Page 40 of Hard Hitter
“Really?That’swhat you find shocking about this?” She carried the food into the kitchen, trailed by Becca. “My life is a train wreck, and I just made it worse by screwing a client.”
“Let’s not be hasty. Was he good? Maybe it’s worth it.”
“It was epic,” Ari admitted, taking out plates and silverware. “Then again, for the past few years I’ve only had sex with someone who resented me half the time. So maybe my viewpoint is skewed.”
“God.” Becca let out a dreamy sigh. “These days, even a night with someone who resented me sounds appealing. Why do you think I own Channing Tatum on DVD? Because I get no action. All day I’m surrounded by hard bodies at work, and yet my vibrator is always on the charger.” She carried two dishes of curry to Ari’s table.
“You could hook up, though,” Ari pointed out. “It would be less scandalous for you to get busy with a player than for me. You don’t have to touch their bodies in the line of duty.”
“You’dthinknobody would care,” Becca said, tearing a piece of naan bread in half. “But once when Castro was having a shitty day I got him drunk in a hotel bar. Nate saw us all cozy and laughing in a booth at the bar and got the wrong impression. He was cold to me for a while after that. So I’m not going there.”
A chill crawled up Ari’s back. “Seriously? Nate got mad?”
“Hell yes. I swear I didn’t imagine it. He was kind of a dick to Castro, too.”
“Shit,” Ari breathed. “I can’t risk my job. I’m going to swear Patrick to secrecy.”
“He’s a decent guy,” Becca said, helping herself to the lamb curry. “He puts up an asshole front, and he’s kind of an egomaniac. But he’s got that whole macho honor code thing working. So I think you’ll be fine.”
“Ugh.” If she’d been using her brain at all last night, she wouldn’t be in this predicament right now.
“How did it happen, anyway? Did he give you that overconfident squint and say,hey, baby, wanna bang?”
“No! Geez. We didn’t talk about it first. He got out of the taxi here and helped me make sure the house was secure. And then we just looked at each other and... it was like someone pulled the pin on a grenade.Kapow.”
Becca pinched the front of her shirt between two fingers and fanned herself. “Oh, man. Just once in my life I want to feel like that. I had so many bad first dates last year.” She stabbed a piece of lamb and laughed. “Nothing wentkapow.”
Ari scooped up a forkful of buttery rice and tried to figure out why her encounter with Patrick had been so hot and frantic. It was just happenstance, probably. A loaded moment when they both had the same outrageous impulse, and a week’s worth of tension needing an outlet.
Instead of beating herself up about it, Ari would use the advice she gave her yoga students—acknowledge it and move on. It happened. It was spectacular. Now she would just let it go.
Letting it go meant ice cream, Channing Tatum, and Becca’s laughter. Ari was grateful for the companionship, and she forgot to worry about freaking Vince until her Katt Phone began chirping with text messages on the coffee table in front of her feet.
Becca paused the movie. “Should you check that?”
“Oh, I suppose.” But she was feeling too relaxed and happy to worry. And bad news from Vince—while there was plenty—tended to arrive via bricks and yelling. She scooped her phone up and checked.
Hi, sweetheart. I’m thinking about you tonight. Can you let me know you’re okay?She could practically hear Patrick’s gravelly voice when she read his words. A warm sensation settled just below her belly button.
“Omigod. Did O’Doul text you? You should see the look on your face right now.”
Ari’s chin snapped up. “He’s just making sure I’m okay.”
“Uh-huh.” Becca rolled her eyes. “If he’s on his way over here I’ll make myself scarce.”
“No! That isnothappening. Start the movie. We’re just up to the good part.”
“It’s all the good part,” Becca pointed out. “But you’d better reply or he’ll be knocking on your door five minutes from now.”
Hell, he might be. So she did.Watching a movie with Becca and she’s staying the night.
Nice. Are you going to have as much fun with her as you did with me?
Oh, boy. She was just about to textstop itwhen Becca grabbed the phone out of her hands.
“He’s flirting with you!” she squealed. Then she started typing.
“This is so high school,” Ari complained, grabbing for the phone. Becca dodged her and managed to press send before relinquishing the phone. “What the hell did you do?” Becca’s text said,Want to wash?“Wash what? You’re going to get me fired.”
