Wilde Thing. Jannine Gallant

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СКАЧАТЬ back in his chair and took a healthy swallow of his drink. Based on the man’s glassy-eyed gaze, it wasn’t his first of the evening.

      “That bitch, Monica Wright, is back in town. Couldn’t believe she had the balls to show her face after the way she burned me on a real estate deal a few years ago.”

      “So you’ve told me. Three times.” The woman with him let out a heavy sigh. “Let it go, Harvey. Your blood pressure will be through the roof.”

      “I can’t. She cost me a bundle, and I wasn’t the only one she reamed in the process. If you think I’m pissed, you should hear the way Frank talks about her. He called me from here earlier, but I guess he already left.”

      Mindy reappeared. “Here you go.” She laid the check on the table before clearing their plates.

      “Thanks.” Tripp glanced at the tab then pulled a couple of twenties out of his wallet to drop on the tray. “Keep the change.”

      She scooped it up with her free hand. “You’re such a sweetie. Give me a call sometime.”

      Hannah slid out of the booth after the waitress walked away. “Come on, sweetie. Let’s go.”

      “Lead on.” Grinning, Tripp followed her through the bar and out into the parking lot. A cold gust of wind blew fine particles of snow through the air as he unlocked his shiny red pickup. Once they were inside and out of the arctic blast, he started the engine then cranked up the heater. “It’s freezing tonight. I guess the weatherman was right about an Alaskan cold front moving in.”

      Hannah held her hands in front of the vent as tepid air swirled into the cab. “That guy at the table next to us was pretty heated. His temper could have melted a snowbank.”

      “Drunken blowhard.”

      “I bumped into the woman he was talking about the day of the avalanche. She’s an old friend of my mother’s. Or at least they used to be drinking buddies back when I was a kid. Real estate agents around town called Monica the praying mantis. Last I heard, she works for some venture capitalist now.”

      “Charming nickname.”

      “No doubt. She may have moved up the food chain in her career, but she’s obviously still pissing people off.” Hannah leaned back against the seat as they cruised down the West Shore. “How’s your shoulder?”

      “A little stiffer than it was before, but not really painful.”

      “Ice it when you get home. No more skiing for you.”

      “Skiing didn’t hurt it.” Tripp glanced away from the flurry of snow streaming past his headlights. “My shoulder was completely fine until I climbed down into those rocks. That’s how I tweaked it a little.”

      “When’s your next follow-up appointment with Dr. Ingram?”

      “Monday. Want to go with me to hear what he has to say?”

      “I do, actually.” She turned to face him when he pulled into her driveway. “I’m going to be really angry with myself if today’s fiasco set back your progress.”

      He reached across the center console to pat her knee. “I’m fine, and nothing that happened was your fault. I make my own decisions.”

      She let out a sigh. “So I’ve learned. I’ll see you in the morning.”

      He hesitated for a moment. “You still look a little shaken up. Want me to come in with you?”

      “I appreciate the offer, but, no. I’ve been taking care of myself for a lot of years, now. I can pretty much handle anything that comes my way.”

      He tightened the hand he’d left on her knee. “I don’t doubt that for a minute, but it’s okay to lean on a friend every now and then.”

      In the dark interior of the truck, her expression was hidden, but her voice held a hint of uncertainty. “Is that what we are? Friends?”

      “I’d like to think so. Since we’ve been getting along so well, we can take it to the next level anytime you want.”

      She drew in an audible breath. “What level is that?”

      “Friends with benefits.”

      Is that what I want? For the first time ever, he wasn’t one hundred percent sure.

      Hannah’s rich chuckle filled the cab. “Always playing an angle. Thanks for making me smile, Tripp. I needed a good laugh.”

      “Is that a no?”

      “What do you think?” She swatted his hand off her leg.

      “I promise we’d have a lot of fun.”

      “I’m sure we would.” She unclipped her seatbelt and opened the door. “Not gonna happen, bud.”

      “We’ll see. Don’t forget your skis in the back.”

      “Right. Good night, Tripp.”

      “Night, Hannah. Sleep well.”

      He waited while she collected her gear from the bed of the truck then headed up the path to the front door. As soon as she opened it, her dog ran out, bouncing around her in circles. After a moment, she managed to get both the skis and dog inside, and with a little wave, shut the door behind her. He shifted into gear and backed out onto the street. He should have gotten out to help her with her equipment, but Hannah projected such a level of confidence—not to mention a hands-off attitude—that he hadn’t thought about offering assistance until she had the situation well under control.

      Kind of the way she did everything.

      In his world, flirting with a woman as fine as Hannah was pretty much a knee-jerk reaction.

      Tripp turned left onto the main road and stepped on the gas. With Hannah, he found he actually cared what she thought and waited in anticipation for her response. Which, despite his best efforts, nearly always was to shoot him down. The fact that she’d finally agreed to eat dinner with him was a true testament to how ragged her nerves must have been after the events on the mountain. He figured she’d simply been too tired to argue.

      Damned if he wouldn’t convince her he was worth breaking her no-dating-a-client rule.

      Then what?

      The skeptical voice in his head sounded suspiciously like his little sister.

      Hannah’s special. Don’t you dare hurt her.

      His grip on the steering wheel tightened as he sped through the lightly falling snow. Hurting Hannah was the last thing he intended. Maybe he’d have to rethink his strategy, figure out if he wanted something other than a quick fling.

      Then, and only then, would he reconsider his pursuit of the elusive Ms. Ryder.

      * * * *

      Hannah dug into the muscle of Tripp’s shoulder, executing a deep tissue massage with professional detachment…or СКАЧАТЬ