I’ve got
another big day tomorrow.” She closed the lid on her deluxe grill and replaced
the cover. “I hope you don’t mind bein’ on your own for dinner tomorrow night?”
“Why? You expectin’ rehearsals to run
late?”
“No, I’ve got to attend a charity
fundraiser for the literacy foundation tomorrow.”
“You need a date?” He tried to sound
nonchalant, but he knew he wasn’t fooling her.
“Thanks, but I’ve already invited someone.”
The news she was dating someone else hit
him hard. “You know it’s not a good idea to be datin’ until we find this guy
who’s been stalkin’ you.” Even once they found him, Mike thought the notion of
her dating someone else was just about the worst idea he’d ever heard.
“It’s okay, your dad checked this guy out
personally and he gave me the green light.”
Mike would have to have a little chat with
his old man tomorrow about minding his own damned business where Tori was
concerned.
“I don’t mean to sound ungrateful, but
would you mind makin’ yourself scarce tomorrow night?”
“You’ve gotta be kiddin’ me?” All of the
alcohol Mike had consumed in the past several hours suddenly went to his head.
“You’re not seriously thinkin’ about bringin’ this guy back here, are you?”
“Why the hell not? It’s my house. I can do
what I want.”
“I thought you said you’d never brought
anyone back here before?”
“I haven’t, but there’s gotta be a first
time.”
Mike knew he was the first, and he wanted
to be the last.
She sighed. “We’ve been seein’ each on and
off for the past few months. He’s from out of town…” She looked uneasy when she
said, “This may be the last time we hook up before I go out on the road.”
Mike jumped out of the iron chair so fast
he upended it. “Oh, hell, no! You’re not gonna sleep with that asshole tomorrow
night, if that’s what you’re thinkin’.”
“Like you could stop me.” She moved to the
door, but he beat her to it, blocking the only entrance to the house.
“Don’t do this. Please.” Mike had never
pleaded with a woman before in his life, but if he had to get down on his knees
to make her think twice about sleeping with some other guy, he would.
“You don’t get to set the rules,
Lieutenant. This is my playground. I get to decide who I invite over.”
His hands bracketed her hips and he pulled
her toward him. “Don’t even try pretendin’ you don’t feel something for me.”
“You really think I’m stupid enough to give
you another chance after the way you treated me last time?”
He raked his hand through his hair, feeling
helpless, desperate, like the clock was ticking and he was running out of time
to plead his case. “I already said I was sorry about that. I tried to make you
understand—”
She pressed her fingertips against his lips
as she shook her head. “Fool me once, shame on you,” she whispered. “Fool me twice,
shame on me .”
Tori had already left the house by the time
Mike went looking for her the following morning. That woman was a loose cannon.
She couldn’t follow the simplest instructions.
“What’s with you?” Josh asked when his son
marched into the studio, barely sparing him a glance.
Mike scowled at Tori, who was dominating center
stage as she performed the upbeat party anthem from her latest album. “I don’t
know how the hell I let you talk me into this.”
Josh laughed as he poured strong coffee
into a disposable cup and handed it to Mike. “Looks like someone hasn’t had his
shot of caffeine this mornin’.”
“I’ll need somethin’ a hell of lot stronger
than coffee if I’ve got a prayer of gettin’ through the day.” Or more
specifically, the night . He had no doubt he’d be making himself crazy
wondering what Tori was up to with her date. “By the way, I’ve got a bone to
pick with you.”
Josh rolled his eyes. “What’d I do this
time?”
“You told Tori she could go out with
another big day tomorrow.” She closed the lid on her deluxe grill and replaced
the cover. “I hope you don’t mind bein’ on your own for dinner tomorrow night?”
“Why? You expectin’ rehearsals to run
late?”
“No, I’ve got to attend a charity
fundraiser for the literacy foundation tomorrow.”
“You need a date?” He tried to sound
nonchalant, but he knew he wasn’t fooling her.
“Thanks, but I’ve already invited someone.”
The news she was dating someone else hit
him hard. “You know it’s not a good idea to be datin’ until we find this guy
who’s been stalkin’ you.” Even once they found him, Mike thought the notion of
her dating someone else was just about the worst idea he’d ever heard.
“It’s okay, your dad checked this guy out
personally and he gave me the green light.”
Mike would have to have a little chat with
his old man tomorrow about minding his own damned business where Tori was
concerned.
“I don’t mean to sound ungrateful, but
would you mind makin’ yourself scarce tomorrow night?”
“You’ve gotta be kiddin’ me?” All of the
alcohol Mike had consumed in the past several hours suddenly went to his head.
“You’re not seriously thinkin’ about bringin’ this guy back here, are you?”
“Why the hell not? It’s my house. I can do
what I want.”
“I thought you said you’d never brought
anyone back here before?”
“I haven’t, but there’s gotta be a first
time.”
Mike knew he was the first, and he wanted
to be the last.
She sighed. “We’ve been seein’ each on and
off for the past few months. He’s from out of town…” She looked uneasy when she
said, “This may be the last time we hook up before I go out on the road.”
Mike jumped out of the iron chair so fast
he upended it. “Oh, hell, no! You’re not gonna sleep with that asshole tomorrow
night, if that’s what you’re thinkin’.”
“Like you could stop me.” She moved to the
door, but he beat her to it, blocking the only entrance to the house.
“Don’t do this. Please.” Mike had never
pleaded with a woman before in his life, but if he had to get down on his knees
to make her think twice about sleeping with some other guy, he would.
“You don’t get to set the rules,
Lieutenant. This is my playground. I get to decide who I invite over.”
His hands bracketed her hips and he pulled
her toward him. “Don’t even try pretendin’ you don’t feel something for me.”
“You really think I’m stupid enough to give
you another chance after the way you treated me last time?”
He raked his hand through his hair, feeling
helpless, desperate, like the clock was ticking and he was running out of time
to plead his case. “I already said I was sorry about that. I tried to make you
understand—”
She pressed her fingertips against his lips
as she shook her head. “Fool me once, shame on you,” she whispered. “Fool me twice,
shame on me .”
Tori had already left the house by the time
Mike went looking for her the following morning. That woman was a loose cannon.
She couldn’t follow the simplest instructions.
“What’s with you?” Josh asked when his son
marched into the studio, barely sparing him a glance.
Mike scowled at Tori, who was dominating center
stage as she performed the upbeat party anthem from her latest album. “I don’t
know how the hell I let you talk me into this.”
Josh laughed as he poured strong coffee
into a disposable cup and handed it to Mike. “Looks like someone hasn’t had his
shot of caffeine this mornin’.”
“I’ll need somethin’ a hell of lot stronger
than coffee if I’ve got a prayer of gettin’ through the day.” Or more
specifically, the night . He had no doubt he’d be making himself crazy
wondering what Tori was up to with her date. “By the way, I’ve got a bone to
pick with you.”
Josh rolled his eyes. “What’d I do this
time?”
“You told Tori she could go out with
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