Page 31 of Hart of Vengeance
“No worries.” I could use some alone time. In fact, I probably had time to check out a new apartment building. When I’d called the apartment manager the other day, she’d told me the office didn’t close until six. That gave me an hour. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
She tucked her auburn hair behind her ear and darted off.
Five minutes later, I was in a packed elevator, smashed up against a tall man who smelled like suntan lotion.
“Sorry,” he said in my ear, his hot breath breezing over my neck.
I shivered. “No problem.” I wanted to give the guy pressed up against my back a passing glance, but I was sandwiched between him and a woman who had a backpack full of bricks pressing against my boobs. That time of day, it was hard not to rub arms with people. Everyone seemed to leave at the exact same moment.
Finally, the elevator doors opened to the lobby. People hurried out as though the elevator were filled with spiders. I managed to move out of the way of one gal who was in a rush, holding the guy behind me hostage in a way.
Once we were finally out, I was able to get a look at him. He was tall, wore a nice tailored suit, and stood about six feet tall. His thick brown hair was parted on the side, and the hint of a five o’clock shadow graced his round jaw. When he smiled at me, he had one tooth that overlapped the other.
We walked side by side toward the exit. “Everyone is anxious to go home,” he said, his voice deep and smooth. “By the way, I’m Todd Bennett. I see you work for Davenport.”
I curled a lock of my black hair around my ear. “I’m Jade Kelly. What about you? Where do you work?” He’d been in the elevator when I got in, which meant he worked on a floor above me.
“I work for Carter and Associates. It’s a financial firm on the twentieth.” His voice was deep and smooth.
Dark-haired men weren’t my first choice, but looks weren’t everything. I liked a man who had a great personality, was funny, confident, and didn’t play games. The few men I’d dated over the years had one or two of those qualities, but none of them had passed with flying colors, although I was probably reaching for straws. Denim had never been perfect. Maybe I was being picky, but I didn’t want to just settle.
Todd and I followed the hordes of people toward the exit.
“Would it be presumptuous to ask if you would like to get a coffee sometime?” he asked.
“Not at all, but time is usually not my friend with late hours at work.”
Todd loosened his tie. “Cool. I tend to work long hours too. Can I call you tomorrow?”
I didn’t see why not. He had a disarming smile and seemed sweet. Coffee didn’t mean anything, and I could use a new friend, especially one who was a distraction from the man who seemed to take up a large part of my brain. “Sure.”
He slid out of traffic and into an open area of the lobby. “I’ll call you now. That way, you have my number.”
I followed him, rattling off my number. When my phone rang, I hit the accept button then proceeded to plug his name into my phone.
He nudged me. “Some guy is staring at us. Do you know him?”
I followed his line of sight, but my brain didn’t connect yet. “Guy?” When my mind finally kicked into gear, I faltered back a step.
Denim was sitting on one of the five benches against the windows, staring intently in my direction with a creased brow. If I knew him, he was wanting to kick Todd to the curb. I would like to see him try. It was none of his business who I talked to or went out with.
I swallowed as my heart went pitter-patter. “I do.”
“I don’t get in the middle of relationships,” Todd was quick to say.
I let out a nervous laugh. “He’s actually a client of ours.” That wasn’t a lie.
Todd raised a dark eyebrow. “Only a client?”
I couldn’t blame him for being wary. Denim was exuding a jealous, hardcore vibe, which didn’t surprise me. Denim had always hated when guys looked my way or flirted with me, but we weren’t in high school anymore, and I wasn’t his.
“I promise. Only a client.” No way was I walking into Denim’s arms or starting up a relationship with him again only to have my heart stomped on.
“Good,” Todd said. “We’ll talk tomorrow, then.”
I barely registered Todd leaving or felt my legs moving toward the ex-con, the man who had my body warming and my panties wet. I should’ve ignored him and left, but somehow my body wasn’t in sync with my brain.
Denim stared at me, his blue eyes drenched in hunger so potent, I was afraid he would leap off the bench and attack me.
