Riding Into Love

Drew grabbed a garbage bag and Stacey started filling it with cups and plates that people had left behind. Blake took down the decorations and Hunter and Chey folded up the tables.

Within a short time, the men were moving the furniture back into place, making Blake’s condo look like his home again.

Alana headed to the coat closet. Drew was on her heels and Stacey was on his. Alana figured that would allow her a clean break. She needed to put as much distance between her and Drew as possible.

“Bye, guys!” Alana hugged everyone. “It was nice meeting you, Stacey.”

“You too.” Stacey’s smile was unconvincing.

“Blake, don’t forget we have a board meeting next week,” Alana said, referring to The New York Association of Attorneys, a professional organization she, Hunter and Blake were members of.

“Oh yeah. I’ll be there. I’m still trying to get your friend here to join.” Blake pointed a thumb in Cadence’s direction. She rolled her eyes at him.

“That won’t happen! It’s just not her thing,” Alana teased. “Are you coming, Hunter?”

“I’ll be there,” he replied as he helped Chey into her coat.

“Great. Oh, Dr. Smell Good.” Drew began playfully calling Chey that when he first tried one of her fragrant skin-care products. “Don’t forget about my body scrub. I’ve already used up the last one you gave me. It was amazing.”

Chey chuckled. “I’ll send some with Hunter next week.”

“Thanks, girl. That will be perfect. I’ll send the money back with him.”

“Good night, all. I’m pooped and I need to get these boots off. The balls of my feet feel like I’ve been walking on hot coals.” Alana grimaced.

“That’s from all that sexy dancing,” Drew said, and winked.

Alana looked at Drew sideways and shook her head. Everyone laughed, except Stacey.

Blake and Cadence saw everyone to the door. Alana held her gloved hand over her pashmina to keep the frigid air from reaching her neck as she hastened to her car.

“Alana!” At first, Alana didn’t hear Drew calling her. By the time she turned to respond, he was already approaching. “Hey, Drew. What’s up?”

“I was going to walk you to your car.”

“What about your friend?”

“Stacey? She’s in her car.” He dismissed any notion that there was anything deeper. “She lives nearby. She’ll be fine.”

“Oh. Okay. You don’t have to walk me. I’m parked right across the street—see?” Alana pointed to her car. “It’s cold out here.”

“I know I don’t have to. I want to.”

That statement gave Alana pause. She swallowed hard but kept up her stride. “That’s nice.” Drew accompanied her across the street and waited for her to get in and start the car. Alana lowered the window. “Thanks again, Drew. You really didn’t have to do this.”

“Listen—” Drew said and Alana’s stomach tightened.

“Yeah?”

“I’m home for a few weeks. We should hang out.”

“Sure. I’ll tell Cadence to set something up. She’s become quite the planner since she and Blake got together.”

“I meant just you and me.”

“Us...together...without anyone else around?”

“Just you—” Drew pointed to Alana “—and me.” He pointed to himself.

Alana temporarily lost the ability to form a reasonable thought. She couldn’t say what was really on her mind, which was hell no! Buying a few moments, Alana took a deep breath.

“Listen, I know you just broke up with your dude.”

Alana promised to get on Cadence’s case for announcing her breakup to the world.

“I figured it would be good to hang out.”

Alana hated that Drew was so charming. His eyes and those plump lips beckoned her. She remembered her rules.

“Sure,” she said. “I’ll talk to you later.”

“Cool. Call me when you get home so I’ll know that you arrived safely.” Drew stepped back from her driver’s window.

Alana smiled and, as she drove off, she noticed Stacey still sitting in her car, watching their interaction. She’d only said yes to Drew to avoid an awkward situation, but she had no intentions of going out with him. He was the main person she wanted to avoid. If fact, he had had his chance when they dated before. He hadn’t taken it seriously. She’d had fun flirting with him over the past few years. Everyone assumed they would become an official item, but that never happened.

No sex and definitely no commitment-phobic players like Mr. Drew Barrington, she thought as she drove away. She already knew what Drew was like in bed and if any man had the ability to throw her off her game by way of incredible sex, Drew was certainly one of them. Also, Alana saw how Drew relished the attention Stacey lavished on him at the party and surmised that nothing had changed with him. “Good luck, Stacey. He’s a slippery one,” she said aloud. A player like him was hard to resist but could never be trusted.

Chapter 4 (#ulink_dd260b92-a4db-5d39-b745-8c91834d7ed6)

Drew reminisced about the way Alana had arrested his attention when she arrived at Blake’s house the other night as he danced with Stacey. He remembered how her lips curled when she smiled, and those long sexy legs hidden beneath smooth stockings. Then, he envisioned Alana driving away at the end of the night. He had wanted to go with her for a nightcap. She intrigued and scared him at the same time, challenging his player status by causing him to desire her. Admittedly, he’d worked hard to avoid being caught up when they had dated before, because he couldn’t imagine leaving her behind while he traipsed across the globe and he couldn’t expect Alana, as dedicated as she was, to walk away from her profession.

Drew picked up his cell phone to call her and paused as his finger hovered over her name. Tossing the phone aside, Drew shook his head. What was he doing? Barrington men didn’t chase women. Picking the phone back up, he called Hunter instead.

“What’s up, Drew?” Hunter answered.

“Not much. Got any plans? I keep hearing about this new restaurant and lounge downtown on Atlantic. Let’s go check it out. I’ll have you home at a decent time so you can get your rest. I know you and Blake have a busy week coming up with this new case.”

“That sounds good, but let me check with Chey first. I think she had something planned.”

“Oh.” Blake mentioning Chey made Drew think of Alana. He wondered what she was doing. “Hey, don’t let me impose on your plans. You’ll just have to take me there before I leave in a few weeks. It will be your treat for making me wait. Ha!”

“It’s always my treat when I hang out with you.”

“Well. You are the oldest.”

“Yeah. Whatever, lil brother.”

“Alright, Hunt. I’ll catch up with you later. Tell Chey I said hello.”