“No problem. I’ve got a lot of heat in here.”
“I know. All the tabloids say you’re really hot.”
“I don’t think I’ve been in the tabloids for quite a few years. And back then the stories were all hyperbole and hype.”
“What did you say? You were hypertrophied and ripe?”
Gherring’s chest shook as he chuckled. She was warm and comfortable. Too comfortable. If he had any idea how he made her wish for things that could never be, he’d keep his distance. She needed to guard her heart. She’d tried so hard to control her thoughts, but her body betrayed her. She had to bring herself back to reality before her heart got any more ideas.
She pulled her arms back and straightened up. “We shouldn’t stand like that. The kids might get ideas.” She backed away and stuffed her hands in her pockets, checking to make sure the wind prevented the girls from hearing her comment.
Gherring frowned and spoke in a low voice. “There was nothing wrong with me keeping you warm.”
“Yes, I know you often put your arm around women to keep them warm. Like last night with Sharon.”
“Who?”
“Sharon Landry—your date last night. I know it’s not a big deal for you to help a woman stay warm, just like when you put your arm around Sharon last night on the way to the car.”
“What are you talking about? How do you know—”
“Don’t get me wrong. I’m glad you’re so sweet and thoughtful. It’s just that people can get the wrong idea.”
“You’re not making any sense—”
“It doesn’t mean anything to you, but maybe it does to someone else. Don’t you see? You led her on. You put your arm around her last night, and today you can’t even remember her name. I know you didn’t mean to hurt her, but you did.”
“Are we still talking about Sharon?”
“We’re talking about… about… I can’t do this with you.”
“Do what with me?”
“I’m your secretary, and I want to keep my job. And I know you’ve been with thousands of women.”
“I haven’t been with thousands of women. Hundreds, maybe.”
“Hundreds… that’s soooo much better.” Her throat was tight. How had she let herself get to the point where it bothered her to think about all the women he’d dated in his lifetime? “You probably can’t even remember most of them, can you?”
“I remember a few.” His jaw jutted forward.
“Well, I’m not like you. I’ve only been with one man my entire life. So, nothing is casual for me. Not even hugging to stay warm. It… it does something… It means something it shouldn’t… something it can’t.”
“You’re making assumptions.”
“I have to. I have to be careful. I’ve got to keep my head straight, and to do that I’ve got to keep my distance.”
“You didn’t keep your distance with Henri,” he muttered.
“Henri is safe. He’s in France. He’ll soon tire of this long-distance thing, and the whole relationship will fade away on its own.”
“You don’t know him like I do. He can be very persistent. He’s like a weed—”
“This isn’t about Henri. It’s about us. I mean it’s about there-is-no-us, and I need to remember that. And when you keep me warm it’s too hard to remember.”
Gherring moved to rail and gazed toward the twinkling lights of the New York skyline. With a grim expression he turned back to Anne. “I promise… from now on I’ll let you freeze to death.”
Mortified, Anne tried to keep her distance from Gherring for the rest of the night. She’d made such a fool of herself over something that meant nothing at all to Gherring. He didn’t even understand what she was talking about. He was really just keeping her warm. That physical contact hadn’t affected him at all. He had no idea something that simple was distressing her, and now she had as much as told him he made her hot and bothered. She couldn’t even bring herself to look at him.