Journey to Seduction

“Some of us have to work,” she teased with a wink and leaned her back against the bottom of the chair next to the fireplace.

“True, but you need a vacation. When was the last time you took one?”

“Um...” She swished her lips to the side. “I...um...”

“You’re taking too long to answer,” he teased.

“Not since last summer to hang out with my cousins in Memphis.”

“Well, I’m sure your brain and body need some relaxation away from work. Otherwise you wouldn’t have passed out, and we wouldn’t be here eating my shrimp stir-fry.”

“Yep. Better than the pizza I was going to order,” she said, placing her empty plate on the table and sipping the last of her wine.

“You should seriously think about taking a vacation soon. Just hop on that pink Harley I saw in the garage and ride off somewhere for a few days.”

“Perhaps when it gets warmer I will.” She stood and gathered their empty plates. “Ready to watch Breakfast at Tiffany’s?”

“I was hoping you would’ve forgotten about that.” Giving her a playful wink, he rose from the couch and took the dishes away from her. “Tell you what. I’ll clean the kitchen, and you start the movie.”

A wide, astonished smile crossed her face as she stared up him. “Wow. You cook and clean? I may have to get sick more often.” She grabbed the remote for the television and pounced on the couch. “Do you do windows and make up beds, too?”

He chuckled softly, turning on his heel to head toward the kitchen. “Only the ones I’ve slept in...next to a beautiful woman.”

She laughed sarcastically, hurling a toss pillow at his head. “That won’t be happening tonight, Counselor.”

Twenty minutes later, he strode back into the living room to find the movie on and Sydney curled up on the couch asleep. She wasn’t snoring this time, but she was resting soundly. He didn’t want to disturb her, so he placed the throw blanket from the back of the couch over her and turned the gas fireplace off.

Retreating to the guest room, which had touches of Megan’s decorating expertise written all over it, he removed his workout clothes from his gym bag and took a much-needed shower as his mind perused over the events of the day. They hadn’t gone according to plan. The meeting he’d had promptly at nine that morning was supposed to be a final discussion with the senior partners. Instead, it turned into them offering him everything but what he truly wanted. Plus, like he’d told Sydney, it was time to move on. Staying was like being a firefly in a glass jar, making it to the top but bumping his head on the lid and not being able to push through the little air holes.

Then there was Sydney. The last woman on earth he ever imagined he’d spend Valentine’s Day with or any other day. He wasn’t a romantic and since he wasn’t seeing any one particular woman at the moment, he hadn’t made plans for the evening. He’d received quite a few texts and voice mails that day and had considered calling one of them around midnight before Megan had interrupted his scrolling through his cell phone. However, he’d enjoyed spending time with Sydney and witnessed a side of her that he’d never experienced firsthand. Sure, she was still a pistol, but being with her today had been a welcome distraction from his life.

After his shower, Bryce ventured back into the living room to find her still sleeping soundly. He didn’t want to move her, but she needed to be comfortable in a bed. Her bedroom was on the other side of the house, and while she seemed fine, he didn’t feel at ease being so far away from her should something happen.

* * *

Sydney shot straight up, squinting her eyes at the sunlight that was streaming through the opened blinds. She wasn’t a morning person even though she got up early most mornings. She was never ready to see sunlight until she had a cup of coffee. She glanced at the clock on the nightstand, which read seven-thirty. She slammed back to the bed and pulled the covers up over her head to shield the natural light. Her nose inhaled Bryce’s scent and she shot up again, noticing her surroundings for the first time. Black-and-white French country comforter with matching drapes and hot-pink toss pillows. While she was in her home, she wasn’t in her bed. She was in the guest room, where she’d told Bryce to sleep. Her eyes scanned the room. His suit and dress shirt were laid across the off-white chaise lounge in the corner and his gym bag sat on the floor next to the door. Slowly, she pivoted her head to the right of the bed and noticed she was alone. But the pillow had an indent and his expensive watch rested on the nightstand.

She pulled the covers back and stepped her bare feet onto the cherry hardwood. She had a habit of throwing off her socks in the middle of the night and was relieved that was all she’d thrown off, for she preferred to sleep in the nude.

The door opened, and Bryce entered with a tray. The scent of hot coffee perked up her senses.

“You look well rested,” he said in a chipper voice, setting the tray on the nightstand.

