New and…Improved? & Andrew in Excess

8

“I DON’T WANT TO HAVE TO write you up,” the cop said when neither of them moved.

Becca let out a laugh at that. She clamped her hand over her mouth and blinked her huge eyes up at the officer.

“Everything okay?” he asked her, frowning, shining the light in her face for a moment. She nodded, but he didn’t relax. “Let me see your identification please,” he said to Kent, who inwardly groaned, but reached into his pocket.

“You wouldn’t believe the evening we’ve had,” Becca told him.

“Try me.”

“Well, first Kent hurt his ankle trying to show me how to rock climb, then I got a ticket in his car-”

“You got a ticket? This evening?”

“Just a little one. And getting another would sort of ruin our plans.”

The cop studied Kent’s driver’s license. “What plans, ma’am?”

“Another adventure.” She looked at Kent and smiled. It wasn’t a casual, oh-let’s-go-eat-sushi smile either. No, it was the mother of all smiles, a cat-in-cream smile.

“An adventure,” the officer repeated doubtfully, dividing an annoyed look between the two of them. “And would this include anything illegal?”

“Absolutely not,” Becca said sweetly, with contrasting fire in her gaze.

Kent’s heart stopped. Desire flooded him.

The policeman sighed in annoyance. “Just make sure you go home first, could you? I don’t know what you people see in these woods. It’s damn cold out here.”

“You’ve never been in love,” Becca decided.

No, Kent thought. Not love. Never love.

Vaguely he heard Becca answer another question before they were left alone, but he couldn’t concentrate on any of that now.

He’d only offered an adventure, nothing else, he assured himself. He hadn’t led her on.

Not on purpose anyway.

“Whew, that was close,” she whispered with a smile, moving close again. Happiness shimmered from her. “This must be what it’s like to be a lust-struck teenager. I think I like it.”

Her eyes were shiny with excitement. Just excitement, he told himself, but that was a lie, too. There was more in her gaze, much more, and he felt his heart crack.

Dammit!

He’d known this would happen, that his fondness for her as a friend would war with the part of him that lusted after her. They hadn’t even done anything more than kiss, and already he was feeling responsible for her, worried that he was going to hurt her.

He wasn’t even aware of moving back away from her until she sighed, a wealth of sudden sadness in the sound. “You have that panicked look on your face,” she said quietly. “The one that Cookie told me about. She said it’s the look you had last summer when your girlfriend brought up the price of diamonds.”

“She wasn’t my girlfriend.”

Wrong answer. Becca’s face blanked, all emotion cleanly wiped away. “Oh, would you look at that?” she said, glancing at her watch. “It’s late. I’m sorry.” She rose gracefully. “I’ll walk.”

“No, you won’t.” He managed to hobble after her and after a brief hesitation, he handed her his keys.

“What if I get another ticket?” she asked coolly.

“You won’t.” He held the driver’s door open when she would have shut it on his face. “Becca…I’m sorry.”

She looked straight ahead through the windshield. “Nothing to be sorry for. You’ve changed your mind. You can’t handle it. No biggee.” Disturbingly distant, she put the key in the ignition. “Get in, Kent. I’ll drive you home and walk from there.”

“And then what?”

“Then you leave me alone.”

Leave her alone. Was he really supposed to be able to do that?

Hunkering down, ignoring the pain in his ankle, he leaned into the car, putting a fist on either side of her hips, caging her in so that she had no choice but to look at him. “Becca-”

She simply started the car and put it in gear. “Better get in,” she said casually, revving the engine. “I know how fond of your toes you are.”

AT SIERRA LAB’S weekly staff meeting, everyone currently involved in a project read off their latest progress.

Becca was up.

She had the most erotic voice, Kent thought, lost in it like a stupid lovesick fool.

Around a table laden with donuts, bagels, croissants and various juices sat Dennis, Jed and two of Kent’s other lab techs, Sally and Tiki.

