Hard Break (Deadlines & Diamonds, #5) (11 page)

He hit
I-15 and let the engine loose. The thought of a ticket didn’t concern him, not considering the cash he planned on dropping tonight. And every damn dime was worth it if the smile she wore now stayed on her face.

Damn
, she really was a beautiful woman.

Would she mourn him if
…

He stopped that thought in its tracks.
Seriously!
First, he wasn’t going anywhere and secondly, they didn’t have that kind of relationship. She’d been damn sure to make that clarification.

He weaved in and out of traffic and she laughed. Her hand wrapped around the door handle, holding on. “Oh
, my gosh! You’re crazy!”

“Too fast?”

“No!” She shot a look at the speedometer. “But I’d hate for you to get pulled over. I don’t have enough cleavage to get you out of a citation.”

And just like that his eyeballs were right in the middle of that
gorgeous cleavage. “I don’t know about that.”

She put a hand to her chest. He didn’t think she protected her modesty, but he focused on the road all the same. The last thing on the agenda was making her nervous or making her think he was some kind of
boob ogling letch.

His foot eased off the accelerator. He flipped on the blinker and prepared to take the next exit.
Diaz said their table would be ready at ten-thirty. Kayla and the kids usually ate dinner hours before and he’d wanted to make sure she kept to her schedule. Thoughtful bastard, wasn’t he? He smiled.

He pulled up to the valet at one of the fanciest restaurants in town. Her eyes widened. “Ian?”

A kid in a white shirt and black slacks—not so different from his own, he realized with a frown—opened her door and extended a hand. “Ma’am.”

“Ian?”

He didn’t answer, simply got out and walked around to take her by the arm. “I told you I wanted to make tonight special.”

“Special, yes. Expensive, no. Ian, this isn’t who I am. If we don’t go in there
, will it cost you anything?”

He shook his head. “No. But Kay—”

“Ian, just being out with you is enough. I don’t need fancy and expensive. Let’s just hit IHOP.”

“I’
m
not
taking you to IHOP or somewhere really nice like Denny’s.” He laughed at his own inside joke. His father, God rest his soul, loved Denny’s and thought it was a fancy place. The man would probably shit a brick to think Ian was willing to lay down the kind of cash needed beyond those glass and chrome doors.

Kayla rushed over to the valet, said something to him and came back with the keys. “Olive Garden? It’s nice, but not
too
nice. More my style.”

And more his budget, truth be told.

“If I say yes, you’re not allowed to veto anything else for the rest of the evening, deal?”

“Deal.
If
I can drive.” She held the keys out, leaving the choice to him.

He dipped his chin. She grinned and closed her fist around the keys. Her heels clipped along the stained concrete as she rushed around to the driver’s side. He slipped into the passenger seat and buckled his seatbelt. “Don’t make me regret this, babydoll.”

“How does the saying go?
‘Get in. Sit back. Shut up and hold on’
?”

“I’
ve heard something like that.”

The tires chirped as she hit the gas and released the clutch. She giggled
, but worked the gears like a pro. “Sorry. It’s real touchy.”

Who’d have thought the soccer mom with the
conservative SUV could handle a stick like a boss? He thought he knew everything about her. Obviously he didn’t know shit.

“Don’t go gettin’ pulled over, babe. I know I don’t have enough cleavage to get us out of a ticket.”

She didn’t look at him, but her smile grew until slight wrinkles formed at the corners of her mouth. She didn’t look old. She was radiant, absolutely breathtaking. She reached down and cranked the radio, doing the worst karaoke he’d ever heard. It was the best sound. Joy, unadulterated pleasure, ricocheted through the car. He loved it!

Make
that two things he’d learned about her. Before tonight he hadn’t known she couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket. Good thing he was tone deaf.

It wasn’t long before she pulled into the parking lot of the Italian restaurant, easing into a spot. She cut the engine, all but jumped out of the car and skipped around to his side. She dangled the keys, laughing when she jerked them away from him. He had no idea what’d prompted the fun and playful Kayla, but he’d take it. And up the ante.

