A moment of silence. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”
“Don’t worry.”
“You know she’s Natalie’s ‘bestest’ best friend, right? And Natalie can be a bit overprotective.”
“Yup.”
“Well, then. Good luck.”
Alex hung up, and Ethan leaned back in his seat. He felt bad for Natalie, but at the same time, he was sort of glad that she wasn’t coming home as scheduled. Otherwise Kerri would’ve used her friend as a shield against him when things got too intense for her own comfort. For the sake of his friendship with Alex, he didn’t want to fight Natalie.
Ethan tossed his laptop into his bag and left for the weekend. He had a woman waiting.
*
Alex looked at his wife. “That was a terrible lie.”
Natalie shrugged with a smile, her face glowing. “Oh, who cares, so long as they bought it.” She tossed herself on the gigantic bed, the silk robe he’d bought for her loose around her legs. “Besides, Rossi does need you.”
“Why are you doing this?”
“Because I think Ethan will be good for Kerri.”
“Matchmaking?”
She pressed her lips together. “No…nothing so drastic. Kerri’s not the marrying type. And I don’t think Ethan is either.”
“I wouldn’t say that,” Alex said. “He just never met the right woman.”
She grinned. “Whatever, let’s just enjoy a few more weeks of newly-wedded bliss and this fabulous Italian food before we have to go back. It won’t kill Ethan to be in charge of Global Strategies for a little longer. Besides, he owes me.” She made a kissing motion in Alex’s direction. “And you do too.”
“Oh? What exactly is this debt you speak of?” he said, his eyes already darkening with arousal.
“Come here” —the robe slid from a pale golden shoulder— “and I’ll whisper it in your ear.”
*
Ethan found Kerri hunched over her laptop in the study, manila folder open and papers spread around her. She sat on the floor, crossed legs forming a cradle for the computer. A pair of black glasses were perched on her nose, giving her a sort of sexy librarian look. A simple white cotton long-sleeve shirt molded to her torso, accentuating the lines of her body.
He’d checked the spare bedroom suite on his way in; she hadn’t unpacked, except for a small bottle of lotion in the bathroom.
He stared at her, hands on his hips. She was supposed to unpack and relax. Grab a glass of wine and soak in the Jacuzzi with her favorite movie on or her favorite music playing. It was a Saturday, for god’s sake.
“Turn that off,” he said.
“Hold on,” she said, not looking up from her computer. “I’m almost done with this.”
He mentally counted to ten.
“That can’t be right,” she muttered and picked up a print-out.
He reached down and closed her laptop with a finger.
“Hey!”
“You do not work weekends. Got it?”
She rolled her eyes. “You’re one to talk. How was your business meeting?”