In Too Deep (Man of the Month 10)

"Tomorrow? We can talk now. I mean, I'm--"

"This calls for an in-person discussion and celebration. And Ernest and I will be in town, and we thought we should have dinner with you and Matthew to celebrate your engagement. We didn't get to chat with him nearly enough at the party."

"Are you saying you won't give it to me?"

"Sweetie, no. I'm saying we want to do dinner. Ernest and I were both charmed by Matthew. Seven o'clock? We can eat at Three Forks downtown. Matthew likes steak, I assume?"

"I--yes." She assumed so, too. "But--"

"Gotta run, sweetheart. Momma loves you."

"But--"

The line went dead.

Discussion? Celebration?

What did that mean? That the money was hers so long as she didn't screw it up? Which she wouldn't.

Or, rather, she hoped she wouldn't. It really wasn't up to her.

She needed Matthew again. And she really hoped he wouldn't say no.

Chapter Ten

He should have said no.

Matthew paced the sidewalk in front of Three Forks on Lavaca in downtown Austin, checking and rechecking his watch. Hannah had said to meet her at six-forty-five so that they could chat before meeting her parents at seven. It was six-forty-eight.

He really should have said no. Seeing her again was ... well, it was disconcerting. Or it would be if she showed up.

The simple fact was that she'd been on his mind constantly since the moment they'd parted ways after returning to Austin on Sunday. So much so that he'd even imagined seeing her on the street outside his gym, simply standing there and looking in at him.

He wanted her.

Damn, but he wanted her. But he also knew that she didn't want him. Not only had she made it clear that she wasn't interested in a relationship right now, but he knew damn well that at the end of the day a highly educated lawyer wasn't going to be interested in more than a fling with a glorified gym rat. And that was true no matter how pretty or convincing her words might be.

He checked his watch once more. Six-fifty.

He'd give her one more minute, and if she hadn't shown by then, he'd text an apology and he'd--

"Matthew!"

The power of the relief that flooded through him almost knocked him over, and he didn't even try to hold back his smile as she hurried toward him, looking completely put together in black slacks, a black blazer, and a white silk blouse. The complete opposite of the wild woman she'd been in bed. And honestly, both versions of her were equally appealing. There was nothing about Hannah Donovan he didn't find fascinating. Too bad she'd made it clear they shouldn't act on that attraction.

She'd obviously come straight from work, and though he had as well, he'd taken time to shower and change in the locker room. Now, he was wearing the same outfit they'd bought in Dallas. Not original, maybe, but it had worked once before.

She grinned when she saw it, then ran her fingers over the lapel. "Classy," she said, as he resisted the urge to reach out and touch her.

"You think he'll notice it's the same?"

"If he does, he won't say anything." She took a step back, then sighed when she looked up at him. "Thank you for doing this. It really is good to see you."

"Does this mean you're getting the money? Or is this the last test?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure. But I'm going to assume it's a test unless the first thing they do is hand me a check." She took his hand, then squeezed. "Okay?"

"You know it is," he said. "We put on this play once before. I guess this is our curtain call."