“You’re sure?”
“Yes,” I laugh. “I’m sure. Stop worrying. This city has not been kind to me, Dash. The only good thing here has been Riptide and maybe I can keep that job somehow. Which is why I need to call Mark. I told him he’d see me tomorrow.” I walk to the nightstand and grab my phone.
“We can stay, Allie. Don’t leave early because of me. We’re okay, we’re good, no matter where we are.”
“I know,” I say. “But that’s all the more reason I want to go home. Home feels different and this isn’t my home anymore, Dash.”
He rounds the bed and steps close, his woodsy masculine scent warming me as much as his hand cupping my face. “Are you one hundred percent sure?”
“Yes.” I cover his hand with mine. “Nashville is good for my soul. And so are you and my mother.”
“All right then,” he says, kissing me. “Call your boss. I’ll pack.”
“Good. Hurry. I’m starving. Let’s get something to eat before we get on the plane.”
“I would love a New York slice before we leave.”
“I know a spot,” I assure him.
“I’m sure you do,” he says, stepping away from me to walk into the bathroom.
Feeling a little shy about talking to Mark about Dash in front of Dash, I walk into the living area and pull on my coat before stepping onto the balcony. I punch in Mark’s number and he answers on the first ring. “Ms. Wright. I heard he didn’t fight.”
“You heard right.”
“Good thing I didn’t bet.”
I get to the point. “I’m going back to Nashville.”
“I assumed as much. I’m in my office. Come see me before you fly out.”
My heart thunders in my chest. He wants me to come there now? This can’t be good. “How long will you be there?”
“How soon can you be here?”
“Thirty to forty-five minutes.” And when I open my mouth to ask if I’m about to be fired, he says, “See you then.”
He disconnects.
“Damn it.”
“What does that mean?”
I whirl around to find Dash standing in the doorway and I suddenly realize I’m cold, really cold. “He wants me to come to the office on our way out of town. I’m pretty sure I’m being fired. Or not. I don’t know. I’m not sure he would have me come by to fire me, but then again, Mark Compton is not afraid of confrontation.”
“Well, I’m packed if you’re packed. Let’s go see Mark.” He backs up and I follow him back into the room.
“You want to see Mark?” I ask urgently, not sure where this is going. “Why?”
“Mark did me a favor last night. He got you to me. And I needed that. We needed that. I owe him.”
“I’m not sure I want you to be there when I get fired, Dash.”
“He’s not firing you. You’ve decided to leave. He wouldn’t give you the time of day if he didn’t want to change your mind.”
“You think?”
“I do. And if he does, we’ll find a place here.”
“He won’t.”
“We’ll see.”
“Okay,” I say, “but I’d rather eat pizza after the meeting, so I know if I’m pigging out to celebrate or to console myself.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Dash and I arrive at the Riptide offices thirty-five minutes later.
The security guard meets us at the door and allows our entry. After we rid ourselves of our coats, leaving them upfront, I motion Dash in the direction we’ll be headed. “I’ll show you to the break room. There’s coffee and cocoa and just about anything else you could want.”
“Why don’t you show me to Mark’s office?” he says, catching my hand and walking me to him. “I really do want to thank him.”
“Why do I feel like it’s more?”
“Because everything about us is more, Allie.”
Okay, he’s not wrong about that. He’s really not. Everything with this man is more than I ever imagined, which is why I’m here about to quit my job. The door behind us opens in a gust of wind and I turn to find Mark, looking oh so arrogantly Mark, even in casual wear and a sleek leather jacket. In other words, composed, dominant and demanding. His very presence assumes all the energy in the room turns toward him.
He greets the doorman and then saunters a few steps in our direction to greet us. “Dash Black,” Mark murmurs, glancing at me and then Dash again. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“Dash knows you helped me, Mark. I ended up telling him.”
Mark arches a brow at me, those arrogant gray eyes of his seeing everything, and telling nothing. His lips twitch slightly, and his gaze shifts back to Dash. “You clearly don’t want to kick my ass, but you do want to size me up. I’m a man who appreciates privacy,” he states. “Yours and mine.”
“Unfortunately,” Dash replies, “Allie’s ex, does not.”
“A dangerous quality in a man who lives to cause trouble,” Mark comments.