He lunged forward, grabbed her around the waist and pulled her close, plucking the keys from her fingers. Her breath came in pants. Her smile fell, but didn’t disappear. Her eyes searched his face, his eyes. “Thank you. I don’t feel like I can say it enough. I’m just…I…just thank you, Ian.”

“I haven’t done anything.” Which wasn’t true, and they both knew it.

She surprised the shit out of him by hugging him. Not a gentle, friendly embrace, she grabbed hold and hugged the bejeezus out of him. “Well, then, thank you for everything you haven’t done. For me. For the kids. I know I’ve been a jerk to you and haven’t exactly been the easiest person to be around. I’m hoping to change my attitude.” She leaned up and kissed his cheek. “No promises, though.”

He quirked a grin and kissed the top of her head. “
I’ll take what I can get.”

As much as he enjoyed standing in her arms, they couldn’t take up an empty parking space forever. Besides
, he was hungry and the sooner they finished dinner, the sooner they could get to their next destination. He threaded his fingers through hers. “Come on. I’m starving.”

Her stomach answered. She tugged on his arm. “Would you hurry up?”

Inside, they were greeted and led toward a booth. Ian stopped the progression. “Can we get something kind of off by itself?”

The hostess looked from Ian to Kayla and back again. “Special occasion?”

Kayla smiled. “Yes.”

“I’ve got just the spot. Right this way.”

Kayla followed the hostess and Ian followed Kayla, watching every sway of her hips. He’d follow her right off a cliff. He’d seen her walk before, but dang, those heels made each and every step an invitation. Did she have any idea how sexy she was?

“Here you go,” the hostess said with a wave of her hand.

The table was certainly off by itself in a corner at the very back of the restaurant. Kayla slid into one side, Ian took the other.

“Your waitress will be right with you.”

“Thank you.” Kayla unwrapped her silverware and snapped the napkin before laying it across her lap. “I hope I didn’t ruin anything by insisting on a change of plans.”

Always thoughtful, even in her demands. Ian shook his head. “No. Dinner doesn’t really matter. It’
s the next part of the plan I hope you won’t veto.”

“I thought you said I can’t veto any more of your plans.”

“That’s right. Don’t even try it.”

“Or what? You gonna spank me?” As soon as the words were out, she pursed her lips together, but he didn’t miss the mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

“Honey, you don’t want to take me there.” Definitely not a safe destination.

“Can I
get you something to drink?”

“Saved by the waitress,” he whispered to Kayla, who blushed.

“Water,” Ian said.

“I’ll have a Diet Coke with lemon, please. Thanks.”

Ian had no intention of going back to their previous convo. She might kill him before the night was over with talk like that. He turned to a safe topic. “Why aren’t the kids riding the bus home?”

Her smile vanished like fog in sunlight. So much for safe. She picked up her spoon and rubbed at it with the forest green napkin. “I
took the job.”

“That’s great. Why didn’t you tell me?”

Her eyes flicked to his. “I don’t tell you everything, Ian.”

His first instinc
t screamed for him to growl,
I know that
, but instead he asked, “Are you liking it?”

Cliff and his notes had nothing on the watered down version Kayla delivered. Old boss. New
position, not her favorite. Ten to six.

“So
what about the kids?”

“I don’t have a choice, Ian.” Defensive much?

The waitress appeared with their drinks. “Are you ready to order?”

Kayla rattled off something he’d never heard of and the waitress looked at him. “Um…yeah…ah, I’ll have
fettuccine alfredo.”

They did salad instead of soup and the breadsticks would be on their way shortly. Ian wanted to tell her where she could stick the breadsticks. Kayla’s bi-polar act
made him mental. Something bothered her with the new job and…

“Who’s watching the kids, Kay?” he asked as soon as the coast was cle
ar, knowing how anti-daycare she’d been.

She took the lemon off the side of the glass, squeezed the juice into
it before dropping the remainder into the dark abyss. “They’re going to a great daycare. Please don’t frown. It’s not that bad. I researched them and found one that’s really gr-…good. So far the kids like it.”

“They hate it, don’t they?”

