His nostrils flared with a frustrated snort.“Have.A.Boyfriend.”
She shook her head.“Afraid not.”
“Sounds like you want one.”
“Are you volunteering?”
“I—” A devilish gleam lit his eyes.“I could if you wanted me to.But I’ve heard I’m bad boyfriend material.”
She raised her hand.“This I know from experience.And no, I don’t need you to volunteer for the position.Ilikemy job here, and Celia wouldn’t blink twice before reporting me to the fraternization police.”
“Damn.Guess there’s no fooling around, then.”
“Nope.”She popped thep.
“Good.Now that we’ve established that, take me to your place.You’re safe with me.Let’s go.”
She might be safe with him, but would he be safe with her?Neither of them was going to find out.Showing him her place was a bad, bad idea, whether it was Tuesday or any other day of the week.
“No way,” she snorted.“Thanks for checking on me, but you can leave now.”
Strangely, their unconventional exchange had Angie feeling lighter.Maybe because it reminded her of a more carefree time.While she was oddly reluctant to let it end, she sensed they were moving into dangerous territory she had to avoid.
He ignored her protest.“You think you’re so tough, but you’re an open book.The kind with a soft, flexible cover.”
What did that even mean?She burst out with a high-pitched “Ha!”They stared each other down for a beat, two beats.As the crackling in the air ramped up, so did the prickliness in her fingers.
She caved first.“If that’s the case, then what am I thinking right now?”
“You’re thinking you’re grateful I’m here because Trevor is a creep, and just the mention of his name has you putting up every defensive shield.I mean, look at your arms!You’ve got them wound so tightly around yourself they could be a straitjacket.”
With an awkward shake, she loosened her arms and let them dangle at her sides.Showed him.Vulnerability swamped her, leaving her exposed and more on edge than before.“For your information, I haven’t given Trevor a thought until you brought him up just now.”
Sam advanced, his movements smooth yet threatening as he bumped against her personal bubble.His presence filled her space, her lungs, and she couldn’t breathe.“No?Maybe youshouldthink about him.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because you need to stay alert.He could be stalking you.”
“I could say the same about you.You’re the one breaking into my office.You’re the one standing here.Not Trevor.”
Amusement danced in his eyes, and his eyebrows lifted right along with the corners of his mouth.“You think I’m stalking you?”Virtually and physically backed into a corner, she kept her mouth closed for fear the wrong thing would come out.No point in giving him more ammo.“So tell me, Rossi, whatwereyou thinking?Was I close?”
She swallowed and lifted her chin.“Thought you could read my mind.”
“I can.And I do think you’re grateful I’m here.And now you’re thinking you wish we werefriends again.”She was about to deny—a knee-jerk reaction—when he softly added, “I know I do.I’ve missed talking to you, Ange.”His gaze fastening on hers, he stepped to her side, and relief eased her tautened muscles.She could breathe again.
Going for casual, she scooted onto the edge of her desk and nearly slipped off in the process.“You’ve missedtalkingto me?Why?Because you can’t just run to me whenever you need someone’s shoulder to cry on, like you did when Brianna broke up with you?”Bitterness she hadn’t intended wove through her words.Harsh, Ange.But she needed distance from this man because her control was strained to a breaking point.The elephant was rattling its cage again, trying to come out in the open.
Sam took a seat on the edge of the table across from her and loosened his tie, regarding her as though she were an interesting bug he planned to study.“I didn’t come here for sympathy tonight, and I didn’t come to you for sympathy that night either.”
Then whydidyou come to me?Unsure she was ready for the answer, she took a different tack.“You were crushed when she walked out.Four years is a long time to be part of someone’s life.”
“Not really, if you add up the times we actuallyweretogether.I was gone a lot.I didn’t see her much, and she was more of an illusion I’d built up in my mind.Funny, but when I would tell my buddies about her, it was only about her looks.”
“Well, duh, because she was gorgeous.You’ve admitted that’s why you were attracted to her.”He opened his mouth, and Angie thought he might balk.She held up her hand.“I’m not judging.You were an immature teenager.”
“No doubt.”
