“It also wasn’t fair to start something with me when you had one foot out the door.”
“No. But I’d agreed to the Sinclairs’ timetable of revealing the new positions.”
“Sounds like you got fucked as much as you did the fucking. If not more.” She held up a hand. “Don’t tell me you deserved it. Spencer, you’re seriously the most contrite bad guy I’ve ever seen.”
“What?”
“You want me to think that you’re such a heartless jerk but you’ve spent all this time in knots. Let me clue you in to something.” She leaned closer and whispered in his ear, “Real bad guys don’t feel guilty.”
“That doesn’t excuse my behavior.”
“Who said it did?”
“I knew you’d walk. I didn’t want you to. So add that to the examples that prove Spencer Galvin’s an asshole.”
“So wait. Now you expect me to be mad because you didn’t want me to leave you? Which I wouldn’t have done, by the way.” She rolled her eyes. “Fine. Your priorities could’ve used some work. So could mine. I kept a running list of guys I wanted to sleep with, even though it wasn’t really about sex. Not just sex,” she acknowledged when he raised a brow. “But I didn’t have the guts to admit what I needed. Then I dumped all my years of emotional angst at your doorstep, even though you were lucky enough not to be privy to most of it. We were together one week. Hardly long enough for me to build us up into some sort of twisted version of Scarlett and Rhett.”
“That week was the best of my life,” he said softly.
“Mine too. But we never got to know each other beyond work and sex. I don’t even know your favorite color.”
“Gray. Yours?”
“Purple. And you didn’t even laugh at that question.”
“Because I get what you mean. It would be smarter to start at the beginning. Go on a few dates, drink coffee, talk. Take it slow.” He cupped her shoulder, stroking his palm over supple leather and wishing it were her skin under his hand instead. “I can’t go slow with you, Kelly.”
“Who’s asking you to?” She reached up to cover his hand with hers. “What happened worked for me. All of it. Not the breakup part, but everything else. Sure, I’d like you to tell me things. I’d appreciate you sharing parts of yourself with me before I have to go for a crowbar or threaten to withhold sex. But we were a work in progress. I was willing to wait to see what developed.”
“I want you in my life.” He kissed her forehead, drawing her so close that her heart beat rapidly against his. “I’m prepared to do whatever it takes to make that happen.”
“Including spilling your secrets in a restaurant parking lot.” Her grin came through loud and clear in her voice.
“Yes. And admitting to my many, many faults. Like being too secretive and closed off. And too obsessed with work. And too fixated on getting you naked.”
“That’s one of your best qualities actually.”
“Agreed.” He grinned. “Can I stop now?”
“No, keep going.” She tipped her head sideways and gave him a sexy smile he knew he’d never forget. “I’m liking this conversation.”
“Uh-huh.” Another laugh escaped him. “You know, I think this is the longest we’ve actuallyhada conversation outside of work. Every other time we ended up in bed.”
She ran her hands up his chest. Her fingertips feathered over his neck above his suddenly constricting collar. “I’m kind of talked out,” she murmured.
He didn’t dare hope. But he also couldn’t stop his body’s immediate and irrefutable response to her nearness. His cock strained against his trousers, pressing insistently against her soft belly.
She glanced down and then up again, grinning. “Feels like a green light to me.”
“Light’s definitely green. Too green, if you know what I mean.” He tugged her hair, loving the way her mouth curved. “It’s been a long three months.”
“For me too.”
“You’ll notice I’m not asking if there’s been anyone else.”
“You don’t have a right to.”
“No.” He paused. “So has there been?”