Time Out (13 page)

The lights dimmed even further, and Jacob slid his arm over the back of her chair, like he was stretching. But then his fingers settled on her shoulder. She waited for a zing, a thrill. But nothing happened.
Relax,
she ordered herself. He was cute. Nice.
Normal.

His face nuzzled in her hair as he pulled her a little closer, but though she wished with all her might, she felt no zing, and definitely no thrill. When Mark so much as looked at her, her nipples hardened.

“You smell fantastic,” Jacob said, and his hand nearly brushed the outside of her breast.

Her nipples didn’t care.

Straightening, she pulled away with regret. “I’m sorry, can you excuse me a minute? I need to…” She waved vaguely to the exit and rose, stepping over Lena. On the other side of Lena was Rick, and on the other side of Rick sat…

Mark.

Oh, God. When had he showed up? She managed to get past the man without making eye contact, then found her way to the lobby to gulp in some air. A smattering of people were walking around looking glazed. She wondered if they were having a panic attack as well. Bypassing the bathrooms, she beelined straight for the bar. “Wine,” she told the bartender, and slapped her credit card down. “Whatever you have.” It didn’t matter. She rarely drank wine because it tended to relax her right into a coma but she could use a coma about now. What was wrong with her that she’d been in the presence of two perfectly good guys in two days, and neither had produced a zing?

And just knowing that Mark was in the building had her so full of zing, her hair was practically smoking. The wine came and she gulped it down. “Another, please.”

MARK CAME UP behind Rainey. He looked at the two empty wine glasses in front of her and read a new relaxation in her body language—which was quite different from the body language she’d sported when she’d run out here—and smiled. “Better?” he asked.

Her shoulders stiffened, but she didn’t look at him. “Go away.”

“Can’t.”

“Why not?” She waved at the bartender, but he didn’t see her, so she sighed. She had her hair up tonight, but a few golden-brown tendrils had escaped, brushing the nape of her neck.

She was heart-stoppingly beautiful to him, and just looking at her made him ache. He ran his finger down that nape and was rewarded by her full body shiver. Encouraged, he put his mouth to the spot just beneath her ear, smiling when she shivered again and sucked in a breath. “How’s that not-a-date date with your non-fixer-upper going?” he asked.

“I think it’s me.” Looking morose, she propped her head on her hand. “I’m the fixer-upper.”

Hating that she felt that way about herself, Mark swiveled her bar stool to face him. Her mascara was slightly smudged around her eyes, making them seem even more blue. She’d nibbled off her pretty gloss. She was wearing a little black dress, one strap slipping off her shoulder. Running a finger up her arm, he slid the strap back into place and left his hand on her. “I think you’re perfect,” he said softly. Beautiful, and achingly vulnerable, and…perfect.

She went still, then sighed and dropped her head to his chest, hard. “Now who’s the liar?” she whispered.

With a low laugh, he tipped her head up and stared into her glossy eyes. She was half baked. “I mean it,” he told her. “You don’t need to change a goddamn thing.”

Her gaze dropped from his eyes to his mouth, and her tongue darted out to lick her dry lips. The motion went straight through him like fire, heading south. She stood up, her hands on his chest now, but he didn’t flatter himself. She needed him for balance. Her high heels, black with a little bow around the ankles that he found sexy as hell, brought her mouth a lot closer to his. Her fingers dug in a little, fisting on the jacket of his suit.

He placed a hand on the small of her back, holding her to him, right there where he liked her best, when she murmured his name and sighed. “I’m going to instigate now.”

His heart kicked. “Instigate away.”

Just as their lips touched, a low, disbelieving male voice spoke behind them.
“Rainey?”

They turned in unison to face Jacob, who was holding Rainey’s shawl in his hands. Mouth grim, eyes hooded, he handed her the shawl, gave Mark an eat-shit-and-die look, and walked out of the theater.

7

THE BARTENDER BROUGHT Rainey a third glass of wine. She looked at it longingly but pushed it away. “All I want to know,” she said to Mark, “is why. Why are you so hell-bent on sabotaging my dating life?”

Mark couldn’t explain it to her. Hell, he couldn’t explain it to himself. But apparently it was a rhetorical question because she began a conversation with her wineglass, something about men, stupidity, and the need for a vacation in the South Pacific. While she rambled on, Mark texted James.

Lobby. Now.

Mark then stole Rainey’s keys from her purse, and when he saw James appear, he shifted out of earshot of Rainey. “When the ballet’s over, take Rainey’s car back to the motel.”

“Do we have to wait until it’s over?”

Mark handed him Rainey’s keys. “Yes. I’ll retrieve her car for her later.”

James looked past Mark to see Rainey sitting at the bar. “What’s the matter? Is she sick?”

“Indisposed.”

James knew better than to try to get information from Mark when Mark didn’t want to give it, but it didn’t stop a sly smile from touching his lips. “I take it you’re not going to be indisposed too.”

Mark just looked at James, who sighed and left.

Mark turned back to Rainey, still seated at the bar, still talking to herself.

Nope, not to herself.

There was a guy seated beside her now, smiling a little too hard. “Hey, gorgeous,” he said, leaning in so that his shoulder touched Rainey’s bare one, making Mark grind his teeth. “How about I buy you another drink?” the slimeball asked.

“No, thank you,” Rainey said. “I’m with someone.”

“I don’t see him.”

“Right here.” Mark stepped in between them, sliding an arm along Rainey’s shoulders. “Let’s go.”

