Caught (Men of the Show Book 3) (9 page)

They finished their dinners, never regaining the friendly banter between them before her boss had ruined the mood. When they did pick up other safe topics of conversation, there was a discernable difference in Matt’s behavior toward her. He was back acting like the friend from out of town, rather than the guy telling her he wanted her legs wrapped around him, and she was back to wondering exactly what was going on in his head.
 

As she lay in bed later that night, she couldn’t deny the euphoria that had flowed through her when Matt had begun flirting with her. And even though getting involved with anyone was out of the question, she wanted him to want her, she wanted him to pursue her, and she wanted to let it all happen. She couldn’t ignore the rock of disappointment in her stomach when the night had ended on such a sour note and things had moved back into the boring neutral zone.

She rolled over onto her side and let out an irritated huff. It was just like her. Interested in someone she damn well shouldn’t be nor had time for. Her career was number one and she’d even told him as much. If that wasn’t a mood killer, then she didn’t know what was.

Chapter 8

A week later, hurrying out of her office, Shannon flipped the light switch off and struggled with the sleeves of her jacket when she attempted to thread her arm through while juggling her brief case and purse at the same time, but only succeeded in being tangled. Par the course, she was running late to meet Matt. She’d planned to arrive before him in order to freshen up in the restroom, but that wasn’t going to happen. Who was she kidding?
 
Work always put her behind. She prayed she hadn’t kept him waiting too long since her last conference call of the day had run longer than anticipated thanks to a long-winded in-house attorney for her client.

Megan glanced up from shutting down her computer as Shannon breezed by. “Meeting Mr. Hunk?” she asked with a knowing smile.

Shannon smiled back, but kept moving. “That’s the plan, but running late.”

“You always are,” Megan said good-naturedly. “Have a good time.”

Shoving at the down button for the elevator while she continued to try to untangle herself, relief pulsed through her when the doors opened shortly afterward, thankful she didn’t have to wait long. She jumped in, ignoring the curious stares by the few occupants wondering at her haste. Urging on the descent, she studied the numbers over the door as they slowly flashed down one-by-painstakingly-one.

Once on the ground floor, she rushed through the lobby and pushed her way outside. The harsh cold hit her, causing her to wince, but she put her head down against the blustery wind as she pounded down the sidewalk, forcing her narrow heels to carry her faster than they normally allowed, and making her thankful for the absence of snow and ice.

When her eyes watered and her skin started to tingle from the brisk air, she found herself questioning why she continued to meet him each time he asked, especially considering the amount effort required by her to do so. Something as simple as a dinner entailed rearranging her schedule, not an easy feat, and certainly a frustrating one. After their first meeting, she hadn’t expected to hear from him again, with the way the evening had ended, but sure enough, a day later, he called to set something up. Nothing had changed, however. He was still distanced, but friendly…always friendly. The situation was odd, to say the least, including her inability to say no.

Each time she rushed out to meet him put her further behind at work, but she couldn’t seem to stop despite the not-so-quiet grumblings of her coworkers. Sooner rather than later, she’d be sitting down with Carol, their team lead, for a “chat” about being a team player, and each person needing to pull his or her weight. In addition, a not-so-subtle reminder of the minimal billable hours requirement to be met, if not exceeded, by each associate by the end of the year, as if she could forget.

Shannon was getting her work done, but she did more outside of the office—especially recently—rather than in. Whenever Matt called, she couldn’t find it within herself to politely decline, holding out hope he would start flirting with her again, even though there was no chance of them going anywhere, which was all sorts of backward. She couldn’t get involved with him. End of story. She was her own worst enemy, constantly setting herself up for a letdown each moment she spent with him. Her high stress level clearly served to prove her point.

 
She needed to stop and she needed her head checked, obviously, but the restaurant was only a block away and she refused to turn back now. She’d might as well get a decent meal from her pains. No more after this evening, however. She promised herself. Tonight was the last time. She’d ask when he planned to leave for Arizona and gently inform him this get-together was the final one. She appreciated the dinners and conversations they’d had, enjoyed spending time with him, but her work was piling up, which she couldn’t ignore any longer. Matt would understand. Even if he didn’t, the madness ended here.

Shannon entered through the front doors of the busy, trendy restaurant and had to shove her way past the patrons who milled around waiting for a table. She spotted Matt leaning an elbow on the long bar, smiling in conversation with a beautiful strawberry-blonde bartender. Jealousy surged through her when the girl gave her hair a flirty flip and brushing his arm with her fingers as she laughed at whatever he’d said. Shannon had no claim on him, but the resentment stung nonetheless, especially considering her already frazzled and haggard state after a long day.

She took a deep breath and strolled over, putting on her most dazzling smile when he turned his head.

“Hi!
 
Sorry, I’m late.”

Matt pushed off the bar as his blue eyes twinkled at her and a big grin broke out. “Hey, no problem. I’m glad you could make it.”
 
He pointed at his drink. “What can I get you?”

“Oh, a glass of Chardonnay would be perfect,” Shannon said to the bartender. The woman appeared crestfallen by Shannon’s appearance, and Shannon took that as a small victory, albeit meaningless and insignificant. The triumph was purely personal.

While she waited for her drink, Shannon let out a breath. “I hiked it from the office. My feet are ice and my face is frozen.”

“What?
 
Why didn’t you call me?
 
I could have come and picked you up in a cab or something.”
 
Matt stepped back and his eyebrows shot up when he spotted the thin, tall heels on her feet. “You hiked it in those?
 
You’re lucky you didn’t break an ankle.”

