Meri sat up and took Betina’s hands. “I love and admire you, but you are desperately wrong.”
“I hope so, for your sake.”
But her friend sounded worried as she spoke. Meri appreciated the show of support. They were never going to agree on this topic. Better to move on.
She released Betina’s hands and grinned. “So Colin is right next door. Whatever will the two of you get up to late at night?”
Betina flushed. “Lower your voice,” she whispered. “He’ll hear you.”
“Oh, please. He wouldn’t hear a nuclear explosion if he was focused on something else, and when I walked by his room, he was already booting his laptop. We’re safe. Don’t you love how I got the two of you into the house while everyone else is far, far away?”
“I guess,” Betina said with uncharacteristic indecision. “I know something has to happen soon or I’ll be forced to back the car over him. He’s such a sweetie. And you know I really like him, but I don’t think I’m his type.”
Meri groaned. “He doesn’t have a type. He’s a nerd. Do you think he dates much?”
“He should. He’s adorable and smart and funny.”
Her friend had it bad, Meri thought happily. And she was pretty sure that Colin found Betina equally intriguing. Usually Betina simply took what she wanted in the man department. But something about Colin made her nervous.
“He’s afraid of being rejected,” Meri told her. “Something I can relate to.”
“I wouldn’t reject him,” Betina said. “But it will never work. We’re on a project together. I’m too old for him and I’m too fat.”
“You’re six years older, which is nothing, and you’re not fat. You’re totally curvy and lush. Guys go for that.”
They always had. Meri had spent the last decade marveling at the number of men her friend met, dated, slept with and dumped.
“Not Colin. He barely speaks to me.”
“Which is interesting,” Meri said. “He talks to everyone else.”
It was true. Colin was tongue-tied around Betina. Meri thought it was charming.
At first, when her friend had confessed her interest in Colin, Meri had been protective of her coworker. Colin might enjoy the ride that was Betina, but once dumped, he would be heartbroken. Then Betina had admitted her feelings went a whole lot deeper. The L word had been whispered.
After getting over the idea of her friend being in love with anyone, Meri had agreed to help. So far, she’d been unable to think of a way to bring the couple together. Hunter’s lodge had offered the perfect opportunity.
“You have time,” Meri pointed out. “Jack and I never come down here, so you have the whole floor to yourselves. You can talk to each other in a casual setting. No pressure. It will be great.”
Betina smiled. “Hey, it’s my job to be the positive, self-actualized one.”
“I know. I love being the emotionally mature friend. It doesn’t happen often.”
“It happens more and more.”
Meri leaned in and hugged her friend. “You’re the best.”
“So are you.”
Jack looked up as he heard footsteps on the stairs. Seconds later, Meri appeared in his loft office.
She’d changed into a tight skirt and cropped top, curled her hair and put on makeup. Always pretty, she’d upped the stakes to come-get-me sexy.
A quick bit of research on the Internet had told him that the guy she’d mentioned wasn’t one of her scientists. Instead he worked for a D.C. lobbyist and was safely several thousand miles away. Not that Jack cared one way or the other. The only issue for him was researching the man more thoroughly. If things were getting serious, it was his job to make sure Meri wasn’t being taken.
His low-grade anger was something he would deal with later. He didn’t know why he minded the thought of her marrying some guy, but he did.
“We’re going to dinner,” she announced when she stopped in front of his desk. “You might not believe this, but we’re actually a pretty fun group. You’re welcome to join us.”
“Thanks, but no.”
“Want me to bring back something? The fridge is still fully stocked, but I could stop for chicken wings.”
“I’m good.”
She turned to leave. He stopped her with, “You should have mentioned you were engaged.”
She turned back to him. “Why? You claim you’re not sleeping with me. What would an engagement matter one way or another?”
“It makes a difference. I wouldn’t have kissed you.”
“Ah. Then I’m glad you didn’t know.” Her blue eyes brightened with amusement. “Does the fact that I belong to someone else make me more tempting? The allure of the forbidden?”
He had to consciously keep from smiling. She’d always been overly dramatic.
“No,” he told her. “Sorry.”
“You’re not sorry. And, for what it’s worth, the engagement isn’t official. I wouldn’t be trying to sleep with you if I’d said yes.”
A cool rush of relief swept through him. “You said no?”
“I didn’t say anything. Andrew hasn’t actually proposed. I found a ring.” She shifted on her high heels. “I didn’t know what to think. I’d never thought about getting married. I realized we had unfinished business, so here I am. Seducing you.”
He ignored that. “You’re sleeping with him.” The point was obvious, so he didn’t make it a question.
She leaned forward and sighed. “It bothers you, doesn’t it? Thinking about me in bed with another man. Writhing, panting, being taken.” She straightened and fanned herself. “Wow, it’s really warm here at the top of the house.”
He didn’t react, at least not on the outside. But her words had done what she’d wanted them to do. He reacted on the inside, with heat building in his groin.
She got to him. He would give her points for that. But she wouldn’t win.
“So no on dinner?” she asked.
“I have work.”
“Okay. Want a goodbye kiss before I go?”
He hated that he did. He wanted to feel her mouth on his, her body leaning in close. He wanted skin on skin, touching her until he made her cry out with a passion she couldn’t control. “No, thanks,” he said coolly.
She eyed him for a second, then grinned. “We both know that’s not true, don’t we, Jack?”
And then she was gone.
Four
Meri arrived home from dinner with her team feeling just full enough, with a slight buzz. They’d taken the shuttle van into town, and that had meant no one had to be a designated driver. Wine had flowed freely. Well, as freely as it could given no one drank more than a glass, preferring the thrill of intellectual discussion to the mental blurriness of too much alcohol.
But just this once Meri had passed up the wine and gone with a margarita. That was fine, but she’d ordered a second one and was absolutely feeling it as she climbed the stairs to her bedroom.
As she reached the landing, she saw two doors and was reminded that it was also the same floor with Jack’s bedroom.
What an interesting fact, she thought as she paused and stared at the firmly closed door. He was in there. By himself, she would guess. So what exactly was he getting up to?
She was pretty confident he was stretched out on the bed, watching TV or reading. But this was her buzz, and she could imagine him waiting for her in the massive tub in front of the fireplace if she wanted to. Because in her fantasy, he wanted her with a desperation that took his breath away. In her fantasy, he was deeply sorry for hurting
