Double the Heat (5 page)
Authors: Lori Foster,Deirdre Martin,Elizabeth Bevarly,Christie Ridgway
Tags: #Erotic Stories; American, #Man-Woman Relationships, #Mate Selection, #Contemporary, #Fiction, #Romance, #General, #Short Stories
“Mmmm.” His fingers tapped the tabletop. “When was that, exactly?”
Exasperated, Lisa gave him a long look that showed her impatience with his attempts at prying.
Hart held up both hands. “Sorry.” He tipped his head to watch her. “So after prolonged consideration, what did you decide?”
“I accept your explanation about being busy and out of touch. I overreacted, I think, in getting annoyed that you hadn’t called back.” She fiddled with the teacup. “Truth is, I realize things are different for you.”
One eyebrow lifted. “Different?”
Lisa gestured. “Most people return phone calls as a matter of common courtesy. But I assume you get a lot of calls from a lot of women—Hart Winston, you can wipe that smug grin right off your face.”
He laughed. “I’m sorry, but you’re cute.”
“Now you’re just being condescending.” Her appearance had improved with the shower and clean clothes, but she’d deliberately left herself as plain as possible. Nothing cute in that.
He leaned forward. “No, I mean it. You’re so damn nice all the time that you’re even willing to make up excuses for me.”
“You’re saying you don’t have women calling all the time?”
Almost as if on cue, his phone rang.
They locked eyes. Hart winced; Lisa sighed.
“Answer it.”
Chagrined, he glanced at the number and shook his head. “Ah, no. It’s not important.”
Unbelievable. “That was a woman, wasn’t it?”
He hesitated. “Yes?”
“You don’t know?”
“It feels like a trick question.”
Of all the idiotic . . . “My point is,” Lisa said, determined to get this over with, “you probably thought I was trying to hit on you after we’d
both
agreed that our time together was a one-shot deal.”
both
agreed that our time together was a one-shot deal.”
“Not really, no.”
Her head started to spin. “What does that mean?”
“It means that you’re wrong, that I didn’t blow off your calls, assuming you wanted another go-around. It’s just that I really was busy with a training camp and—”
His phone rang again. Apologetic, Hart glanced at the number, then put the phone back down without answering.
Lisa’s teeth clicked together. “Is there a reason you don’t just turn it off, seeing as you don’t answer anyway?”
“There’s a reason.” He sipped his coffee before answering, then met her annoyed gaze. “Family has this number, as do some of the fight promoters and my training coach.”
“I see.” Apparently everyone was more important than the women he dated.
Lisa wanted to throw her tea at him, but she refrained.
He wedged a hand into his jeans pocket, pulled out his wallet, and withdrew a card. He slid it across the table to her. “I don’t think I ever gave you my cell number.”
No, he hadn’t. She’d had only his apartment number and the number she’d found for his cousin Joe. “Thank you, but I no longer have any reason to call you.” And then, because she couldn’t help herself, she added, “Not that you’d answer anyway, right?”
He looked far too serious when he said, “If you call me, Lisa, I’ll answer. I swear.”
That rattled her. She didn’t understand him or why he said the things he did.
His card lay on the table between them.
“So . . . to get back to the point here. I realize now that I overreacted. Getting angry with you serves no purpose at all.”
He slouched a little more. “And?”
“I’m happy to share with you what I overheard.”
“No kidding?”
She nodded. “You’re right. I don’t want any injury to you to be on my conscience.”
His brows pinched. “And that’s it? Your conscience is the only reason you’re willing to warn me?”
“What else did you expect?” Unsure of his swift moods, she sipped her tea and waited.
“I don’t know, exactly.” He stewed in silence for a few moments, then snatched up the box of donuts and offered them to her.
Lisa shook her head. “No, thank you. I try to avoid that much sugar.”
He didn’t remove the box. “Live a little.” Eyes darkening, he said, “Again.”
That flustered her enough that she picked out a cream-filled donut before she knew what she was doing. Hart set the box down, put his elbows on the table, and leaned toward her, waiting for her to take a bite.
As soon as she did, he smiled. “Good?”
It was. “Sinful, almost.”
“Yeah.” He watched her so closely, she felt self-conscious. “A little sinfulness is good for you.”
“Depends on the sin, I’d say.”
“And who you’re sinning with.”
Okay, enough of that. She couldn’t banter with him. Not this early. “Let’s get started.”
He went very still. “Yeah, let’s.”
“You’re incorrigible.” She couldn’t help but laugh at him. “Now, have any—”
The ringing of his cell cut her off.
Again he glanced at the phone, then at her, and he shrugged. “Sorry. Go ahead.”
Curiosity burned her. “If it’s the same woman calling, then pe r ha ps—”
“No.”
Maybe she’d throw her tea at him after all. The cup was small and dainty, so it wouldn’t hurt him overly, and the tea had cooled, so . . .
“Lisa?”
She gave up on that particular fantasy. “Have any new women come on to you?”
“Define ‘new.’ ”
Her eyes narrowed. “A woman you aren’t already familiar with. A woman you haven’t dated before.”
“Or slept with?”
Meaning he slept with women he hadn’t formally dated? Of course he had. “Yes.”
Hart hesitated. “Maybe, but like I said, I’ve been busy training, and
not
dating.”
not
dating.”
He had to be kidding her—but he didn’t look like it was a joke. “Not dating?”
He shrugged. “Aka, not seeing anyone.”
Lisa snorted. “Aka, not—”
“Sleeping with anyone. Exactly.”
Astounded, she dropped back in her seat. “You’re telling me that you’ve been celibate? Since when?”
