yet?”
“Not yet. You?”
“I’ve been too busy to give Kelsey another thought. As much scheming as she and Brandy do, I’m sure theirs is coming.”
“Have you been busy with work?” I asked, genuinely curious.
“Yeah, I’ve got a project I’m working on—a new piece of extrusion machinery at a local manufacturer. We’re setting it up. I’ve been spending a lot of time training for the triathlon, too. Maybe we could run or cycle together sometime.”
“I’d like that,” I said.
When we reached the restaurant, Ridge pulled into a parking place and turned off the ignition. “Wait there.” He exited the car and hurried to my side, opening the door for me.
“Me lass,” he said gruffly in his best pirate imitation as he bowed and offered me his hand.
“ I see yer dear ol’ mum taught ye manners, ye scurvy dog,” I said sweetly as he assisted me from the car.
“Scurvy dog?” he growled. “Be careful, ye wench. Ye wouldn’t want me to make ye walk the plank, would ye?”
“Ye try it, scallywag, and ye’ll find yer bones in Davy Jones’ locker.”
He laughed as he offered me his elbow and whispered in my ear, “I forget that you have a penchant for killing off men. I’ll have to be on my best behavior.”
“Aye. It would be wise of ye.” I shot him my best I’m-nice-but-don’t-cross-me smile as he led me into the restaurant. We were immediately directed to a small table near the rear of the room.
Ridge ordered us a glass of cabernet as we looked over the menu.
After we ordered, he grinned at me and said, “You know, I’ve been skinny dipping with you, and I don’t even know what your favorite color is.”
“Red.”
“The color of blood. Why am I not surprised?” he asked, grinning.
I laughed. “ I’m not quite as evil as you make me out to be.”
“ Says the woman who threatened to send me to the bottom of the sea.”
I held up my forefinger. “Only if you tried to make me walk the plank.”
His cell phone rang, and he pulled it from the interior pocket of his suit and glanced at the caller. “It’s work. Excuse me, but I’m going to have to take it.”
I nodded my head to let him know I understood.
“It’s over -torqueing and popping the clutch?” he asked as he stared down at the table. “Heat up zones one through ten by forty more degrees Celsius. Give it thirty minutes to heat soak, and try it again. That should solve the problem. If it doesn’t, call me back.”
He listened a moment more. “All right, man. Good luck.”
Turning his attention back to me, he apologized, “Sorry about that.”
“No problem.”
He straightened his tie. “So anyway, I wanted to talk to you about looking for a house. I have my financing in place, and I think I’m ready to start the process.”
Par t of me was disappointed that his phone call had interrupted our bantering. He had now launched into business mode.
“Okay. Tell me a little bit about what you want.”
We covered his budget, and as far as the house went, I had pretty much nailed it on the head. “I’ve already printed the details of several houses you may want to take a look at,” I said.
His hazel eyes widened. “Very good, Miss Nottingham. I’m impressed.”
“A couple even have inground pools if that’s something that interests you.”
“ It would mean more upkeep, but it would also be fun. And I could get in some swimming without having to go to the gym. I’d definitely like to take a look at those, too.”
The server brought our steaks and refilled our wine. Sipping the alcohol made me remember Ridge’s promise that we’d do body shots again, and I felt the heat rising to my cheeks.
“Are you available tomorrow evening?” he asked.
“Sure,” I answered, trying not to seem giddy at the prospect of seeing him again so soon. “Do you want me to pick you up?”
“No. I’ll pick you up. I should be able to go into work a little early, so I can sneak out earlier , assuming my new
“Not yet. You?”
“I’ve been too busy to give Kelsey another thought. As much scheming as she and Brandy do, I’m sure theirs is coming.”
“Have you been busy with work?” I asked, genuinely curious.
“Yeah, I’ve got a project I’m working on—a new piece of extrusion machinery at a local manufacturer. We’re setting it up. I’ve been spending a lot of time training for the triathlon, too. Maybe we could run or cycle together sometime.”
“I’d like that,” I said.
When we reached the restaurant, Ridge pulled into a parking place and turned off the ignition. “Wait there.” He exited the car and hurried to my side, opening the door for me.
“Me lass,” he said gruffly in his best pirate imitation as he bowed and offered me his hand.
“ I see yer dear ol’ mum taught ye manners, ye scurvy dog,” I said sweetly as he assisted me from the car.
“Scurvy dog?” he growled. “Be careful, ye wench. Ye wouldn’t want me to make ye walk the plank, would ye?”
“Ye try it, scallywag, and ye’ll find yer bones in Davy Jones’ locker.”
He laughed as he offered me his elbow and whispered in my ear, “I forget that you have a penchant for killing off men. I’ll have to be on my best behavior.”
“Aye. It would be wise of ye.” I shot him my best I’m-nice-but-don’t-cross-me smile as he led me into the restaurant. We were immediately directed to a small table near the rear of the room.
Ridge ordered us a glass of cabernet as we looked over the menu.
After we ordered, he grinned at me and said, “You know, I’ve been skinny dipping with you, and I don’t even know what your favorite color is.”
“Red.”
“The color of blood. Why am I not surprised?” he asked, grinning.
I laughed. “ I’m not quite as evil as you make me out to be.”
“ Says the woman who threatened to send me to the bottom of the sea.”
I held up my forefinger. “Only if you tried to make me walk the plank.”
His cell phone rang, and he pulled it from the interior pocket of his suit and glanced at the caller. “It’s work. Excuse me, but I’m going to have to take it.”
I nodded my head to let him know I understood.
“It’s over -torqueing and popping the clutch?” he asked as he stared down at the table. “Heat up zones one through ten by forty more degrees Celsius. Give it thirty minutes to heat soak, and try it again. That should solve the problem. If it doesn’t, call me back.”
He listened a moment more. “All right, man. Good luck.”
Turning his attention back to me, he apologized, “Sorry about that.”
“No problem.”
He straightened his tie. “So anyway, I wanted to talk to you about looking for a house. I have my financing in place, and I think I’m ready to start the process.”
Par t of me was disappointed that his phone call had interrupted our bantering. He had now launched into business mode.
“Okay. Tell me a little bit about what you want.”
We covered his budget, and as far as the house went, I had pretty much nailed it on the head. “I’ve already printed the details of several houses you may want to take a look at,” I said.
His hazel eyes widened. “Very good, Miss Nottingham. I’m impressed.”
“A couple even have inground pools if that’s something that interests you.”
“ It would mean more upkeep, but it would also be fun. And I could get in some swimming without having to go to the gym. I’d definitely like to take a look at those, too.”
The server brought our steaks and refilled our wine. Sipping the alcohol made me remember Ridge’s promise that we’d do body shots again, and I felt the heat rising to my cheeks.
“Are you available tomorrow evening?” he asked.
“Sure,” I answered, trying not to seem giddy at the prospect of seeing him again so soon. “Do you want me to pick you up?”
“No. I’ll pick you up. I should be able to go into work a little early, so I can sneak out earlier , assuming my new
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