He writes notes filled with wicked promises. . .
“There’s one thing.” Lena picked up a second cookie. “You make the best chocolate chip cookies.”
AN HOUR LATER, while Georgia went to say good night to Nate for the third time after Eric’s very last story, Lena borrowed their landline and dialed Chad’s cell. The glass and a half of wine had left her feeling bold, brazen, and too tipsy to drive.
“Hello, Chad here,” a familiar, easygoing voice announced after the second ring.
“I need you.” Lena closed her eyes. Wrong words! One glass of wine made her an idiot.
“Lena? Is everything all right?” Chad demanded. “Are you at Georgia and Eric’s?”
“Yes,” she said. “And I was hoping you could pick me up. I’ve been drinking.”
“I’ll be right over.”
Setting the phone down, she reached for a notepad and pen. She’d failed to deliver bold and brazen on the phone, but when he arrived, she’d make it clear that tonight was not going to end with her alone in bed with a toy.
Chapter 11
CHAD PARKED IN front of Eric Moore’s house armed with a bottle of water. He’d been waiting for her call, hopeful that Lena would give him the chance to prove he could live up to his end of their deal. But he’d kind of been hoping she’d say something like I want you to kiss me until I come against your mouth, not I’m too tipsy to drive.
Climbing down from his truck, he spotted Hero first, then Lena. Georgia stood in the doorway waving to him while her fiancé followed Lena to the truck.
“Thanks for getting her home safe,” Georgia called.
“Anytime.” He waved to Georgia before turning his attention to Lena and her escort. “Hey Eric, I’ll see you at the office tomorrow?”
Eric nodded, stopping ten feet away from Lena and the truck. “Yes. But before you go, can I have a word?”
“Sure.” He glanced at Lena, confirmed that she wasn’t falling down drunk, and headed over to his boss/business partner. “But make it quick.”
“I wanted to let you know that I fired Tim today,” Eric said. “He showed up and one of the guys suspected he was under the influence. After hearing the gossip about your run-in with him the other night, I decided to let him go. But he left with plenty of hard feelings, and not all of them were aimed at me. Hell, he seemed downright unstable when he stormed out of the office. Next time you run into him, I have a feeling he’ll have a few things to get off his chest.”
“Sorry it went down like that,” Chad said, relieved that Eric hadn’t marched across his front yard to demand Chad keep his hands off Lena. “But thanks for the heads-up.”
Eric slapped him on the shoulder. “Have a good night.”
“Planning on it.” Chad turned his attention to Lena as his boss headed for his fiancée. He’d expected a waddling, drunken mess, but no, she appeared calm and composed, her steps measured and deliberate.
“How much did you drink?” he demanded.
“One glass,” she said, climbing into the passenger seat. “Before dinner. Maybe another half glass after. Enough to know I should come back for my truck in the morning. Georgia promised to pick me up after she takes Nate to preschool.”
He held out the water. “I’m not sure you’ll need this, Miss One-and-a-Half Glasses, but just in case.”
Lena took the bottle with one hand and held out a crumpled piece of paper with the other. “For you.”
He glanced at the oddly folded Post-it. “Origami?”
“It’s what I meant to say on the phone.”
Chad unfolded the paper and scanned the neatly printed words.
I think I need further instructions. While I’m on my knees.
“That’s why you called?” His voice was hoarse as he tried to focus on the here and now, not the fact that he wanted to start giving orders in his boss’s front yard.
“I was feeling wild. And maybe a little brazen.”