“For far too long, honey.” He left his seat and moved toward her. “Since I slept with you, actually.”
Three
Hart saw Lisa’s chest expand with a sharply indrawn breath. He knew what she expected him to do, but he was done being predictable. She thought she had him all figured out, and he wanted to surprise her.
He paused beside her, smiled, and moved on past to get a napkin off the counter.
When he returned to his seat, she still looked shell-shocked.
And his stupid phone rang again.
Cursing under his breath, Hart glanced at the number with disinterest. “Lisa, I don’t want you to think—”
“No,” she said, and she scurried from her seat to get a notepad and pen. “This is good.”
She sounded rattled—which he counted as a good thing. If he confused her enough, maybe she’d give up her rock-solid and not-too-complimentary impressions of him, and really get to know him.
She tossed the pad and pen toward him. “Start keeping track of the women trying to reach you. And you’ll have to answer, to see who wants to hook up.”
Damn, but she looked good today. He’d never imagined her in jeans, but the casual clothes suited her. And her sexy little toes . . . she must keep up on her pedicures, because her feet defined femininity: narrow and soft with a high arch . . .
“Hart, are you listening to me?”
“I was fantasizing about your feet, actually. Sorry.”
She stared at him. “My feet?”
“Yeah.” He shook his head. “You were saying . . . ?”
After snatching up another donut, she pointed to the paper. “You need to track any woman who is interested in you.”
Smiling, Hart picked up the pen and wrote down a name.
She peered across the table, trying to see, so Hart turned the pad for her to read.
She saw her own name written there, and laughed. “Uh, no. Scratch that.”
He shook the pen at her. “I know women too well, Lisa. You’re interested, all right. But you’re denying us both because you think I’d just play you.”
After a long look, she let out a breath and folded her hands in her lap, as if in preparation for a serious discourse. “Hart, really, the thing is, you’re fun to play with.”
“Fun?”
“Definitely. I did enjoy our night together. But I’m a serious woman with serious responsibilities, and we’ve had our one-night fling.”
Meaning one night was enough for her? Too bad. He’d already decided that he wanted more. A lot more.
After that short lecture of hers, and his lack of response, she settled back, content to eat her donut.
Hart didn’t mind the silence. With Lisa, it was pleasant. Comfortable. His phone stayed silent, sunshine slanted through her kitchen window, the coffee was good, the donuts were better.
“This is a real nice way to spend a Saturday morning.”
She turned thoughtful. “It is.” With her donut finished, she wiped off her hands and considered him. “But we need to get down to business, so think—who would want to hurt you?”
“No one. People like me.” He was the type of man other men found easy to befriend, and women had always shown a preference for his company. Even after things ended, women—other than Lisa—didn’t hold it against him.
She stewed in her own thoughts. “As much as you get around, is it possible one of your . . .
lady friends
has a disgruntled hus b an d—”
lady friends
has a disgruntled hus b an d—”
“No.”
“—or boyfriend or—”
“I don’t poach,” he told her, dead serious.
Skepticism lifted her brows. “Ever?”
Insulted that she had to ask, Hart scowled at her. “I do not poach. Period. If she’s involved in any way, that’s a big red flag. And besides, I told you I haven’t been with anyone since you.”
Tapping her fingernails on the tabletop, Lisa studied him, and finally said, “Knowing you, that’s just a little hard to believe.”
“You should try living it.” He made a face. Celibacy was not a sport he enjoyed. “But it’s still true.”
“If you say so.”
Umbrage rose. “You don’t believe me?”
She tried a laugh that sounded flat to him. “It’s been weeks since we were together.”
As if he didn’t know that. “All right, let’s get something straight, okay?”
She checked the clock, shrugged. “Shoot.”
Her disinterest in his irritation irked him all the more. “I do not lie.” He stood from his seat and went to hers. “I admit I have more than enough faults for one man, but lying isn’t one of them.”
“Fine. Don’t get your feathers ruffled.”
His teeth ground together. “No, it’s not fine.” Knowing she was only placating him, Hart braced his hands on her chair seat, at either side of her hips. The position put him nose to nose with her. “I told you up-front that I wasn’t looking for a long-term relationship, right? I didn’t lie then, and I’m not lying now. If I wasn’t doing without, I sure as hell would admit it.”
Emotions flashed over her face, starting with intimidation, then awareness, and ending with anger. “Back off.”
In direct contrast to her expression, her voice was small, breathless. When he straightened away from her, she drew in a shaky breath.
“Lisa?”
Slowly, she licked her lips, closed her eyes a moment, then opened them again. “I believe you.”
Hell, seeing her all flushed and breathless had wiped his brain clean of everything but desire. He forgot what they were talking about. “You do?”
“You were celibate. Goody for you.”
“Let’s don’t go overboard, okay?”
She gave him a look—and this time it was her phone that rang. “Excuse me.”
Hart listened in as she picked up a receiver in the kitchen and spoke quietly for a few minutes. Apparently someone had a dental emergency, which meant his time with her was about to be cut short.
Sure enough, as soon as she hung up, she began hustling him out of the kitchen. “I need to go to the office.”
“Everything okay?”
Impatient to be on her way, she rushed through an explanation. “One of my patients, a young man, fell and broke a front tooth.”
“Ouch.” He opened the front door, but didn’t step out. “We need to finish discussing this.”
“The rest of my Saturday is taken.”
She’d said that a little too fast. “Are you free tomorrow morning, then?”
Her sleek brown hair bounced as she shook her head. “Tomorrow is fine, but I like to jog on the weekends, so I prefer later in the day.”
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