Twice as Sexy (The Sexy 2)

For now. He’d back off for now. But maybe he’d taken her words at face value, let time pass, and realized she wasn’t worth the chase. And really, she’d meant it when she said she didn’t have time for a relationship, so why was she so disappointed he’d been MIA?

“Knock knock.” Leigh strode into Scarlett’s office, carrying a cardboard tray with Starbucks cups in the holders. “Coffee break time,” she said and took a seat across from Scarlett’s desk.

“That one’s yours.” Leigh pointed to the cup holding Scarlett’s drink.

“A venti,” she said with a grateful sigh. “Oh my God, I love you for this.” She picked up the cup, pulled out the green stopper, and look a long sip, not caring that it burned her tongue a little. The caffeine more than made up for it as did the steaming taste of caramel.

“If you love me, then talk to me. You’ve been avoiding the subject of your time with the club hottie all week.” Leigh pouted but her hurt was real.

Scarlett sighed. “He was amazing. Like everything I could want in a man … if I were looking.” Leigh opened her mouth to argue but Scarlett finished first. “Which I’m not.”

She went on to tell her friend about her birthday weekend and how much Tanner had gone out of his way to make the day special.

“For a smart woman, you’re an idiot,” Leigh said bluntly. “If a guy treated me so well, I wouldn’t be pushing him away.”

“You should listen to her.” A familiar voice had Scarlett looking away from Leigh and up to the doorway, where Tanner stood, arms folded across his chest, a sexy grin on his face.

“How did you get past Michelle out front?” Scarlett asked, noting that Leigh had jumped to her feet and began fixing her dress and smoothing out the wrinkles.

She held back a grin. Tanner had that effect on women. They wanted to look their best. She, on the other hand, refused to think about the fact that it was three p.m., her makeup had long since faded, her hair was up in a bun, and since it wasn’t court day, she was in an unmemorable pair of pinstriped pants and a pink shirt.

“There was no one at the desk out front so I walked in, asked someone where your office was, and here I am.” He leaned against the doorframe, a hot guy in black slacks and a long-sleeve plum-colored dress shirt.

“Hi, I’m Leigh Michaels,” she said, extending her hand, and Tanner took it.

“Tanner Grayson. And I appreciate you pushing Scarlett in my direction.”

“Have any friends just like you?” Leigh asked.

Tanner chuckled and Scarlett rolled her eyes. “Leigh brought me Starbucks and she was just leaving.”

“Nice to meet you, Leigh.”

“Bye.” She smiled at him, turned to Scarlett and winked, and walked out of the office, leaving her alone with Tanner.

“She’s…”

“Something,” Scarlett filled in the word Tanner hadn’t yet said. “But she’s a good friend.” She met his gaze. “What are you doing here?”

“I tried to do what you wanted. To stay away.” He hesitated before speaking. “I missed you,” he said, shutting the door behind him.

She swallowed hard. “I missed you too. But nothing in my life has changed.” She gestured to the mountains of files surrounding her desk and cardboard boxes filled with the same piled on the floor. Discovery. All the evidence in her current case there for her to scour through.

“I’m not asking to take over your life. Just for you to carve out a small part. Unless what we shared was normal to you? Could you find our kind of chemistry and fun with just anyone else?” The smug smirk on his face told her he already knew the answer.

“Dinners fit in between work. An occasional couple of hours on the weekends. You’re willing to put up with that? Because in my experience…” She paused because he stalked toward her, coming around the desk and bracing his hands on the arms of her chair.

“Yes? Tell me about your experience before me.” A hint of mint on his breath combined with his musky cologne, making for a potent combination.

Her breath hitched and her body responded, swaying toward him. “My last… The last guy who said no problem gave up on me.”

Tanner’s gaze narrowed. “He wasn’t me. And he sounds like an idiot.”

She couldn’t stop the smile that hit her lips.

“And that’s the last I want to hear of any exes when I’m with you.” He straightened and looked at her, his expression serious. “But there are things you need to know about me before we move forward.”

Her cell phone rang and her father’s name came up on the screen. She shot Tanner a regret-filled look. “I have to take this.”

He stepped back and she felt the loss of his warmth.