Page 58 of 7 Days and 7 Nights

“Another guy? You’re going out with another guy?”

“Yes, I believe I already said that.”

“Well, if that doesn’t beat all.” He drew his hand back and ran it through his close-cropped blond hair. “Here I am dredging my guts up to try to make you understand where I’m coming from, and you’re going out with someone else.”

His eyes narrowed. “This is a payback for Emmylou, isn’t it?”

“No. It’s not a payback. It’s a date. Period. If we’re not going to be together, then we need to look for people better suited to what we want.”

“Right.” He opened the car door and slid out, leaning back in through the open window after he slammed the Cadillac door shut. “I guess that’s it then. You go your way and I’ll go mine.”

It all sounded so logical and correct. So why did she feel so crummy? And why did the expression on Dawg’s face make her want to climb out of the car and wrap her arms around his great hulk of a body?

He stood there for what felt like forever and ended up being nowhere near long enough. Then he tapped his fist on the hood of the car and offered her a crooked smile. “You’d best go on then, JoBeth. ’Cause if you stay here a minute longer, I’m going to carry you up to the house and have my way with you. You know that, don’t you?”

She closed her eyes and tried to swallow back the feelings his words dredged up in her. She couldn’t think of anything she wanted more than to feel his big hands move over her in that surprisingly gentle way he had. She craved the completion that came when he eased himself deep inside her and made her whole. She longed to give in and feel all those things one more time. But even as she had the thought, she knew that if she allowed him to lay so much as a finger on her, she’d never find the strength to leave.

She slipped the transmission into drive, blinked back a fresh crop of tears, and whispered, “You take care of yourself now, Dawg. You hear?”

And then she pressed her foot to the accelerator and drove right out of Dawg Rollins’s life.

Chapter Nineteen

No,” Matt said for the hundredth time. “Olivia just did a little too much celebrating. I’m sure she’ll be fine by morning.”

Amazing how preoccupied his listeners were with Olivia’s well-being. Virtually every one of his callers had inquired after her health or begged for intimate details.

They’d all either seen or heard about the tightly wound Dr. Moore “unwinding” on her milestone birthday; but while her dignity might have suffered slightly, her reputation was still intact. And it was his own damn fault.

Only he had witnessed the determination with which she crawled into his lap and her all-too-successful efforts to rouse him. And then when he’d had the chance to turn the camera on her and squash her once and for all, what had he done? Covered for her, that’s what. He’d acted like she was ill and carted her off to bed, going so far as to come right back out of her room so there’d be no speculation. What the hell was wrong with him?

For four long hours, he bantered with callers while he fought off images of Olivia in the black satin thong. Finally, it was time to sign off and he was able to turn the controls over to Ben.

With his headphones still on, he started to pack up his things.

“Great show, Matt,” said Ben. “I haven’t been able to get anything out of T.J. or the consultant about what the research is saying, but I’m sure this show will put us back on top with the popular vote.”

“Thanks, Ben. Everybody was definitely fired up tonight.”

“Yeah.” Ben cleared his throat. “Speaking of ‘fired up,’ do you really think Dr. O is okay?”

“I’m sure she’ll be her old bushy-tailed self by morning.” Matt started to remove his headphones.

“But nobody’s heard a peep out of her since you… since nine-thirty. Aren’t you going to check on her?”

Actually, Matt was planning to do exactly that, though he doubted Olivia would appreciate anyone knowing it. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you you’re too young to be such a worrywart?”

“I think one or two people may have mentioned it.” Ben’s voice turned conspiratorial. “Do you want me to adjust the camera so you can check without everybody knowing?”

“How would you do that?” Matt asked.

“Well, the camera angles are handled through some software they installed here in the control room.

Crankower told us not to change anything unless we’re trying to get a close-up or something but all you have control of there is whether or not the cameras are plugged in and have power.”

Hmmm. Plugged in. The power cable. The old on, off. Matt stroked his chin and thought about the possibilities.

“Thanks for the offer, man, but I’m sure Olivia’s fine and I don’t want you to get in trouble. I’m going to unwind a little bit, and then I’ll probably just call it a night.”

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