She crumbled, her shoulders hunching, her expression faltering. “Yeah. Especially Chase. But it’s not like I have a whole lot of options.” She looked across the table at him and he felt the stare pierce his soul. “We’re all going to have to make sacrifices. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right?” Her smile missed weak by a mile. “We’ll make it through this, just like everything else.”

Ian reached over the table and took her hand. “No more
sad or depressing topics. Only happy things from now until I drop you off.”

Her shou
lders lifted, as though his declaration eased the weight. “Sounds good to me. How often does your sister babysit?”

“Never.”

“What?” Panic flared in her eyes.

“Don’t worry. She’s an able adult. She has a bad history with babysitting. The last heathens she watched took her purse, went through the contents, unwrapping the maxi pads and sticking them to the walls of their room. While she was cleaning them up, they put gum in her hair. She had to cut it nearly to the scalp. It scarred her for life. I’m not sure she’ll ever have children of her own.”

“That’s awful. Her hair looked great to me. How long ago did that happen?”

“Eight years or so.”

Kayla laughed. “You made it sound like it happened last week.”

“To hear Steph tell it, it did.”

She swirled the lemon around in the Coke. “So how’d you get her to agree to watch my heathens?”

“
Let’s just say she’s not cheap.”

“Ian…”

“Don’t give me that look. I wanted to take you out. I made the plans and I am happy to incur whatever costs necessary.”

“Well, thank you. I’m having a lot of fun.”

Twelve

“R
ight this way.” The tiny waif of a girl led them through the crowd toward the back of the club. Lights flashed. Music played. And people swayed in a synchronized wave.

Ian’s palm pressed against the small of Kayla’s back, guiding her. She liked the connection. Women of every age looked at him once, most of them taking that second glance.
She liked that too. Pride to be the woman on his arm heated her from the inside out. She felt the blush stain her cheeks, and didn’t fight the smile. It might be just for a few hours, and it might be only because he pitied her, but tonight Ian belonged to her.

His breath scorched
her neck. “What’s goin’ on in that pretty head of yours?”

“Nothing.” She turned her head just enough to see him in her periphery. “Why do you ask?”

His lips brushed her cheek. “You’re blushing.”

Oh
, good hell. She was not some little sixteen-year-old virgin. She’d be thirty-eight in a few months. And her date, um, non-date, her
escort
…

Yeah, ‘
cause that terminology made it sound
so
much better. She’d better just stick with date.
Crap!

His hand rubbed over her back
, getting dangerously close to her rump. “I’d sure like to know what you’re thinking about.”

“No way.” She didn’t realize she’d said it aloud until
he laughed. She stopped and he nearly plowed her over. Putting her hand on his chest, she winked, hoping for the machismo she didn’t truly feel. “A girl’s got to have her secrets, Ian.”

“And I’d
give my right arm to know yours, Kayla Black.”

“Just your arm?”

He tugged her into a hug. He laughed into her neck. She giggled, throwing her arms around his shoulders to steady herself. He swayed her lightly to the steady beat of the music. “Do you feel like dancing?”

Yes. Yes, she did. Especially if he was going to hold her like he held her now. In Ian’s arms she felt as beautiful as he kept telling her she was. She actually felt desired. Ian was good, very good. If he made
her go all gooey inside when he didn’t care for her more than his pathetic neighbor in need of a friend, Kayla could only imagine how hot he’d be when he actually liked the woman in his arms.

“I’d love to dance, but shouldn’t we figure out where the—”

“Right there.” Ian jerked his chin to the left. “See the reserved sign? That’s ours. Let’s dance, babydoll.”

Oh, wow, she liked it when he called her that. He’d let the endearment slip earlier in the night and her knees had gone spaghetti noodle.
Hearing it a second time didn’t lessen the impact.

Her hand in his, Ian escorted her to the dance floor. He spun her out, bring
ing her back against his body. The hem of her dress fluttered out, settling against her legs. He threaded the fingers of their hands and cuddled her close with his other hand.

Kayla tried to avoid the intimate contact, but after a few sways to the music she lean
ed her cheek against Ian’s shoulder. She had no idea how tall he was              when it came to feet and inches. But it took four-inch heels to make the cheek-shoulder combo possible. Leon hadn’t…

She jerked her head up. Had Ian heard the record scratch?

