Matchless Millionaires: An Improper Affair

She couldn’t protest too much. The way her head felt, coffee sounded wonderful.

As they walked toward the back of the house, he asked, “How were you planning to get back, by the way? Your car’s back at the tavern.” He smiled briefly. “Or were you planning to strand me by carjacking my car?”

“I knew there were a couple of mountain bikes in the garage,” she responded reluctantly.

He looked at her inquiringly.

“I was planning to bike to the gas station down the road,” she elaborated, “and then call a cab service to take me home.”

He grinned. “You were going to ride a bike wearing a skirt and no underwear?”

She felt herself blush. “I admit it wasn’t one of my better ideas.”

Minutes later, they got into his car, coffee in hand, and began the drive over to the tavern.

“What about grabbing some breakfast nearby?” he asked.

“I need to get Distressed Success open by ten.” His attitude had changed completely this morning, and she still wasn’t sure what to make of it.

He glanced at her. “You’re the boss. Give yourself permission to show up late.”

She cupped her forehead and joked weakly, “I think my interlude of acting irresponsibly ended last night.”

“Coffee, and lots of it,” he advised, then added, “What about dinner tonight then? You mentioned Clearwater’s once and I haven’t tried it.”

She hesitated. “Thanks, but—”

“—you want to thank me for putting you to bed last night?”

She couldn’t argue there. “All right,” she said, giving in.

“I’ll pick you up. Seven, okay?” “Perfect.”

Less than two hours later, Kelly arrived at Distressed Success just on time. After Ryan had driven her back to the White Fir Tavern, she’d driven home, changed and made her way to the shop.

She watched as Erica pulled up in her car just as she got the front door open.

“Hi,” Erica said as she came in moments later. “You’re right on time.”

“You sound surprised,” Kelly responded, flicking on some lights.

Erica gave her a look of open curiosity. “Well, I admit to wondering how last night went….”

“You mean, my moment of glory as the red-haired sex goddess?”

Erica grinned. “Even Greg was surprised, and, let me tell you, after two kids and twenty years in the fire department, it takes a lot to shock that man.”

“I got completely and utterly inebriated.”

Erica’s eyes widened. “Drunk?”

“I was a drinking virgin until last night,” she confirmed grimly, putting down her purse and taking off her jacket.

Erica looked at her closely. “Well, you don’t look too much the worse for wear.”

“Thanks to coffee, and lots of it,” she responded, echoing Ryan’s earlier statement.

“I knew we should never have left you! I said as much to Greg, but he said Ryan was around to keep an eye on you.”

“Oh, he kept an eye on me all right,” she said ominously, remembering the way he’d gotten an eyeful of her breasts. “He drove me back to the lodge—” Erica’s mouth fell open “—and put me to bed in one of the guest suites.”

Erica gave a laughing gasp.

Unflinchingly, she went on with the rest of the story. “I tried to sneak out this morning, but he heard me, plied me with coffee and drove me back to my car—which was still parked in front of the White Fir—and completely failed to take advantage of me in the process.”

“Good gracious!”

Kelly sucked in a breath. “I set out to make a point and I fell flat on my face—“

“No, not completely,” Erica said, shaking her head. “Instead of confirming you’re like your mother, last night might just as well have convinced him of the opposite. After all, you couldn’t hold your liquor—” Erica gave her a semiapologetic smile “—and you didn’t leave the bar with anyone. I mean, other than Ryan.”

Kelly frowned. “He ran the guy off.”

Erica raised her eyebrows. “Ryan ran off a guy you were talking to?”

“Not talking to,” she corrected. “Flirting with. And yes, he ran him off, though he denied it. I don’t know what he said to Tate.”

At least she thought his name had been Tate. Last night continued to be a headache in more ways than one.

Erica laughed. “I ought to tell you my story of Greg running off a guy I was flirting with soon after we met.”

Kelly sighed and Erica looked at her sympathetically.

“Is it possible that Ryan isn’t the black-hearted ogre you think he is?” Erica asked. “Greg liked him.”

“Greg’s a guy.” Then she admitted, “Ryan was extraordinarily nice this morning. I couldn’t really understand why …”

“Mmm-hmm.”

“He wanted to have dinner tonight at Clearwater’s.”

“And you said?” Erica asked.

“I said yes.”

Seven

That night, using directions Kelly had given him, Ryan discovered that Kelly lived in a town house midway between the lodge and Distressed Success.