Angie was so deliberately hostile that Phoenix wasn’t sure what to think. Across from her, Ridley mouthed the word: bitch.
Phoenix shook her head. She remembered Angie as friendly, funny and easygoing. But that was then, and perhaps more had changed than she realized. “I did have a question for him,” Phoenix said neutrally.
“You can ask me. David and I are together now.”
The way she said it, Phoenix could tell that Angie expected to surprise her. Did that mean David had come to see her without Angie knowing? Not a great way to start a relationship. “That’s wonderful. I hope you’ll both be really happy.”
Since that wasn’t what Angie expected, she was quiet a moment before snapping, “What’s your question?”
“I was trying to find David on Facebook, but—”
“I had him cancel everything because of this exact reason! I didn’t want you coming back around, causing more trouble.”
“More?” she asked, starting to get annoyed herself.
“You hurt him,” Angie accused.
Having the truth flung at her, Phoenix deflated. “I know, and I’m sorry.”
At that, Ridley stiffened and shook her head.
Phoenix ignored her. “That was never my intention.”
“It’s too late for you to apologize to him now.”
Apparently, it wasn’t, since she’d just done so yesterday—and David had accepted.
“You’re not going to worm your way back in.”
“I wasn’t trying to, I promise.”
“If you mean that,” Angie said, her tone flat, “then stay out of his life.”
“I plan to.” Best to just spit it out so she could end this awful call. “I just need to know, is he living with you?”
“Yes. He’s moved on. We’ve moved on. You should do the same.” The call ended.
Stunned, Phoenix stared at her phone, then slowly looked up at Ridley.
“Gee, is she jealous much?”
“Ridley.” It seemed Angie felt very protective of David, and that made Phoenix reconsider just how badly it had crushed him when she’d ended their engagement. She sat back and pondered what to do next. “I still don’t think it was David.”
“If it’s any consolation, I find it hard to believe too, but that doesn’t mean we should rule him out. From now on, you shouldn’t be alone.”
Phoenix almost groaned. “You, too?”
“Yes, me, too.” Ridley held up a finger to silence her complaints. “Think about how you’d feel if that crazy stuff happened to me.”
“It hasn’t been that crazy. Yes, the firecrackers were terrible, but bulbs do blow, so that might not have been all that significant.”
Ridley dropped her hands and stared at Phoenix, her voice going all gentle and big sisterly. “I just got you back, Phoenix. Humor me, please.”
Put that way, of course she would. “I’ll be extra careful at all times. I promise.”
“Thank you.” She forked her last bite of chicken. “So where does grouchy Angie live? I can drive by there to see if David is really with her.”
“No, you absolutely will not do that. It’s stalkerish.” She got up to throw away her empty salad container. “Besides, David knows you.”
They both snickered over the real reason Phoenix didn’t want Ridley going by the house, then Phoenix said, “I should get back to work.”
“Me, too.”
She paused, eyeing Ridley. “Is Baxter coming over again tonight?”
“Yup.”
“Is he staying the night?”
“Hell, no.” Ridley grinned. “I hope he tries just so I can throw him out, but my guess is he’ll stay long enough to be polite, then make his getaway.”
Folding her arms and leaning back on the counter, Phoenix asked, “Does that bother you?”
Ridley looked her right in the eyes and said with credible indifference, “Nope.”
Phoenix still didn’t buy it. “You said he bought you a gift?”
Lifting the hem of her shirt, Ridley showed off a small canister set inside a case that clipped onto her pocket.
“Mace?”
Ridley snorted a laugh. “Bug spray, actually.” She flipped the little container. “My own personal defense against insects. Really sweet gift.”
“Yes, very thoughtful.”
She scrunched her mouth to one side. “I got all stupidly grateful when he gave it to me, but that didn’t seem to bother him. At least, not at the time. I guess I should have just said, thanks, jerk, and left it at that.”
Phoenix couldn’t help but laugh. “Cut him some slack, sis. Diehard bachelors are always afraid of getting involved. If he’s feeling tempted, he might be more defensive.”
Ridley shook off her sour mood. “Whatever. Let’s go before Big Sexy reprimands us for slacking on the job.” On the way out the door, she said again, “Don’t go off to that maintenance building alone, okay? It’s too isolated. If you need to be there, let me know and I’ll go with you.”
“And if someone accosts us, you’ll blast them with your bug spray?”
She nodded. “Followed by a knee to the nuts. Gets ’em every time.”
*
That Friday night, Baxter lay next to Ridley, still sucking in great gulps of air, a sheen of sweat on his body, his muscles relaxed, and he wondered what the hell was going on.
With him, not her. Oh, he knew exactly what she was doing: giving him what he’d asked for.
And God Almighty, the lady knew how to give.
As usual, she’d drained him. He’d never known a more energetic, enthusiastic and creative partner.
Or a woman more remote.
He turned his head to see her. Like him, she rested on her back, one leg bent slightly outward, a forearm over her eyes, her hair spread over the pillow.
His gaze tracked the line of her stubborn chin and soft, parted lips, down her delicate throat and over the slope of her extraordinary breasts. Her nipples were soft now, but still rosy from their vigorous activity.
Her other hand rested limply on her stomach.
He wanted her again, which was insane since his heartbeat hadn’t slowed yet. In the past four days, he’d come to the conclusion that he couldn’t stop wanting her.
He thought about her during instruction, when he was underwater with a full class. He thought about her when other women came on to him. He thought about her when he hadn’t seen her for a few hours, or when he knew he’d see her soon, and like now, when he was still with her.
Suddenly she reached over and, without moving that arm from her eyes, blindly patted him—getting perilously close to his junk. “I’m about to fall asleep.”
Which was her way of saying, Hit the road, bud. Well, screw it. He wasn’t ready to go yet. Staying a little longer wouldn’t hurt anything.
Having her one more time would only signify that she was sexy—which was something she already knew.
Besides, it was Friday. If ever he was going to stay, Friday would be the—Stop trying to rationalize it.
Abruptly turning onto his side, Baxter caught her hand and kissed her knuckles.
She went very still, her chest no longer rising and falling with her deep breaths.
“Do you plan to sleep like this?” he asked, carrying her hand, held in his, back to her belly, then lightly brushing over her midriff, down to that soft fluff of hair. His knuckles teased over her, finding her still damp and warm, and his dick shifted in interest.
Slowly, Ridley lowered her arm. Her eyes looked like blue ice...that was quickly thawing. “No,” she said with just a hint of sarcasm. “After sex, I usually pull on a ball gown to sleep in.”
Baxter’s mouth twitched. Ridley’s prickliness was both amusing and adorable. “Is that right? Can you fit many ball gowns in that tiny closet?”
“One is all I need, right? Now if you’ll go—” she tried to tug her hand from his, but he held on “—I’ll get dressed and go to sleep.”
Ignoring most of that, he asked, “Are you sleepy? Because I’m suddenly wide-awake.”
She jerked, hard, and freed her hand. “Maybe you could jog around the park?” she said with a sneering smile. “That might help you expend some energy.”
“I can think of a better way to unwind.”
She glared. “I just unwound you, damn it.”