Twice as Sexy (The Sexy 2)

“Come in!” She jumped up and began clearing off her desk, making room for them to eat.

“Relax,” he said in that rough voice she adored.

She wondered if he’d waited a week on purpose. So she’d miss him even more. If so, his plan had worked.

He strode over, took the file folders from her hands, and moved the piles over to the windowsill for her. She reached for the bag but he placed it on the desk.

“Forgetting something first?”

She paused, uncertain around him, a feeling she detested. “Umm…”

He held out his arms. “Kiss me, honey.”

She blinked, and before she could process the motion, she threw herself against his chest, wrapped her arms around his neck, and sealed her lips over his, thrusting her tongue inside his waiting mouth. He tasted like mint and man, like home and everything good in life.

She stood in the warmth of his embrace and let his kiss wash away the loneliness of the past week and the second-guessing she’d done about leaving him.

“Oh, man. At least shut the door!” Leigh giggled and a second later, the door slammed closed.

Scarlett groaned and buried her head against Tanner’s firm chest.

He patted her on the back. “It was just Leigh. You’re fine.”

She lifted her head and met his gaze. “Want to eat?”

Chuckling, he pulled out her chair for her to ease down into it. They sat across from each other, talking about their past week, discussing the fact that Vic was, in fact, refusing to accept a plea deal, and they were facing a potential trial.

“So I was thinking,” Tanner said. “I wanted to lay out a possible schedule for you and get your opinion.”

She wrinkled her nose in confusion. “Okay.”

“I asked myself, if I lived with a woman who claimed to work nonstop, when would I see her?”

Her mouth ran dry despite the fact that she was currently sipping from a bottle of water.

“Want to know what I came up with?” He raised his eyebrows.

She managed a nod.

“Well, I’d wake up in the morning with her in my arms. And before work, I’m sure we’d have time for either a quickie in bed or in the shower, or if we woke up earlier, a longer session.”

He took a bite of his sandwich as if he were discussing the weather and not their lives. He took his time, chewing and swallowing. “I could take her to work if we wanted to be together then, or she could go by car service. I’d work out at the gym and she’d go to work. You with me so far?”

She nodded again, listening carefully now.

“We could have lunches like these when things are quiet for her and sadly not see each other when she’s busy, say in court or with witness prepping.” He shrugged. “On days she has to work, she’d go home and do just that. I could have some days with dinner at home, others I’d have to be at the club. So she could meet me there on occasion. And I have partners, so honestly I don’t need to be there all the time.” Leaning back in his seat, he studied her as he spoke.

“And the weekends?” she whispered, hope lodged in her chest. Although she’d made the choice, it had been the wrong one. Was he offering her a second chance?

“I have nights on and off, alternating with the guys. Sundays we’re closed. Monday nights too. I really like sports, and watching television while she works beside me is no hardship.”

He finished his sandwich, wrapped up the garbage, hers and his, and tossed it in the trash.

Then he stood. “Thanks for hearing me out. I wanted to say it out loud. Make sure it sounded feasible. I’ll just let you get back to work now.”

“Wait, what?” She’d barely had time to process what he was saying.

Oh, hell, she knew exactly what he was saying, and she was a complete and utter idiot.

He reached the door, but she was around the desk and turning him toward her before he could open it and expose them to the rest of her office. “Don’t go.”

He slowly faced her, his expression serious, his gaze staring intently at her.

“I was scared,” she admitted to him. “I am scared.”

His hand stroked gently down her cheek. “Of what? Of me?”

She shook her head. “Of what I feel for you. How I know it can break me if I lose you. I … I know what loss feels like and it’s awful.”

He braced her face in his hands. “And the last week alone, was it awful?”

She nodded. “The worst. But I told myself it was for the best. I used the walls I built as an excuse to keep from getting close to anyone or getting hurt. But then you barreled into my life and I couldn’t find those defenses. I couldn’t shore up the walls. You broke down every one. But still, I tried to go back to my regular life because it was safe. And I hated it.” Tears filled her eyes and a lump rose in her throat.