He smiled down at her, but concern burned in his eyes. “You okay?”

She nodded. His gaze searched her face, skimming over her
eyes, her cheeks, her lips. Damn, it was hot in here. She licked her bottom lip. Holy crap, surely she’d imagined that change from concern to something hotter blazing in his eyes. He blinked and it was gone. Yep, definitely her overactive imagination.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been dancing.” Since she’d
been in the arms of a man, any man. Ian McCallister wasn’t just any man, though. He’d held her while she’d cried over Leon. He’d comforted her children when she could do nothing more than breathe. He’d mowed her lawn, hung her pictures, and made her laugh.

She snuggled into him. She’d give herself tonight.
One date didn’t make a relationship. Which was good because she most certainly wasn’t ready for anything resembling one of those. He released his hold on her hand and wrapped both arms around her. 

F
inally. He finally held Kayla in his arms. He’d dreamt of having her pressed against his body more times than he could count. She rested her head on his shoulder. Her breath, warm on his neck, scalded his skin. Her palms on his pecs, didn’t push him away. Instead the contact felt intimate, connecting them. Her hips swayed with his. Talk about aroused.

Damn
.

Finally.

The sigh that passed his lips ruffled her hair, tickling his nose. He sniffed, breathing in the smell of her shampoo and perfume. He preferred her natural scent to the manufactured stuff that came from a bottle. He tightened his hold just enough to verify this actually was his reality.

She stiffened, jerking back to look at him. Plain as day, he saw the
shadow cross her features. No doubt Leon had just shown up on their date.

“You okay?”

She nodded her lie.

He searched her face, wondering if they should just call it a night. Maybe he’d made a mistake and pushed her into something she wasn’t ready for. Then she licked her lip.

Dayum!

He wanted to kiss her so damned
bad. Who was he kidding? He wanted to do a hell of a lot more than just kiss her. He wanted to bury himself to his balls and make her forget all about Leon Black. He wanted to give her a new man to love and adore.

He ground his molars and closed his eyes. He hoped closing the shutters for a second might hide any emotion blazing in his
eyes.

Her gentle, hesitant smile reminded him how much he needed to keep his overactive libido under control.
She scanned his face. “It’s been a while since I’ve been dancing.”

No kidding.
It’d been a while since she’d done a whole lot of anything beyond mourning.

He took her hand and spun her out, tugging her
in and dipping her back. She laughed, an honest to goodness giggle. As he jerked her upright and pulled her into his arms, she threw her head back. Her happiness percolated in the air around them. Her smile lit her eyes in a way he hadn’t seen in months.

He followed her lead, or maybe she followed his…

Regardless, he cradled her close. Man, he could get used to the feel of her soft body tucked against his. That she didn’t seem to mind the contact made it so much hotter, made
him
hotter.

One song transitioned into the next and a
s the tempo increased a bit, Kayla tried to put some distance between them. Ian, however, wasn’t about to relinquish his hold. He may never get the chance to get this close again. And he was going to spend however long she’d let him with their bodies pressed together.

After the initial push against his pectorals, and his answering denial, she didn’t protest. The two of them moved in sync, swaying to the
beat of his heart. He rested his cheek on the top of her head. She laid hers on his chest just below his shoulder.

Ian wasn’t sure how long they danced. They might’ve never stopped if Diaz hadn’t caught his attention across the dance floor. Except it wasn’t really Diaz who’d pulled the neon sign. Denali. She stood next to
his buddy, dressed in a short black number that showcased her amazing legs and ass. Her eyes met his. She smiled and waved. Ian groaned.

Kayla eased back to
search his face. “Everything all right?”

“Yeah.” He made a point to avoid Denali and Diaz. “Just hungry.”

“Hungry?” Kayla asked with a laugh. She patted his abs. “That big ol’ plate of pasta wasn’t enough for you?”

“I guess I’m in the mood for some dessert.” He tried not to think of the berry red lips moving in front of him. “I’m sorry, what?”

She shook her head. “What kind of dessert did you have in mind?”

That struck him stupid and he stared at her, unable to do anything other than blink. Surely she hadn’t…

“I’d kinda like ice cream.”

