The Harder They Fall

“It’s a Ms. Trisha Malloy.”

Hunter stared at the telephone. Trisha. Good Lord, what had she done now that she actually had to seek him out at work? “Send her up,” he said wearily, and managed to give a weak smile to his waiting niece.

He’d written Sheryl’s tuition check, and had just barely managed to catch her as she flung herself at him in gratitude, when his office door opened.

He heard the soft exclamation of apology.

Hands full of buoyant, happy coed, Hunter jerked his head up to see Trisha turning away.

“Trisha?”

She disappeared around the corner.

Dammit. “Trisha!” Hunter plucked Sheryl’s arms from around his neck and strode to his door. “Wait.”

Slowly, from halfway down the carpeted hallway, Trisha turned back. The very short, very full skirt of her fuchsia outfit swung wildly around her trim thighs. “I can see you’re busy,” she said softly, quietly, though her hands fisted at her sides. “I’ll just talk to you another time.”

He’d never seen her so strangely subdued, so… calm and unassuming. Something was wrong, very wrong, and his heart tripped. “Now is fine, Trisha.”

But Sheryl, curse her very lovely hide, chose that moment to bounce out of his office, throw her long arms around his neck, and kiss him soundly on the cheek. “I’ll never forget this,” she vowed cheerfully with a vibrant giggle. “Never.”

Without another word, Trisha turned and left.

Seven

Trisha forced herself to walk sedately through the NASA complex that housed Jet Propulsion Laboratories. She even managed several halfhearted smiles in response to the few appreciative glances she received.

But once she made it back through the main building and to the parking lot, she started running, her breath catching in her throat, her ridiculous pink pumps slapping dangerously against the asphalt.

What was the matter with her?

She’d come simply to make sure Hunter had gotten her note, to apologize in person. She’d wanted to see if he would accept her offer to get estimates for the damage to his fender so she could pay the bill.

That was absolutely all she’d come for.

It had nothing to do with the fact that she… missed him. Nothing at all.

Goodness, she hated liars. And she was lying to herself now. She’d come to see the man who had begun to fascinate her and she damn well knew it.

Just because said man had a tall, leggy blonde hanging all over him meant nothing.

She had no claim on him, nor did she want one. She’d known him for only a couple of weeks, and even then on a casual basis. Their teeny-weeny kiss meant nothing, nothing at all. Dr. Adams could mess around with a dozen such blondes for all she cared.

Right.

That kiss hadn’t been teeny-weeny. Nope, it’d been the mother of all kisses, at least in her eyes. Nerves had her fumbling with the lock on her car as her breath huffed out from her run. Her hands were shaking so, that she couldn’t fit the key into the lock.

“Trisha.”

Hunter’s voice came from directly behind her and she nearly leaped out of her skin. Her keys went flying out of her hands.

Hunter squatted down at the same time as she, reaching for the fallen keys, which was how she found herself hunkered down beside her car, staring into his dark green, unfathomable eyes.

Solemnly, he handed her the keys, then slowly pulled her up as he rose. The top of her head came to his chin, she noted with disgust. No wonder he never looked twice at her. The lovely blonde in his office had been nearly six feet tall.

“Why did you run off?” he asked, tugging her gently back when she tried to turn away.

She lifted her chin, assuring herself she couldn’t catch her breath from her run, not from the way he was looking at her. “You looked pretty busy.”

“Did I?” he asked quietly, an annoying smile playing about his lips.

She inhaled deeply at his obvious amusement. “Are you going to deny you had your hands full?”

He laughed, shook his head, then threw his head back and laughed again. Rarely did he let go like this, and Trisha could only stare. When he smiled like that, his entire face lit up, and he became even more handsome, if that was even possible. “I don’t see what’s so funny,” she said haughtily. Freeing her arm from his grasp, she grabbed her keys and hurriedly unlocked her car.

But Hunter laid a hand on the door, deterring her. His eyes still swam with humor, but he sounded sincere when he said, “You came all the way over here, Trisha. It must have been important. Is everything all right?” Suddenly the amusement faded, replaced by worry. “What’s the matter? Has something else happened?”

He looked mildly terrified, which helped. Served him right to have a bad moment, and knowing that, she regained some badly needed confidence. How dare he assume that she’d done something else to his precious house. Stubborn as he, she crossed her arms and glared at him.

“Trisha, what have you done now?”

“You mean besides crashing into your car? Or destroying two floors?”

“Yes. Exactly like that.”

She laughed shortly. “I can’t believe you think I’ve done something bad.”

“Well, have you?”

She just studied her hot-pink fingernails silently, wanting him to suffer.

“Trisha.” He put his hands on his hips, the elegantly tailored suit he wore stretching appealingly over his shoulders and back. “Tell me the house is still standing.”

She caught it then, the laughter in both his voice and face. The teasing tone went a long way toward soothing her ruffled feathers, but she wasn’t finished. “The good news is that the foundation of the duplex is still intact.”

She had the immense satisfaction of seeing him lose some color, of watching that wide, chiseled jaw drop open, but she couldn’t hold back her laughter.

“Oh, you’re funny.” He smirked at her. “Are you going to tell me why you came here before I have to attend my meeting? Or are you going to make me sweat all day, wondering?”

So the blonde was still waiting for him. “Wouldn’t want to make her wait, now, would we?”

He looked at her blankly, clearly puzzled, for one long moment before he rubbed his chin slowly. If she didn’t know him better, she would have sworn he was biting back a smile.

“You think my meeting is with Sheryl,” he said finally.

“Is that her name?” Trisha shrugged indifferently. “It could matter less to me.” She smoothed down her bright pink jacket, studied her hopelessly scuffed pumps.

“Naturally.” But Hunter just continued to stare at her, looking suspiciously pleased with himself.

It was then she realized he had no intention of telling her a damn thing. Fine. “I just wanted to know about your car. I want to get estimates done for you so I can pay for the damage.”

“Ah, yes, the fender.”

“Don’t tell me you’d forgotten,” she said.

“Did you know that red lipstick is nearly impossible to clean off a window?”

“Sorry.” She smiled sweetly, innocently. “But I didn’t know your phone number and you didn’t answer my knock. The estimate, Hunter?”

“It won’t be necessary,” he said evenly, slipping his hands into his trouser pockets.

He’d already gotten them. Well, that was quick. She hoped it didn’t cost as much as she feared. Stupid, stupid, she thought. When would she learn to slow down? Reaching into her purse, she pulled out her checkbook, trying to