Tease Me (16 page)

“It was at Pete’s funeral—Peter Manning was my partner. Anyway, he was a year younger
than me. Thirty-eight.”

“So young. That’s terrible. Did he have a family?”

Tucker shook his head. “The company was our family. It was our everything. I stood
there in the cemetery with a roll of antacids in my pocket and a grinding headache
and I realized that I wasn’t very far from finding myself right where he was.”

“So you just up and sold it? It must have been difficult.”

“I think quitting a lifelong smoking habit cold turkey would have been easier.” He
paused and stared out over the water, watching the gold light begin to blend in at
the horizon with shades of rose and purple. “I loved what I did.”

“It shows. Your eyes take on this sort of … I don’t know … gleam when you talk about
it. Do you regret your decision?”

“No,” he said immediately. “I know I did the right thing.”

“Couldn’t you have scaled back or something? Done the job on a more moderate level?”

“Not the way it was, no. We started about sixteen
years ago, right after college. Pete and I went to school together, and to make money
we moonlighted as bouncers at the campus club. Being business majors …” He broke off
and grinned. “Something you might know a little about.”

“Somehow I think the similarity begins and ends right there, but go on.”

“Anyway, we had other local clubs asking us to work part-time, so we came up with
the idea of starting a bouncer business. One thing led to another and …” He shrugged.
“It sort of took on a life of its own. We both took some extra courses in security
training along with some martial arts-related training, and after graduation we decided
to go into business full-time. We poured our hearts and souls into it, but we loved
every minute of it. It took off amazingly quickly, and before we knew it, we were
getting calls to provide bodyguard service for some local politicians and other business
bigwigs. After a couple of years, Pete had developed some contacts overseas through
one of our German clients, and we eventually opened a branch office in Europe. It
sort of mushroomed after that.”

Lainey had propped her chin on one hand, her gaze rapt on his.

He smiled sheepishly. “And now I’ll shut up.”

She didn’t move other than to speak. “Don’t. I think it’s interesting. I bet you have
some amazing stories.”

“One or two.”

“I’d enjoy hearing them sometime.”

Tucker’s smile faltered. Her expression was completely sincere and totally without
guile. Did she have any idea how badly he wanted to share a whole lot more than
his past exploits? “Anytime,” he said, striving to sound casual.

They both saw the approaching waiter. She sat up and folded her hands in her lap.
“Whenever you’re back in town,” she added quickly, then turned to their server with
a smile and gave her drink order, effectively ending the conversation.

So much for new hopes. Tucker ordered an iced tea through almost gritted teeth. When
the waiter left them, he blindly shifted his attention to his menu.

Before he could decide how best to proceed, the waiter returned, and they spent several
minutes making their dinner decisions. When they were alone again, Lainey solved the
problem by speaking first.

“So I guess this isn’t the vacation you planned, huh?”

If you only knew
. “Not exactly. Which is why I usually fly Lillian to meet me. I have a slightly greater
chance of controlling the situation that way.”

Lainey’s eyes lit up, and she tapped her forehead. “Duh. I just realized you’re the
‘family’ she visits on her annual exotic vacations. Her ladies drool over them, you
know. I think it’s sweet that you do that for her.”

“Self-protection. Strictly self-protection.”

Lainey chuckled. “I’m not sure even an international crew of bodyguards could provide
ample protection from Lillian if she has her mind set on something. You’re lucky you
only ended up as a masseur.”

He watched, totally enthralled by the way her cheeks pinkened.

“Your eyes are doing that gleam thing again,” she said. “I don’t even want to know
what you’re thinking this time.”

No
,
you don’t
,
Lainey
, he silently agreed.
Because if I told
you I was thinking how much fun it will be to tell our grandchildren we met at a massage
parlor
,
you’d run and never look back
.

He let her off the hook. “Well, I think I solved that particular employment problem
before you arrived.”

“You found yourself a replacement Lillian will approve of? How did you achieve that
minor miracle?”

