and laughed again. “That’s one way to put it.” He’d already said too much to her; no way would he tell her that occasionally, casual sex was all that got him through the night. “What about you?”
“What about me?”
“Ever had any one-night stands?”
She wrinkled her nose. “Not my thing.”
“Only serious monogamy, huh?” That could be a big problem for him, but somehow he’d get around it.
“I’ve dated casually, just for fun.”
“With a handshake at the end of the night?”
She swatted his shoulder. “I’m not that bad.” Looking away and going introspective, she added, “But I had to know the guy and at least like him a lot to want to get involved.”
The idea of her “being involved” bugged him more than it should have. “Ever been engaged? Married?”
He felt her withdraw. Hell, it got so quiet he could hear her breathing, could almost hear her heartbeats.
“Avery?” What the hell? Was she still hung up on someone? Was she nursing a broken heart?
“My life was different from yours.”
“Glad to hear it.” But what did that have to do with anything?
“I almost feel guilty now. While you were dealing with so much, I was pampered.”
“Good.” Headlights showed in his rearview mirror, distracting Rowdy. “I wouldn’t wish my folks on anyone, much less another kid.” Definitely not Avery.
Slowly she inhaled, exhaled, inhaled again. “My parents were well-off. Growing up, I can’t remember wanting anything that I didn’t get.”
“Were well-off? They’re not now?” The car pulled closer behind them. Too close for safety.
Close enough for him to read the license plate and commit the number to his memory.
Oblivious to their tail, Avery worried her hands together for a different reason. When she realized what she was doing, she flattened them on her thighs. “Actually, I think Mom has even more wealth now. After my dad died a few years ago, she married one of the partners in his company.”
She’d lost her dad? Bummer. Somehow he figured the loss was a whole lot different for her than it had been for him. “I’m sorry.”
“Me, too. Dad was everything your dad wasn’t. I saw him drink wine occasionally, but I don’t remember him ever getting drunk. Mom, either. It’s just not done. Even though Dad traveled a few times a month, we had a lot of time together. Vacations and holidays. He’d set his schedule around my life so he could be there for all the important stuff.”
Still aware of the car behind them, Rowdy took another turn, this one not part of Avery’s directions. She didn’t notice. “That’s how it should be, right? In a real family, I mean.” What the hell did he know of real families? Jack shit.
“I suppose.” Melancholy tinged her soft voice. “I’ve never been in love.”
“That’s a problem for you?” Because it sure wasn’t a problem for him. In fact, he liked it that she hadn’t fallen for anyone.
Avery shook her head. “Dad wanted to see me settled down. But it never happened. I traveled a lot after college. I wanted to see the world and my parents indulged me. Getting a job, marriage and all that...it didn’t seem that important.”
So why was she working for him now? Still seeing the world? Maybe experiencing the other side of life?
He’d met women who wanted to try slumming it. Didn’t matter to him. In his bed, rich or poor, they all screamed out the same during a hard climax.
If Avery wanted a walk on the wild side, he’d show her just how hot the wild side could be.
He was curious about Avery’s motives, but digging into her psyche would have to wait. “We have a tail.”
Confused, she stared at him. “What?”
“We’re being followed.”
“Oh, my God!” She twisted to look out the rearview mirror. “Who is it?”
“No idea.” Her reaction dumbfounded him. He’d half expected her to laugh, to say he was being paranoid. Instead, she’d shot straight into panic mode. “Hang on, babe. I’m
“What about me?”
“Ever had any one-night stands?”
She wrinkled her nose. “Not my thing.”
“Only serious monogamy, huh?” That could be a big problem for him, but somehow he’d get around it.
“I’ve dated casually, just for fun.”
“With a handshake at the end of the night?”
She swatted his shoulder. “I’m not that bad.” Looking away and going introspective, she added, “But I had to know the guy and at least like him a lot to want to get involved.”
The idea of her “being involved” bugged him more than it should have. “Ever been engaged? Married?”
He felt her withdraw. Hell, it got so quiet he could hear her breathing, could almost hear her heartbeats.
“Avery?” What the hell? Was she still hung up on someone? Was she nursing a broken heart?
“My life was different from yours.”
“Glad to hear it.” But what did that have to do with anything?
“I almost feel guilty now. While you were dealing with so much, I was pampered.”
“Good.” Headlights showed in his rearview mirror, distracting Rowdy. “I wouldn’t wish my folks on anyone, much less another kid.” Definitely not Avery.
Slowly she inhaled, exhaled, inhaled again. “My parents were well-off. Growing up, I can’t remember wanting anything that I didn’t get.”
“Were well-off? They’re not now?” The car pulled closer behind them. Too close for safety.
Close enough for him to read the license plate and commit the number to his memory.
Oblivious to their tail, Avery worried her hands together for a different reason. When she realized what she was doing, she flattened them on her thighs. “Actually, I think Mom has even more wealth now. After my dad died a few years ago, she married one of the partners in his company.”
She’d lost her dad? Bummer. Somehow he figured the loss was a whole lot different for her than it had been for him. “I’m sorry.”
“Me, too. Dad was everything your dad wasn’t. I saw him drink wine occasionally, but I don’t remember him ever getting drunk. Mom, either. It’s just not done. Even though Dad traveled a few times a month, we had a lot of time together. Vacations and holidays. He’d set his schedule around my life so he could be there for all the important stuff.”
Still aware of the car behind them, Rowdy took another turn, this one not part of Avery’s directions. She didn’t notice. “That’s how it should be, right? In a real family, I mean.” What the hell did he know of real families? Jack shit.
“I suppose.” Melancholy tinged her soft voice. “I’ve never been in love.”
“That’s a problem for you?” Because it sure wasn’t a problem for him. In fact, he liked it that she hadn’t fallen for anyone.
Avery shook her head. “Dad wanted to see me settled down. But it never happened. I traveled a lot after college. I wanted to see the world and my parents indulged me. Getting a job, marriage and all that...it didn’t seem that important.”
So why was she working for him now? Still seeing the world? Maybe experiencing the other side of life?
He’d met women who wanted to try slumming it. Didn’t matter to him. In his bed, rich or poor, they all screamed out the same during a hard climax.
If Avery wanted a walk on the wild side, he’d show her just how hot the wild side could be.
He was curious about Avery’s motives, but digging into her psyche would have to wait. “We have a tail.”
Confused, she stared at him. “What?”
“We’re being followed.”
“Oh, my God!” She twisted to look out the rearview mirror. “Who is it?”
“No idea.” Her reaction dumbfounded him. He’d half expected her to laugh, to say he was being paranoid. Instead, she’d shot straight into panic mode. “Hang on, babe. I’m
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