Despite himself, Becca continued to hold Kent’s attention. Her eyes were intent, her body leaned forward toward the others as she spoke.

She loved her job and it showed.

She was upset with Kent and that showed, too.

She hadn’t spoken to him all morning, despite his repeated attempts to get her to talk. He’d asked, as he’d trailed her down the hallway, if she was okay.

Yes.

That was all, just yes.

He asked if she was mad at him.

No.

She wasn’t mad. She wasn’t anything, but late for their meeting, and could he please remember they were at work and not on their own personal time?

Dammit, I’m the boss, he’d called after her as she’d rushed down the hall, away from him, hips gently swinging, skirt flying, legs flashing.

Frustrated, he’d followed her into the meeting.

Her hair shone under the lights and so did her green eyes. Kent sat there morosely and lost the train of what she was saying. Instead he tapped his pencil against his thigh and wondered yet again how he’d never noticed her eyes before, when they intrigued him so much now, and knew it was because she no longer wore her glasses.

“I liked those glasses,” he muttered.

“I’m sorry, Kent…what?”

Startled from his sulk, he looked up to find everyone looking at him. Everyone except Becca. Great. “Nothing.”

Jed took the floor next and Kent quickly lost track of his project too, as he stared at Becca. The new Becca. He liked her all pretty and polished, anyone would. She was beautiful.

But the truth was he liked her natural, too, without the makeup and the hair. Without the fancy clothes.

He missed her jeans.

“What?” several people asked him at the same time.

“What what?” Kent said, confused.

“Jeans,” Dennis repeated patiently, his eyes full of mischief. “You miss her jeans. Should I bother to ask whose jeans you miss?”

Kent didn’t dare glance at Becca, but he heard a clunk and couldn’t resist.

She had dropped her head to the table. Her ears were red.

“Nothing,” Kent mumbled. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Dennis nodded seriously, his mouth quirking with barely repressed laughter. “Uh-huh. Maybe you ought to try to stay with us here today, boss.”

“Just continue.” He couldn’t believe the calm in which they did, especially Becca.

How had she forgotten what had almost happened between them? Had she forgotten their kiss? She couldn’t have. He could live to be a hundred years old and never forget that kiss.

Suddenly he registered everyone’s collective gasp. With dread, Kent looked around. Becca was beet-red again and he closed his eyes. “Don’t tell me, I said that out loud too.”

“Yep.” Dennis didn’t bother to hide his grin now. “Is there maybe something you’d like to share, Kent? Something about…” He glanced at Becca, who studiously avoided everyone’s gaze. “About a kiss, perhaps?”

“Yes,” Tiki said, laughing. “Tell all.”

“Or maybe we should be asking Becca?”

Everyone in the room seemed to be enjoying Kent’s and Becca’s discomfort immensely. Becca on the other hand, looked as though she wished a huge hole would open up and swallow her alive.

“How about it, Becca?” Dennis lifted one eyebrow. “Anything new?”

“Dennis?” Kent interrupted politely.

Dennis turned to him, still grinning. “Yes?”

“Shut up.”

Everyone laughed at that, but there was more than one speculative glance divided between himself and Becca, who had stopped avoiding him to glare at him. He couldn’t blame her. “I’m sorry,” he mouthed and she rolled her eyes and looked away, doubling the distance between them.

He wasn’t helping his cause any. And what cause was that? Hadn’t he’d known this was a bad idea from the very start?

He should just let it go.

That would be smart. No more rhapsodizing over her voice, no more mourning like a lovesick dweeb over her eyes. They’d just forget about this attraction. They were grown-ups, they could do it.

Becca passed him a quickly sprawled note.

You’re off the hook. I’m going to find another adventure. Go away.

Good, he thought, waiting for the relief to hit him. She’d made it so easy.

There would be nothing more between them, they were free to go on with their lives. He liked his life, quiet and simple. No permanent ties.

Yep, things were good.