“The Fairmont has a wonderful masseur named Stephan. He’s a giant of a Swede with
the hands of an angel. I asked him if he knew of anyone who might fit the bill at
Lillian’s, and he said he was only working here part-time and might be interested
in doing it himself.” Tucker grinned. “At least I’m pretty sure that’s what he meant.
He understands English but speaks next to none. If his appearance doesn’t give Lillian’s
ladies heart attacks, I think he’ll be a big hit. ‘Big’ being the key word here. Lillian
met him a few days ago when she was here looking for me. Let’s just say I think she’ll
approve.”

Lainey was laughing hard at this point and finally raised her hand. “Stop. The visual
alone is killing me.” She took a sip of water, then caught his eye and giggled again.
“Oh, Tucker, if I didn’t know Lillian, I’d say you should be ashamed of yourself.
But you just know she’ll love the idea.”

“I’m counting on it. I bruise easily.”

She took another sip, then leaned back. “You know, I was really nervous about tonight.
I’m not anymore. Thank you for that, Tucker.” Her smile faded, but her eyes stayed
soft and unwary. Tucker wished like hell he could keep them that way. But as much
as he wished this was a purely social occasion, it wasn’t.

“Nothing to thank me for.”

“Not true, but I won’t argue the point. I guess we should talk about the reason we’re
really here.”

Tucker judiciously decided not to respond to that remark.

“I had hoped to talk to Minerva this afternoon, but she was gone when I got back.
Did you find out anything about Damian or Greensleigh?” she asked.

He watched her run a finger around the edge of her glass, his stomach clenching as
her finger rubbed past the spot where she’d left a light lipstick mark on the glass.
He pulled his gaze to hers and reluctantly focused on business. He’d deal with the
pleasure part later.

“I made a few calls to some of my former clients, one of whom is involved in international
investments. He had some interesting information.”

“On Damian? Somehow I never thought of Damian as being savvy enough for the international
market.” She gestured to the quiet development sprawling along the coastline. “This
is more his speed.”

“Well, it seems he’s worked in Mexico and the Caribbean, or at least he’s sold shares
in a development supposedly taking place there.”

“You lost me.”

“You’re right when you say senior villages are Damian’s speed. In fact, they are his
specialty, at least they seem to be from the little bit I learned. My client was working
on a resort venture in Barbados that was linking with another resort planned for the
west coast of Mexico. During his dealings in obtaining investors, he heard a rumor
that someone purporting to be part of his investment team was selling shares in a
supposed planned senior village that would be part of these resorts.”

“Supposed village? Meaning he was using the resort
investment portfolio to get unsuspecting seniors to invest in a bogus senior vacation-type
village, saying it was going to be part of the resort.”

“You catch on quick.”

She pushed her glass away. “I wish I didn’t. I assume this person was Damian.”

“Can’t say for sure. He split before the authorities could track him down. But from
what my client learned, it sure sounds like him.”

“So what does that mean? Do we go to the police?” She waved a hand. “On second thought,”
she said dryly, “Roscoe Tumble might not be a real asset here.”

“Hey, don’t sell old Tumbleweed short.”

“You know Roscoe?”

“Let’s just say I’ve intervened on Lillian’s behalf in some … ah, interactions she’s
had with the city government and the sheriff’s department.”

Lainey laughed. “I don’t think I want to know.”

“You’re right,” Tucker said, smiling. “But Lillian made me promise not to involve
the sheriff because she doesn’t want to chance embarrassing Minerva in such a public
way.”

Lainey leaned forward. “I think that’s sweet of her, but maybe a little shortsighted.
Minerva will be hurt a whole lot worse if Damian scams her and the other two ladies
out of their retirement funds.”

Tucker sighed. “I explained the same thing to her, but she was adamant.” He raised
his hand to stall her response. “If there doesn’t seem to be another more discreet
way to handle things, then we’ll call Roscoe. I won’t let Minerva or her friends get
hurt, Lainey.”

She held his gaze for a moment. “Thank you,” she said quietly. She fussed with the
rim of her water glass
again, then looked at him. “And thank you for all you’re doing to help Lillian help
Minerva. I know you probably want to get back to wherever it is you’re from—”

“Seattle.”

