Falling From Grace (Leverage 3.5)

“I came for a purpose, not for fun times.”

Her expression dulled and she bit out, “Okay, stop rubbing it in, already. I get it” wincing a little as she changed position. He could only imagine what kind of abuse she’d put her body through — or the countless men she’d allowed to bend her over the nearest surface. His gaze dropped to the granite countertop and he swallowed the rush of bile as his imagination did cruel things to his mind. Hey, who cared? It wasn’t as if he’d been celibate since their break up so he couldn’t expect her to suddenly join a nunnery just because the thought of someone else touching that smooth skin was enough to make him want to die. Although, that would’ve been a nice stroke to his ego if she had. “Are you seeing anyone?” he asked, striving for a casual nonchalance — as if he could care less what her answer was and he was just making polite conversation — but he could feel the anxiety dogging the edges of his inquiry.

“No,” she answered, following up with, “You?”

“I was put off by dating for a while. You never know when someone’s telling the truth or just lying through their teeth and I really don’t have the time to deal with the bullshit.”

Yeah, honey that was directed at you. And she knew it. “Passive aggressive much? Jesus, Miles, when did you turn into such a whiny bitch?”

He glowered at her for calling him out but he supposed he’d walked right into that one. He was being a whiny bitch. He had to move on and let go one of these days. Too much unresolved crap in his head — and heart. Miles forced a chuckle and loosened up. “You’re right. I ought to just come out and say what I need to say and be done with it.”

“You’d probably feel better. I know I always do,” she said but there was a reticence about her gaze that belied her false bravado. She was afraid to face the music and her body language was screaming it from the rooftops. “I mean, if you think it’ll help you, you know. I suppose I owe you that.”

He opened his mouth to unload — she’d asked for it, right? — but when it really came down to it, there was no point in dredging up the poison from the past. He wasn’t here to vent, he was here to help Lindy. Miles sighed and waved off Dani’s offer. “That’s not necessary. I’ll stop with the passive aggressive digs. I’m just here to help a friend. Let’s leave it at that.”

Dani nodded and slowly rose from the chair, saying, “I’m going to shower” and then left the room. And damn if he couldn’t help himself as he stared hard at that perfect heart-shaped ass before wrenching his gaze to focus on his task. Why did she have the power to turn him inside out and sidewise just by being in the same room together? He’d known staying impartial was going to be a struggle but he’d had no idea it was going to be this tough.

Don’t think about her smooth, porcelain skin and how they’d loved foreplay in the shower. That way lies madness and heartbreak, he warned himself as he quickly cleaned and chopped vegetables and fruits for the blender. A few minutes later, Dani emerged, fresh-faced with her long red hair swept up in an easy ponytail and he was struck by the memory of when they’d first met.

He’d been working as the on-site physician for an up-and-coming action flick directed by Michael Bay when he’d first seen Dani. She’d nabbed a bit part — possibly her first speaking role that’d enabled her to get her SAG card — but she was the prettiest thing he’d ever seen in his entire life. Her laugh, her smile, the way her eyes sparkled and snapped with pure vitality, yeah, he’d been hooked from day one. He hadn’t known she was married but then she hadn’t been wearing a ring, nor had she advertised that she was taken. In fact, quite the opposite.

“So you’re the doc?” she’d said, popping into the chair beside him between takes. The assistant director was off yelling commands and all production had ground to a halt, which gave everyone a chance to regroup, go to the bathroom, or grub. “My name’s Dani.” He accepted her outstretched hand with a smile that matched hers. The minute their skin touched, an electrical current snapped and arced — literally. “Ouch!” she laughed, shaking her hand. “I forgot that these shoes catch a lot of static electricity.”

“It’s okay. You’re not the first person who’s shocked me today,” he said, rubbing his hand where the arc had zinged. “Nice to meet you, I’m Dr. Lassiter. But you can call me Miles.”

A honeyed smile curved her lips and he immediately thought of strawberry wine and sweet chocolate. “Doctor? Would it be totally cheesy if I admitted that there’s something about doctors that I find incredibly hot?”

“It would not be cheesy because it’s true. I’m a totally hot doctor,” he confirmed with a cock-sure grin that she found delightful. Her giggle lit up his soul like a Disney parade and he couldn’t take his eyes off her. “So, Dani…are you a full-time actress or just doing this for fun?”