Shannon waved him off. “Oh, it’s fine. I needed to blow off the residual stress from my meeting that went longer than I’d planned. Sorry again.”
 
She nodded thanks to the bartender when a full glass appeared in front of her.

“No problem. I was able to pass the time.”

“Yes, I see that.”
 
She’d meant to sound teasing, but even she recognized the slight edge to her voice and she cringed.

Matt frowned, hearing the sharpness too. “What does that mean?”

“Nothing. It meant nothing. Sorry, still destressing obviously.”
 
She smiled, took a healthy sip of her wine and hoped he bought the act.

He studied her before giving her a small grin. “Okay, if you say so.”

“I do. So, what did you do today?”
 

He shrugged and cleared his throat. “Oh, not much.”
 
He turned, facing her and the front of the restaurant. “I spent some time…”

Matt paused for a second before dread washed down his face. When he muttered, “Oh, fuck,” Shannon spun around to identify what had caught his attention, expecting to find a gorgeous, tiny ex-girlfriend eyeing him with hatred. Instead, all she found was a group of people congregating by the door with no one appearing to notice them, but then a man, standing head and shoulders over everyone, spotted Matt and a big grin broke out over his face as he headed toward them.

Matt swore again under his breath and she frowned, wondering what the problem was. “Matt?” she asked.

He dropped his head with a small smile of resignation, but didn’t answer as the guy approached.

“What the fuck are you doing here, my man?”
 
The stranger slapped a huge paw on Matt’s shoulder and held out the other.

Matt grinned as he shook the hand he offered. The man stood almost as tall as Matt did, with short buzzed blond hair, and even with the winter jacket he wore, his physique screamed athlete. “Just passing through town,” Matt replied.

The stranger’s gray eyes flitted over Shannon before returning to Matt. “Why didn’t you let me know?
 
We could have trained together at that place I was telling you about.”

Training?
 
The word caught Shannon’s ear. He
was
here to train with someone, at least that was what he’d told her.

She missed Matt’s reply, since he mostly stammered, but she didn’t miss when the other man said, “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your lovely friend?”

Shannon observed in fascination as an interesting shade of red worked up Matt’s face, and wondered just who this guy was and why his appearance had thrown Matt out of sorts. He paused, avoiding eye contact with her, before taking another deep breath. “Uh, yeah. Shannon, this is Dusty Reynolds. Dust, this is Shannon Morrison.”

The name made her start, but Shannon quickly recovered and smiled as Dusty’s large hand swallowed up hers. “It’s nice to meet you, Dusty.”

She glanced out of the corner of her eye while Dusty returned the sentiments and saw Matt studying her, most likely trying to read her reaction. She had no idea why he’d lied about coming to town to train with Dusty or why Matt would even be playing a stupid game such as this, but she didn’t like it. Her life had enough complications that she didn’t need to be wasting her time with a liar, and about something so stupid.

Shannon remained quiet with a pleasant smile plastered in place while Matt and Dusty finished catching up, and gave Dusty’s hand another shake as he left. When they were alone again, she eyed Matt coolly.

“So,” she started. “He’s the one you said you were coming to train with?”

“Yep. That’s him,” Matt said, unable to stand still and fighting an embarrassed smile.

“He didn’t seem to even know you were here, yet you’d told me you’d gone to a couple of sessions with him.”

Matt finally caught on to her anger and leaned toward her, his eyes pleading. “Please don’t be mad. It isn’t what you think.”

“I honestly don’t know what to think, but what I do know is I’ve spent a couple of weeks getting further and further behind at work in order to spend time with a guy who lied to me about something that seems pretty ridiculous to lie about. I don’t have time for games, even though I have no idea why
we
would even be playing them.”

He hung his head and studied the floor, clearly at a loss for words. Since he wasn’t quick with a response, most likely formulating another lie, she let out a huff. “I’m out of here. This is stupid and I’m too busy for this BS.”

Turning on her heels, Shannon grabbed her jacket off the back of the bar stool and tugged her arms into the sleeves, making her way back out of the restaurant. Hitting the sidewalk, she started to hail a cab when someone caught her arm.

“Shannon, wait!
 
Let me explain, please.”
 
Matt turned her around to face him.

She put her hand on her hip as she waited, but said nothing.

“Ask me why I lied,” he told her.

“Matt.”
 
She closed her eyes willing for patience. She was tired and hungry, and in no mood for this. “We’ve already established that you have—”

“Ask me,” he insisted.

“Fine. Why did you lie?”

“Because I knew if I told you the real reason I came here, you would…I don’t know, freak out or tell me it was a waste of time.”

 
Shannon frowned. “Why would I freak out?
 
Are you involved in something shady?
 
God, this is the last thing I need. This is so stupid!
 
I don’t have
time
for this,” she grounded out as she turned, looking for an available cab again.

“I came here for you, okay?” Matt declared as he pulled her toward him, his eyes insisting and adamant. “I came here with the sole intention of seeing you. I wanted to spend time with you and I didn’t want you to freak out if you knew I’d made a trip to Chicago just to see you, which I did. So, I made up the stuff about training.”

Her breath caught in her throat. That wasn’t what she’d expected him to say. She must have misunderstood. “Wait, what?
 
You came here to see me?”

“Yes.”
 

Her brain struggled to find sense in the whirlwind and put the pieces together. If he’d specifically come for her, then why did he act only as a friend?
 
This had to be the weirdest pursuit ever by a guy. “You came here because of me,” she repeated, not really for him to answer but more to help her comprehension. “As in, you’re attracted to me?”

The look of concern on his face lifted as he gave a small chuckle. “Well, yeah. I thought that was obvious.”