He shrugged. “For now.”
“Good.” She detached his hands, moving away from him. “I thought you might have moved here.”
“No.”
“But you travel to New York often?”
There was an undercurrent to the question that he didn’t understand.
“I have a tech thinktank here, plus various business interests. I’m in town once a month or so.”
She looked away, but not before he heard the quick exhalation of breath.
“I didn’t realise.”
Why would she? It wasn’t like he’d ever volunteered that information to her.
“Come home with me.”
She shook her head. “I can’t.” A single tear slid down her cheek. He didn’t understand what was happening, but he knew he didn’t like seeing her cry. At all.
“That was great, but was it really enough?”
Her eyes flared wide, and he saw the temptation cross her face, before she smothered it. “I have to go.” She pulled her hand away and moved quickly, looking around the alley before scooping down and picking up her handbag. He hadn’t even realized she’d dropped it.
“Abby?” He called after her, but right then, the staff door opened and two women walked out. They smiled as they saw Abby and moved her way. She shot him a warning look then joined the pair, walking out of the alley in their group. He watched as she went, sure she’d turn around and cast him one last look, one last wave.
But she didn’t, and he was left wondering if it had all been a wonderful, strange, overwhelmingly hot dream…
Chapter3
OH. HOLY. CRAP.
Her knees shook the whole way home, and it wasn’t until she’d closed the door to her apartment and pressed her back against it that Abby felt any kind of safe. She dropped her head into her hands, drawing in a deep breath before Angie’s voice came to her from the kitchen. “S’that you, Abs?”
“If it’s not, we’re in trouble,” she responded, her voice shaking a little.
Angie sauntered into the small entranceway of the apartment.
“Any troubles?”
“Of course not. She was a peach. Fell asleep just after seven, hasn’t made a peep since. I checked on her at ten, and took off the blanket. It’s so hot tonight!”
“Is it?” She wondered if she could blame her crazed acts on the heatwave that was embracing New York, making the streets hazy and the air thick. Maybe it had brought on a form of psychosis. She was sure she’d heard of something called Tropical fever. There was no reason to think she was isolated from that just because she was completely removed from the tropics.
“Are you okay? You’re looking a bit peaky.”
“No, I’m fine. Just hot, like you say.”
She fanned her shirt for good measure, but that was a mistake. Her breasts were so sensitive from desire and need, that even the simple gesture sent a shiver tingling through her spine.
What had she been thinking to go after him like that?
Shehadn’tbeen thinking. That was the problem. She’d let her body take over, and it had reached for him in desperation, needing him, driving her crazy to the point she couldn’t resist.
“If you say so. Do you need me tomorrow?”
Abby shook her head. “I’ve got a few days off. I’ll let you know when I get my new roster?”