”
He sat on his hands when all he wanted was to touch her—to wipe the surprise off her face. “I noticed the temperature is hot in some places and cold in others—must be due to the way the place is insulated and the age of the air conditioner. And a light is out near the back door. That’s a safety issue.”
She licked her lips like a nervous cat. The scent of lemons and vanilla permeated the air. Heat flared between them like someone lit a match.
“I know the light’s out,” she muttered. “Travis will put in a new bulb.”
“And there’s a drip,” he breathed. He couldn’t stop himself from eyeing her lips. “From the faucet in your kitchen.”
She blinked as he leaned a little closer. “And your dishwasher’s on its last leg.”
“I know. I’ll buy a new one when I have the money.”
“What do you say?”
“Say?”
He smiled. She wasn’t as impervious to him as she would have him believe. “About me sticking around. To make repairs to your building and...”