Her eyes widened. “Seattle?”

He smiled. “What’s wrong with Seattle?”

“I don’t know. Nothing. I guess it is coastal and lets you hop around the world and
all, but … I guess I just didn’t picture you … I don’t know …”

“How
do
you picture me, Lainey?”

She toyed with the stem on her glass, straightened her flatware, then turned her attention
to the gulf as the last sliver of sun dipped below the horizon.

“Lainey?”

She finally looked at him. “I try not to picture you at all.”

“Why is that?” he asked, proud of his even voice, though his heart felt as if all
the lifeblood was pumping out of it.

She folded her hands in her lap but held his gaze. “Because wherever or however I
might think of you, the reality is, it can’t include you being here, so why bother?”

“I am here.”

“For now.”

“For now is all I have. I sold my business on a lightning-fast decision. I had no
big plans, no new career in mind, but I did it because my gut and my heart told me
that if I didn’t want to end up like Pete, if I wanted a life that included something
more than a job, it was jump now or go down with my ship. I still have no plans. I
came here to see Lillian and to spend some time letting the sun soak into my skin
while I figure out what the hell I want to do with the rest of my life.”

She folded her arms, her posture seemingly relaxed, but the jut of her jaw was telling
another story. “What the hell do you want to do, Tucker?”

He held her gaze and told her the truth. “I want friends who aren’t also my clients.
I want a job that ends at some finite point each day. I want a place to live that
is a home and not just a mailing address.” He paused and cleared his suddenly tight
throat. “I want a family. I want balance.” He forced himself to finish despite the
fear and wariness growing steadily in her eyes with each word he spoke. “And I want
you. It’s backwards and not planned or even sensible given where I’m at in my life,
but none of that seems to matter. I want you, Lainey.”

The waiter chose that monumental moment to appear, wielding a huge tray filled by
their dinner entrées, which shielded him from Lainey’s reaction. Tucker gave serious
thought to tossing the guy over the balcony but managed to restrain the urge at the
last moment. The young man apparently sensed the tension and quickly dispensed their
meals and beat a hasty retreat.

Lainey’s attention was focused exclusively on her shrimp scallopini. Tucker moved
his mahimahi around on his plate and debated which approach to take. His head was
telling him to demand an honest response, but his heart was busy building a nice high
wall to hide behind and was perfectly content to let the discussion pass without further
comment.

He watched from the corner of his eye as she sipped her wine, then gave up trying
to eat and stared openly at her.

“It’s very good,” she said, not looking up. “How is yours?”

He couldn’t do this, couldn’t pretend he hadn’t laid
his heart on the table. He’d taken the biggest risk of his life by selling his business.
What was the point of it if he wasn’t willing to pursue the very thing he’d sold it
to have?

“I couldn’t say. I seem to have more important things on my mind at the moment. I
sort of thought you might have something else you’d like to discuss.” He watched her
spear another piece of shrimp. He thought he might scream in frustration, or at least
throw her shrimp over the gold-plated handrail, but before he exploded, she placed
her loaded fork on the plate and looked up at him.

“So much for the just-friends idea, huh?” Her attempted smile faded quickly. “I don’t
know what to say to you, Tucker.”

“I’m thoroughly enjoying our friendship, Lainey. But I can’t seem to stop wanting
more. I don’t want to stop.”

“And then what?” she asked. She lifted her hand. “Don’t answer that. Tucker …” She
broke off on a sigh.

“Do you want me, Lainey?”

She jerked her gaze to his; even in the waning light he could see the heat lighting
her cheeks.

“Do you want me?” he repeated.

“It’s not about what I want.”

“Then what the hell is it about? And don’t give me this stuff about impulses and bad
choices in men. You’re an intelligent, caring woman who can make her own decisions.”

Her eyes flashed as she pressed one balled-up hand on the table. “And what if I
decide
not to choose you? What if I
decide
that I don’t want to wait around while you find yourself on the off chance that I’ll
be part of that grand plan? And here’s a stunning thought: What if I don’t have
to tell you why I made that choice? What if I told you that it’s none of your business
why I do what I do?”