Read Online Beginning Again: Book 1 in the Second Chances series (Crimson Romance) by Peggy Bird - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Peggy Bird
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ex-husband.”
“The more I know about you, the more I like you, Liz Fairchild.”
“Which is certainly better than the opposite reaction.”
She tidied up; he got his bag from the car. When she’d finished changing clothes, they went down the street to her favorite café. He’d insisted they go out to eat, saying he knew what was in her refrigerator and it didn’t look promising.
After they’d ordered their meals, she asked, “So, what’s the real reason you wanted to eat out tonight?”
“Why would I have a reason other than your empty refrigerator?”
She raised an eyebrow and stared at him over her wineglass.
“Okay, you’re right. I want to talk about my to-do list and figured if we stayed in your apartment, we’d get distracted and never get it started.”
“You’re not serious about that, are you?”
“Of course I am. So, first, tell me five places where you’d like to have sex.”
“I can’t do that. It’s too embarrassing.”
“Yes, you can. I’m going to count to ten and then you’ll give them to me.”
“Collins … ”
He held up his fingers, one at a time. “One … two … three … four … ”
“I’m not going to … ”
“Five … six … seven … eight … ”
“This is ridiculous … ”
“Nine … ten … go.” He dropped his hand as if starting a race.
“Umm … the beach … a forest … a hot tub … someplace public.” She felt exhausted by the effort.
“That’s only four.”
“Oh, hell. I don’t know … the back seat of a car, maybe.” Breathing hard, she slumped back into her chair.
“I knew you could do it.” He rubbed the palm of his hand across his cheek. “The only one that might be a challenge is the last one. I’ll have to think about that a bit. I’m six-four and you’re six — ”
“Five-eleven.”
His smile mocked her attempt to correct him. “Like I said, I’m six-four and you’re six feet tall and in most cases the back seat of a car would be, well, uncomfortable, let’s say.” His hand reached across the table for hers. She could feel his foot rubbing up the back of her calf. “We can start on the list tomorrow. Or today. If you’re game we could check off number four right now.”
She snatched her hand back from him. “I didn’t mean this public.”
“Just trying to see where the boundaries are, babe.”
Chapter 7
The following morning, Collins was out of bed before the alarm went off. He dressed, brought Liz coffee, and took off, telling her he had errands to run and some business to take care of before they got on with their plans. When she asked questions he pretended it was all a big secret for their two days together. The truth was, he couldn’t tell her the details of what he was doing.
His guilt about going through her office had begun to eat at him even while he was doing it and it had gotten worse over the past twenty-four hours. Not only did he like her more than he had expected to — maybe like was too weak a word, come to think of it — but the more he learned about her relationship with Mason, the more sure he was that there was nothing she would do to hurt him. Even if she could. Which he doubted.
He was beginning to believe that David’s client was a lying scumbag and Mason Fairchild was the good guy in all of this. But that was David’s problem. His was how to deal with what he’d done. He’d come up with an idea that might get him off the hook, both with Liz and with David.
All he had to do was get it sorted out before she figured it out. And sell it to David.
As soon as he was out of Liz’s apartment, he called L.A.
“So, Michael, how’s it going up in the Rose City? It’s beautiful here.” His former partner was terminally cheerful in the morning. It was one of the only things Collins disliked about him. “You going to cozy up to the old guy today? Find his books for me?”
“I told you, David, I’m through playing spy for you.”
“What, you afraid you’ll fall
“The more I know about you, the more I like you, Liz Fairchild.”
“Which is certainly better than the opposite reaction.”
She tidied up; he got his bag from the car. When she’d finished changing clothes, they went down the street to her favorite café. He’d insisted they go out to eat, saying he knew what was in her refrigerator and it didn’t look promising.
After they’d ordered their meals, she asked, “So, what’s the real reason you wanted to eat out tonight?”
“Why would I have a reason other than your empty refrigerator?”
She raised an eyebrow and stared at him over her wineglass.
“Okay, you’re right. I want to talk about my to-do list and figured if we stayed in your apartment, we’d get distracted and never get it started.”
“You’re not serious about that, are you?”
“Of course I am. So, first, tell me five places where you’d like to have sex.”
“I can’t do that. It’s too embarrassing.”
“Yes, you can. I’m going to count to ten and then you’ll give them to me.”
“Collins … ”
He held up his fingers, one at a time. “One … two … three … four … ”
“I’m not going to … ”
“Five … six … seven … eight … ”
“This is ridiculous … ”
“Nine … ten … go.” He dropped his hand as if starting a race.
“Umm … the beach … a forest … a hot tub … someplace public.” She felt exhausted by the effort.
“That’s only four.”
“Oh, hell. I don’t know … the back seat of a car, maybe.” Breathing hard, she slumped back into her chair.
“I knew you could do it.” He rubbed the palm of his hand across his cheek. “The only one that might be a challenge is the last one. I’ll have to think about that a bit. I’m six-four and you’re six — ”
“Five-eleven.”
His smile mocked her attempt to correct him. “Like I said, I’m six-four and you’re six feet tall and in most cases the back seat of a car would be, well, uncomfortable, let’s say.” His hand reached across the table for hers. She could feel his foot rubbing up the back of her calf. “We can start on the list tomorrow. Or today. If you’re game we could check off number four right now.”
She snatched her hand back from him. “I didn’t mean this public.”
“Just trying to see where the boundaries are, babe.”
Chapter 7
The following morning, Collins was out of bed before the alarm went off. He dressed, brought Liz coffee, and took off, telling her he had errands to run and some business to take care of before they got on with their plans. When she asked questions he pretended it was all a big secret for their two days together. The truth was, he couldn’t tell her the details of what he was doing.
His guilt about going through her office had begun to eat at him even while he was doing it and it had gotten worse over the past twenty-four hours. Not only did he like her more than he had expected to — maybe like was too weak a word, come to think of it — but the more he learned about her relationship with Mason, the more sure he was that there was nothing she would do to hurt him. Even if she could. Which he doubted.
He was beginning to believe that David’s client was a lying scumbag and Mason Fairchild was the good guy in all of this. But that was David’s problem. His was how to deal with what he’d done. He’d come up with an idea that might get him off the hook, both with Liz and with David.
All he had to do was get it sorted out before she figured it out. And sell it to David.
As soon as he was out of Liz’s apartment, he called L.A.
“So, Michael, how’s it going up in the Rose City? It’s beautiful here.” His former partner was terminally cheerful in the morning. It was one of the only things Collins disliked about him. “You going to cozy up to the old guy today? Find his books for me?”
“I told you, David, I’m through playing spy for you.”
“What, you afraid you’ll fall
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