“I am.” She reached for the coffee and sipped. It was flavored with hazelnut cream and stimulated her taste buds. “Thank you for the coffee. Um...how did I end up in here...” She paused and glanced at the other side of the bed. “With you?”

“You fell asleep on the couch so I brought you in here. I didn’t want to leave you alone just in case you had a seizure or something.”

“Oh...thank you.”

He’d spoken casually. No stumbling or hesitations. No reason not to believe him.

Sydney eyeballed the Greek yogurt with strawberries along with an omelet and toast. While she wasn’t a big breakfast eater, everything looked and smelled scrumptious. She grabbed the bowl of yogurt and sat back against the pillows.

“You slept in here, too?” she asked, stirring the strawberries into the yogurt while waiting impatiently for his answer.

He cleared his throat and slid his hands into his pockets. “I did...but way on the other side of the bed...in my workout clothes,” he stuttered bashfully.

Her eyes scanned over his Harvard Law T-shirt and blue sweats.

She nodded her head. His mannerisms displayed it was all innocent so she decided not to press the issue. He was just nervous saying it, and that was understandable. However, that was the only thing she could figure out about him. The kindness he’d bestowed upon her was a mystery.

“Well, I have to get going.” He gathered his clothes from the chaise and placed them in his gym bag. “Just relax and take it easy today.” He swung the bag over his shoulder and grabbed his keys and cell phone from the dresser.

She slid over to the other side of the bed to grab his watch and reached out to hand it to him. She glanced at it and was surprised to see it was a Movado similar to the one she’d bought for her dad and not an overly expensive watch like she’d expected him to wear.

“Thank you,” he said, moving to take it from her hand. He then slid the watch on his wrist. “Remember to just chill out today.”

“I promise I will. I have kickboxing in an hour and weight training at noon, which always relaxes me.”

“Kickboxing and weight training is relaxing?” he asked with a scrunched brow.

“It relieves stress.” She placed the bowl on the nightstand. “I’ll walk you out.”

She followed him in silence to the garage door. Sydney was never at a loss for words, especially with him, but she didn’t know what to say. For some reason she was disappointed he was leaving so early, but she’d taken him away from his life for long enough. It had never occurred to her to find out if he’d made plans on Valentine’s Day. She knew he wasn’t in a serious relationship only because Megan had mentioned recently that Bryce was juggling women. But that didn’t mean he didn’t have a date for February 14.

She opened the door and turned to him. “Thank you so much for everything you’ve done for me. I hope I didn’t take you away from any plans you may have had.”

He released a heartwarming smile, and her breathing stifled. Had he always smiled like that? She tried to look elsewhere but couldn’t tear her eyes from him.

“You’re very welcome.” He paused as he stepped into the garage and unlocked his car with the remote. “And even if I had plans, I would’ve canceled them for you. Family first.”

“Well, I sincerely appreciate it.” She pushed the button to let up the garage door.

He glanced at her motorcycle before opening his car door. “Remember what I said about you needing a vacation.”

“I’ll keep it in mind.”

She watched as he backed out of the garage and into the driveway. He blew the horn as she shut the garage door.

“Yeah, right. When will I have time to take a vacation?”

Chapter 3 (#ulink_66799343-2ff2-5152-8c78-1d0c58d23300)

Sydney stepped into the empty break room at the GBI headquarters and darted straight to the freshly brewed coffee she had smelled the moment she’d arrived. She poured the piping-hot drink into her oversize mug and inhaled its glorious scent. It was Monday morning, and she was refreshed and ready to get back into the action of work. Her team’s debriefing meeting would begin at ten, and it was only a quarter to nine. Normally, she wouldn’t be here this early on a Monday, but she’d taken the bus since her Mustang had spent the weekend at headquarters.

Saturday and Sunday, she’d decided to take it easy and rest as Bryce had suggested. Megan had stopped by on Sunday evening after returning from Hilton Head with a basket of healthy snacks and to verify that Sydney was fine. Bryce had even called both days to check on her. She’d kept the conversations brief, citing she was about to step out or take a nap. Whenever she closed her eyes, all she saw was Bryce kissing her, and the best thing to do was to avoid speaking to him or being in his presence so she could get over whatever she thought she felt for him.

She headed to her office armed with her coffee and a Danish. She noticed Mumford’s door ajar and stuck her head in.