“Fulltime. This is my first real gig. I mean, I’ve been an extra a couple of times but this is the first time I’ve actually gotten a speaking role. But,” she wagged her finger at him with excitement brimming in her gorgeous green eyes. “I just read for a bigger part on this new film and I think I might have a good shot at getting it. The director liked what he saw and I’ve already had a call-back. Now, I just have to do another reading with the other main actor to see if we gel. I have a good feeling about it,” she said with a confidence that made her shine.

“You do? Good for you. I bet you’ll go far,” he said, taking in everything that was Dani in one glance and finding himself instantly drawn to her sparkling charisma. This woman was going to be someone, he just knew it.

“Thanks. I hope so.” The assistant director started bellowing names and Dani hopped from her chair. “Looks like we’re back to one, which means I have to get back to my mark.”

“Nice meeting you,” he said.

“Yeah…nice meeting you, too, Dr. Lassiter.” She smiled and then she shocked him when she bounded up to him, getting right in his personal bubble — not that he minded, hell, he was ready to wrap his arms around her — and she said in a quick, sultry tone, “Wanna do something after we wrap?”

“Dinner?”

She gave him a flirty look from beneath the fringe of her lush lashes and countered with, “How about drinks? Your place?”

He stared at the beautiful vision with the sparkling eyes and smoking hot body, weighed the pros and cons in a nanosecond and then practically tripped on his own tongue to eagerly accept. “Yeah, sure,” he said, fighting the surge of testosterone when his stare involuntarily dropped to her impressive rack as if pulled by magnets. Argh! Damn it, stop being such a randy perv, he chastised himself as gaze returned to her face but judging by the way her smile turned knowing she knew exactly where his thoughts had gone…and she didn’t mind in the least.

“Maybe we’ll turn drinks into a sleep-over, Dr. Hottie.” And then she sauntered off, throwing him a coy glance over her shoulder to make sure he knew exactly how interested she was in whatever he had to offer. Jesus…he was only human. And she was a fucking goddess. How could he refuse?

Miles pulled himself from that memory with a sharp groan and trained his attention on the smoothie, his mouth set in a hard line. Why’d he have to go there? The past wasn’t a vacation spot where he wanted to linger. But that memory…damn, it sizzled.

If only they’d stuck with drinks.

-3-

Dani t

ook a long shower, still unable to believe that Miles was here to rescue her. A momentary flush of pleasure tickled her insides until she reminded herself that he wasn’t there for her, specifically, but for someone else. Lindy Bell…beautiful, talented, Lindy Bell. Lindy was married, wasn’t she? Oh, what did that matter in Hollywood? She’d been married when she’d started hooking up with Miles. An unhappy sigh rattled out of her chest and she wanted to cry. She was mentally unbalanced right now. Maybe Miles was right and she needed protein and electrolytes. Why’d she let Miles go in the first place?

A sweet memory surfaced — it was after their first night together and Dani had been riding high on the feeling that Miles was more than a one-night stand. She’d already been planning to dump her sleazeball husband and Miles popping up in her life felt like kismet — as if the universe was affirming that she was making the right move.

“All right, tell me something about Dani St. Claire,” Miles had suggested, lounging in the bed after another epic romp between the sheets. “Something beyond the obvious. Do you have family here in L.A. or are you a transplant?”

“No family. My dad died about two years ago from a heart attack. I came to L.A. because there was nothing for me at home anymore and I knew I had to follow my dreams. Girls like me are expected to settle down, get pregnant, and work at the diner for the rest of their lives and I’d rather die than let that happen.”

“What do you mean, girls like you?”

She glanced up at him, then shrugged. “People in my town sized me up and said, ‘Pretty girl with no real smarts. It’s not like she’s going to college’ but my daddy always wanted me to chase after my dreams. He said, ‘Dani…pretty girls in this town end up trading their dreams for a graveyard shift at the cannery or losing their looks after pushing out a passel of kids because they’re afraid of the unknown. Don’t let that happen to you. Not ever.’ When he died, he left me a little insurance money and I knew I’d never get another chance to leave so I packed up and put that town in my rear view mirror.”