She stared up at him. “Not with you, you… you date wrecker.”

The situation didn’t get any better when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned and came face to face with Slimeball, who said, “I think the lady is making herself pretty clear.”

“This doesn’t involve you,” Mark told him.

“She was just about to agree to come home with me.”

“No she wasn’t,” Rainey said, shaking her head. At the movement, she put her fingers on her temples, as if she’d made herself dizzy. “Whoa.”

Slimeball opened his mouth, but Mark gave a single shake of his head.

The guy was a couple of inches shorter than Mark and at least twenty pounds heavier. He was bulky muscle, the kind that would be slow in a fight, but Mark was pretty sure it wouldn’t come to that. He waited, loose-limbed and ready…and sure enough, after a moment, the guy backed away.

“I’m taking you home, Rainey,” Mark said. “Now.”

“I’ve never been spoils of war before.”

Shaking his head, Mark slipped an arm around her waist and guided her outside. The night was a cool one, and as they stepped into it, Rainey shivered in spite of her shawl. Shrugging out of his jacket, Mark wrapped it around her shoulders. “Pretty dress,” he said.

“Don’t.”

“Don’t tell you how beautiful you look?”

“I’m trying to stay mad at you.” She wobbled, and he pulled her in tighter, breathing in her soft scent, which was some intoxicating combination of coconut and Rainey herself.

But she backed away. “Don’t use those hands on me,” she said, pointing at him. “Because they’re magic hands.” She pressed her own palms to her chest as if it ached. “They make me melt, and I refuse to melt over you, Mark Diego.”

“Because…?”

“Because…” She pointed at him again. “Because you are very very very verrrrrrryyyyyy bad for me.”

He didn’t have much to say to that. It happened to be a true statement. Even if he wanted to give her what she was looking for, how could he? The hockey season took up most of his year, during which time he traveled nonstop and was entrenched in the day-to-day running of an NHL team. If he wasn’t at a game, he was thinking about the next one, or the last one, or he was dealing with his players, or planning game strategies, or meeting with the owners or the other coaches… It was endless. Endless and—

And it was bullshit.

The truth was he could make the time. If he wanted.

If a woman wanted…

Granted, a woman would have to want him pretty damn bad to put up with the admittedly crazy schedule, but others managed it. People all around him managed it.

And Jesus, was he really thinking this? Maybe
he’d
had the wine instead of Rainey. But ever since he’d left Santa Rey all those years ago, he’d felt like he was missing a part of himself.

Someone had once asked him if the NHL had disillusioned him at all, and he’d said no. He’d meant it. He hadn’t been disillusioned by fame and fortune in the slightest. But he did have to admit, having a place to step back from that world, a place where he was just a regular guy, was nice. Real nice.

And wouldn’t his dad love hearing that.

“You should have left me alone tonight,” Rainey said, standing there in the parking lot.

Looking down in her flushed face, he slowly nodded. “I should have.”

From the depths of her purse, her cell phone vibrated. It took her a minute to find it and then she squinted at the readout. “Crap. It’s my mom. Shh, don’t tell her I’m drunk.”

He laughed softly as she stood there in the parking lot and opened the phone.

“Hey, Mom, sorry I missed your call earlier, I was on a date date. Or a not-so-date-date.” She sighed. “Never mind.” She paused. “No, I have no idea what I was thinking going out with a guy who has tickets to the ballet. You’re right. And no, I’m not alone. I’m with Mark Diego— No, he’s not still cute. He’s…” Rainey looked Mark over from head to toe and back again, and her eyes darkened. “Never mind that either! What? No, I’m not going to bring him to dinner this week! Why? Because…because he’s busy. Very busy.”

Mark leaned in close. “Hi, Mrs. Saunders.”

Rainey covered the phone with her hand and glared up at him.
“What are you doing?”

He had no idea. “Does she still make that amazing lasagna—”

“Yes, not that you’re going to taste it. Now
shh!
No, not you, Mom.” She put her hand over Mark’s face, pushing him away. “Uh oh, Mom, bad connection.” She faked the sound of static. “Love you. Bye!”

Mark remembered Rainey’s parents fondly. Her father was a trucker and traveled a lot. Her mother taught English at the high school. She was sweet and fun, and there was no doubt where Rainey had gotten her spirit from. “Your mom likes me.”

“Yeah, but she likes everyone.” She walked through the parking lot, then stopped short so unexpectedly he nearly plowed into the back of her. “I can’t remember where I parked.” Her phone rang again. “Oh for god’s sake, Mom,” she muttered, then frowned at the readout. “Okay, not my mom. Hello?” Her body suddenly tensed, and she peered into the dark night. “Who is this?”

Mark shifted in closer, a hand at the small of her back as he eyed the lot around them.

“No,” she said. “I didn’t say that. And I certainly didn’t threaten you then, but I am now. Keep your hands off Sharee, Martin, and don’t ever call me again.” She shoved the phone back into her purse.

“Who was that?”

“Sharee’s father. Says I’m interfering where my interfering ass doesn’t belong. I’m to shut up and be quiet—which I believe is a double negative.” She looked around them and shivered. “And I still can’t remember where I parked, dammit.”

“Over here.” He led her to his truck and got her into the passenger seat, leaning down to buckle her seat belt before locking her in. “Did he threaten you?” he asked when he was behind the wheel.

“No, I threatened him. And I’m really not supposed to do that.”