Pushing the plate toward Keely, she said, “You’re eating for two. Have mine.”
Her friend accepted the pastry bits and ate a few before moving the plate aside.
She couldn’t delay any longer. “I fucked up last night. Big time,” she began.
“With Wynn Gallagher?”
“Uh-huh.” Scarlett swallowed more coffee, draining the container, wishing she had more.
“I liked him,” Keely said. “He wasn’t what I thought he’d be like. He was a little quiet to begin with but then he chimed in when he seemed to grow comfortable.” She paused. “Is whatever mistake you made fixable?”
“I doubt it,” Scarlett said, her tone flat. “I had sex with him.”
Keely’s eyes widened and then she smiled. “I didn’t see that coming.”
“Neither did I.” She raked her fingers through her hair, pushing it away from her face. “We looked over the silent auction items and then gambled at the different tables for a couple of hours.”
“We saw you there. You looked like you were having a great time.”
“I was. We were. And then he asked me if I wanted to have a drink. I’d really enjoyed his company so I said yes.” Scarlett paused. “He took me back to his bungalow.”
Keely’s hand shot out and grabbed Scarlett’s wrist. “Did he rape you?”
“No. Nothing like that. Not at all. Wynn is a real gentleman.”
Keely’s grip loosened. “Okay.”
“In fact, it was the best sex of my life. He is absolutely the most fantastic kisser on the planet. We made out forever.” Scarlett smiled, in spite of feeling so low. “It was almost like being a teenager again and discovering kissing.”
“So, he’s a great kisser. And?” Keely prodded.
“One thing led to another. Our chemistry was off the charts. Sex with Wynn Gallagher was like making bananas foster. You know, when you add the alcohol to the hot pan and that burst of flames occurs? It wasn’t a spark between us. It was a raging inferno.”
Scarlett paused, lost in thought of those moments with Wynn. Touching. Tasting.
“Why do you think it was a mistake?” Keely finally asked.
“First, he’s a client. A potential client. Or probably not now, not after . . .” Her voice trailed off. “More importantly, he’s . . . Wynn Gallagher. A worldwide phenom who’ll only grow more famous because of that franchise he’s in. I swore to myself yesterday that I was going to put my needs first. My biological alarm clock has gone off at Defcon 5 and won’t stop blaring. I’m running out of time. I can’t do casual dating anymore. I’ve never really been a one-night stand kind of woman, despite last night. Wynn Gallagher is a huge star and hot. Like scorching hot. Like have any woman, anywhere, anytime, anyway hot. He’s not a man who plans to settle down anytime soon.”
“He told you that?”
“Told me what?” Scarlett asked, confused.
“Wynn flat out told you he doesn’t plan to settle down?”
Scarlett looked away. “No. Actually, I told him that. That he wasn’t the type to do so. That we revolved in separate universes and I’d blown it by being unprofessional and sleeping with a client, especially when I’m trying to turn over a new leaf and find a normal man, not some famous actor, to build a strong relationship with and start a family.” She grimaced. “I pretty much went diarrhea of the mouth on him. All of that came tumbling out pretty quickly.”
“What did he say?” Keely asked, curiosity written across her face.
“Not much. I feel pretty guilty, thinking back on it. I had incredible sex with him and then threw a lot of my emotional crap at him. I walked out before he could say much of anything.” She snorted. “Oh, but the lawyer in me offered to still represent him if he could look past everything that had gone down between us. God, I am so ashamed of myself.” Tears spilled down her cheeks.
Keely reached into her purse and pulled out a packet of tissues and handed it to Scarlett. She mopped her eyes and blew her nose.
“I’ll never hear from him again. Why would I?”
“Do you want to?” her friend asked.
Fresh tears cascaded down her cheeks. “The thing is, yes. Not only professionally. Wynn told Rhett he had some big problem. You know me. I come alive with a challenge. I’d love to be able to help him out. Personally? I regretted everything I said as it was coming out of my mouth. I don’t care if he’s my Mr. Right. I’d be happy with Wynn Gallagher being Mr. Right Now.”
“You don’t mean that, Scarlett,” Keely chided gently.
“I’m so torn. Wynn was amazing. He was funny and charming.”
“And the sex was off the charts,” Keely reminded her, grinning.
“That, too.”
“Maybe he does want the same things you do, Scarlett. He might’ve told you if you’d given him a chance.”
“You think?” She wanted to believe that but something held her back.
“I think if you like him this much, there might be a chance that it could turn into more. If it does, great. If it doesn’t, then it wasn’t meant to be anyway. Wynn’s what, mid-thirties? He might be itching to have kids even more than you. And how does someone like Wynn Gallagher even meet a nice girl? Probably every woman he’s introduced to thinks of him as a superstar—and not a man.” Keely paused. “Even superstars are people first, Scarlett. They have feelings. They want love and happiness, the same as everyone else.”
She sighed. “I don’t know. I don’t know.”
“Give it some time. You don’t have to act now. See if he contacts you about repping him. If he doesn’t, maybe it’s because he wants to keep the professional and personal separate. If he does, you can get a better feel after being around him more.” Keely took her hands. “Just don’t close the door on this guy, okay? And remember, you can talk to me about anything.”
“All