No. She hadn’t.

Her eyes went dreamy. “Or maybe chocolate. Ooh, both.”

He tried to pretend he wasn’t disappointed her offer of dessert hadn’t included whipped cream, chocolate and her naked body.

“I know just the thing,” said a voice behind them.

Ian recognized that voice, judging by the
way Kayla stiffened, she didn’t. But how would she? Ryan was his friend, not hers.

Ian put his hand to Kayla’s back, possessively, he realized. “Kayla, this is Ryan Diaz.
He’s the reason we got that table over there. Thanks, man.”

Ryan dropped his chin in a non-verbal
you-betcha
.

“
Ryan, this is Kayla.”

Diaz extended his palm
, shaking Kayla’s hand after she’d offered it. “Nice to meet you.”

Was the guy’s voice always that deep?

“You as well.”

Diaz
’s smile could light up a room, dammit. Kayla didn’t seem immune to the guy’s dark charm, either. She smiled, all demure and shy. Ian shoved his fist into his pocket, so he didn’t deck his friend.

Diaz
chuckled, punching Ian in the arm, looking at Kay. “You the reason we haven’t seem much of this guy?”

His buddy
probably assumed there was something between Ian and Kayla—well, something reciprocated. Instead of reacting with flirty possession, Kayla wilted a bit. Ian saw it for what it was. Guilt.

She stepped away from him. “I guess we have been monopolizing his time.”

“We?” Ryan asked, as if he hadn’t already been told Kayla had kids.

Kay straightened her spine. “I have three children.”

He probably hadn’t meant to, but Diaz’s gray gaze slipped over her. Ian saw the appreciation in his buddy’s eyes. Diaz smiled. “Boys? Girls?”

“One boy, two girls.”

Diaz
’s face said more than the guy ever could. Kayla looked good. Better than good. Kayla was a beautiful woman, who had age and experience to complete the package.

Kayla blushed again. “You said you had the perfect
dessert?”

“Sure do. You guys head over to the table, I’ll have it sent over.”

“Which way to the ladies room?”

Diaz pointed out the way.

Kay gave Ian a quick hug and an, “I’ll be right back,” before weaving her way through the crowd.

“Where’d you find her?”

“She’s my neighbor,” Ian answered without taking his eyes off Kayla.

“Nice.”

“We’re just friends.” Ian felt like he needed to clarify because…well, maybe if he kept saying the words, often and out loud, he might actually remember that
Kayla wants nothing more than to be your friend
.

“Uh-
huh.” Diaz sounded dubious. “I’ll send that dessert over in a bit.”

“Thanks, man.”

“My pleasure.” He turned and walked away.

Ian sauntered over to the table reserved for him and
Kayla, the table they’d yet to sit at. He parked his butt on one of the benches meant for single occupancy and waited. With his stomach in his throat and his heart on his sleeve.

S
ometimes Kayla wished she was a man. Not that she wanted to grow a pair, or let the hair on her legs sprout wild and free, but right now, standing outside the door of the ladies’ room, she coveted the lack of line at the men’s room across the hallway.

She shifted in her heels. It never failed. Her bladder played all fine and dandy until she’d made the decision to drain it then she couldn’t get to the toilet fast enough. Maybe she should do more Keigel exercises. She flexed her girly muscles.

Not a good idea.

Instead of tamping down the urge to pee, the movement awakened her body to a sensation she hadn’t experienced in…
over six months.

No. She
wouldn’t think of Leon. She’d made the decision to move on with her life and that meant going out and having fun and leaving him home. For a few hours, at least.

The line moved forward, allowing Kayla to step inside the bathroom with its dark marble and trendy décor. And even trendier clientele.

Kayla didn’t belong here.

She was more abo
ut t-shirts and jeans, Chapstick and little-league baseball. This might be Ian’s crowd, but it wasn’t hers. Which was fine. He’d tried to do something nice for her. She appreciated it. But next time they went out, she’d—

Next time?
Who said anything about next time?

Ian hadn’t. She hadn’t. She wouldn’t, and neither would Ian.

This was a one-time deal and that was for the best.