Tough Enough (Tall, Dark, and Dangerous #2)(17)

“Of course you’d say that. You’re infatuated with her. I can view her more objectively,” she says, winking at me as she uses yet another of her pocket dictionary treasures.

“That I am,” Rogan confesses quietly, one corner of his sculpted mouth dipping in to reveal the dimple in his cheek that I haven’t seen since that first day. It’s enchanting, just like the rest of him. And he didn’t need any more help.

Mona pats his shoulder. “Hang in there. You’ve got Mona on your side. You’ll crack that nut before too long.”

Her comment makes me wonder what all they discuss before my arrival each morning. Up to now, Rogan seems to be uncovering enough of me without her help. God help me if she gets involved.

I make a mental note to give Mona a good talking-to about Rogan and how he doesn’t need her help to get under my skin. Damn the man, he seems to be doing just fine on his own.

“Well, I gotta go. White’s got me making arrangements for some sort of . . . thing involving his boat and an island at the lake.” With a deep sigh and a roll of her eyes, Mona breezes past me, brushing my cheek with her lips and swatting me on the butt as she goes. “See ya, Rogue.”

“Lunch?” I ask before she disappears.

Mona turns, her eyes flickering to Rogan for a second before returning to mine. “Lunch.”

When I turn around, Rogan has gotten up and moved in right behind me. His face is straight and serious, which is unusual for him.

“I won’t bother with asking you to lunch today,” he says, bringing a stab of disappointment to my gut. It’s been a bit of a game between us—he asks me to lunch every day and every day I turn him down. I guess he’s officially reached his limit. He gave up the fight. Even though he said he wouldn’t.

“I brought you this,” he says, handing me my coffee and today’s special gift. “All I ask is that you take it with you wherever you go until you go to sleep tonight.”

I take the delicate wineglass from his fingers, marveling at the exquisite cut of the crystal around its stem and the etching that bleeds from there up into the goblet. Although it’s just an empty glass, my heart stutters. It seems like . . . more. Like a promise.

He asked me yesterday what my favorite kind of wine was. I told him I liked sweet reds. Maybe this means nothing. Or maybe it means he plans to show up at some point and pour something into it. It’s hard to say knowing Rogan, but it still fills me with anticipation to think that he might have plans to show up in my life later. I should be stern. I should tell him right now that if that’s his plan, he need not bother. But I can’t. I can’t because, with every day that passes, I want him to bother. I want him to show up somewhere else in my life. I want more of Rogan. As unhealthy and inadvisable as it is, I want more.

“Will you do that for me?”

His voice is low again, serious. I look up into his eyes and see more of the same. I wonder if he really is tiring of our little game. It would be a shame if he was.

A pang of loss shoots through me at the mere suggestion that I might not get to enjoy this every day. That I might not get to enjoy him.

“Yes, I’ll do that for you.” I can’t even consider not doing it.

His smile is slow and more subtle than usual. He stands, towering over me, looking down at me, for longer than usual today, too. His eyes flicker over my face, stopping on my mouth. My lungs seize and I wonder if he’s going to kiss me. Much to my surprise, I want him to. I really want him to. As stupid as it is, I want to feel his lips on mine, feel the warmth of his chest against mine, feel the strength of his arms around me.

“Don’t do that,” Rogan whispers hoarsely.

My eyes fly to his, puzzled. “Don’t do what?”

“Don’t stand there and think about me kissing you. It’s hard enough as it is.”

My mouth drops open a little. “I . . . I, uh . . . I wasn’t . . .” I feel my face burn. How the hell did he know?

He smiles. A full smile that makes his eyes shimmer and my knees weak. “You’re a terrible liar.”

My insides feel twitchy, like I’m fighting the urge to laugh. “Better than a great one.”

Rogan reaches up and brushes the back of one finger over my bottom lip. A bolt of electricity rockets straight through me, lighting up every nerve along the way. “That it is.”

We stand like this for seconds. Minutes. Hours, it seems. And then, without another word, he turns to resume his seat in my makeup chair, leaving me alone in a bubble of my own mixed emotions.





TWELVE


Rogan

I’ve managed to avoid Victoria almost entirely for nearly a month. I knew my luck had come to an end when I saw her come through the door at the diner today. I was right. Damn it. She made a beeline for me, so now here I am, making nice with my ex, playing stupid as she throws every hint in the book about us getting back together.

I think I’ve done an admirable job of paying her just enough attention not to be rude. That lasts right up until Katie and Mona walk in. Even though this is pretty much the only place to eat in town (other than the deli at the grocery store and the pseudo-meat gas-station fare across the street), this is the first time I’ve run into Katie here. It didn’t take me long to realize that she eats at different times, probably based on what kind of need there is to do retouches or specialty makeup.