Really good.

But damn if a small part of him wondered what she’d do now. Becca was different, special, she needed someone who would appreciate her, and he had the sinking feeling by turning away, he’d made the biggest mistake of his life.

Around him, the meeting continued. Tiki was speaking and everyone was listening.

Yeah, Becca had made it real easy for him. So why did he feel so miserable?

Across the table, his gaze met hers. “I can’t do it, I can’t go away,” he said to her. The thought of his life stretching out in front of him, long and lonely, didn’t seem to hold the same appeal it used to. “I don’t want off the hook.”

Abruptly, Tiki stopped talking, and everyone stared at him.

Becca rose to her feet in one fluid move. Another few steps and she was at the door. “This is really my fault,” she said to him. “Don’t feel badly.”

“Wait!” he called to her as she turned to leave.

“I thought I knew what I wanted,” she said, clearly conscious of their audience as she kept her gaze down. “And it was all great, really great. Especially the makeover, which gave me the in with you. But it’s no longer enough, Kent. I’m sorry.”

Wait. Makeover? Did she really believe that had made any difference to him? “Becca-”

“No.” Her smile came straight from the gut, and it was so sad and wrenching, it nearly broke his heart. “Don’t say anything. Goodbye, Kent.” She closed the door behind her.

When she was gone, everyone turned to Kent, eyes wide and curious.

“Well, that meeting went well,” he said.

LAKE TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT, it took him only a few minutes to get to the salon.

Summer looked up from her client when he limped in. She gave the woman’s hair a gentle pat, whispered something, then came toward him with a welcoming smile.

No tight black dress today, but a snug skirt beneath a cropped top and an open denim jacket. Young chic. She was gorgeous, and by the confident way she sauntered over to him, Kent knew that she knew it.

“Dr. Dreamboat,” she said, laughing when he grimaced at the nickname. “What can I do for you? A manicure? Pedicure?”

“No,” he said, backing up a step, imagining himself tied to a chair and having his ticklish feet worked on. “Nothing for me. I came about Becca.”

Summer’s smile faded. “Is she okay? Hurt? Sick?”

“No.”

But something in his expression must have tipped her off. She took his arm and led him past her client, smiling at the woman and promising to be right back.

Her office was a cool, white, comfortable room made interesting with lush, green plants. She gestured him to a chair, and once he sat, she leaned back against a small, neat desk. “What’s the matter with Becca?” she asked.

“Me, mostly. But it’s also your makeover.”

“Excuse me?”

Kent rolled his shoulders. “It’s confusing, but she wanted this new adventurous life-style and she thought the new look could give it to her.”

Summer crossed her arms. “Don’t be silly. This makeover has been good for her. She’s even gone out on a date. She would never have done that before, she’d never have made the time for herself.”

While that was fascinating information Kent filed away for later, he couldn’t let this go. “Yes, she’s definitely come out of her shell. She’s on a mission for a good time.”

“So give her one.”

That he’d wanted to do exactly that didn’t escape him. “I’m off the hook apparently,” he said wryly, and at her narrowed brow, he shrugged. “Her words.”

“You idiot. What happened?” She sighed when he didn’t answer. “And here I thought you were so smart.”

“Are you going to help me here or not?”

“Why?”

“Why? What kind of question is that?”

“A good one,” she said evenly. “You care about her.”

“Yeah. So?”

“You also love her.”

As far as shock value went, it was a good one. He could feel his lungs constricting, closing off air. “I’ve got to go.” He was at the door, his throat tight, his heart pounding, when Summer stopped him.

“You know what I think, Dr. Dreamboat? I think you’re a big phony.” Her voice softened, filled with sympathy. “You’re far more involved here than you want to be, aren’t you?”

Well there was a news flash. “Look, are you in or not?”

She studied him, then smiled. “You can put away that dark, gorgeous scowl. I’m going to help your sorry hide, even if it means I have to resort to bribery.”