happen. Neither she nor Ian needed the kind of pain that came from a failed relationship.
And that was the only kind of relationship that existed in Roxanne’s world.
Taking a deep breath that did nothing to fortify her, Roxanne threw back her shoulders and headed into the gallery. She barely paused to give Elle a wave—if she stopped now, she’d talk herself out of this entire mess—before moving up the stairs next to the offices. She’d only been here once before on an errand for Elle, but she knew the loft held two rooms, a bathroom, and a full kitchen. Even though they were downtown, the location above the gallery muted the traffic sounds. She couldn’t have picked a better place if she were a soldier trying to find her balance in everyday life.
She considered the door at the top of the stairs. Knock, or just walk in? Good Lord, she was about to talk herself right out of this. For a second, she hoped it was locked. It would be just the excuse she needed to walk away.
It opened beneath her hand.
Of course it did. She wasn’t going to get a single break when it came to Ian. To hope for one was stupid. Chin up, Rox. You can do this. Just keep your goddamn panties on and everything will be fine. Maybe if she said that enough times, she’d actually start to believe it. She was doing this for Elle, not because she cared one way or another if touching him soothed the haunted look in his dark eyes.
Roxanne gritted her teeth and threw the door the rest of the way open. “Honey, I’m home.”
Ian came around the corner, his chest bare and a goddamn towel wrapped around his waist. She watched a single drop of water trail between his pecs and down his abs, and licked her lips. How was she supposed to keep her head on straight and her panties in place when he was standing there, half-naked and looking good enough to eat? Hell, she could still feel his mouth on hers from their kiss at the coffee shop, and she wasn’t a goddamn saint.
His lips twisted into something that wasn’t quite a smile. “What an unexpected pleasure.”
She’d give him unexpected pleasure… Wait, no. She was here to talk, not lose control and mouth off. Roxanne crossed her arms over her chest and tried for her own smile. “Why don’t you put some pants on? I’m here to chat.”
“I don’t think I will.”
Just when she thought this couldn’t get any more uncomfortable, he went and made it worse. “Why not?”
“I’m comfortable.” He leaned against the wall and mirrored her pose. “Say what you need to say.”
“Ian…” Not exactly the warmest welcome, but she hadn’t expected anything different, not after the way she’d bolted this morning. But what did he think was going to happen? He showed up, blew her damn mind, and then held her close as if she were the only thing keeping him from his worst fears. Connection or not, she couldn’t risk spending more time with him. She reminded herself that she was doing this for Elle, not because she felt inexplicably drawn to him.
When she didn’t immediately continue, Ian raised his eyebrows. “Yes?”
Well, crap, she wasn’t sure where to go from here. There wasn’t exactly a playbook for this kind of thing. Roxanne cleared her throat. They’d never get to talking about the stuff that brought her here in the first place if they didn’t get the other stuff out of the way first. “Obviously, you have some pent-up rage. Hit me with it.”
“You came here for a reason, and it wasn’t to let me yell at you.”
“This has to be one of the strangest standoffs in history. No, please, you air your grievances first. No, no, I couldn’t possibly. ” When he only stared, she threw up her hands. “Fine, okay.” She was going to go about it like she always did—headfirst, without thinking too much. “It goes like this. Your sister is worried about you.”
“My…sister.”
Some of the anger had leached out of his voice, replaced by confusion. Roxanne figured she might
And that was the only kind of relationship that existed in Roxanne’s world.
Taking a deep breath that did nothing to fortify her, Roxanne threw back her shoulders and headed into the gallery. She barely paused to give Elle a wave—if she stopped now, she’d talk herself out of this entire mess—before moving up the stairs next to the offices. She’d only been here once before on an errand for Elle, but she knew the loft held two rooms, a bathroom, and a full kitchen. Even though they were downtown, the location above the gallery muted the traffic sounds. She couldn’t have picked a better place if she were a soldier trying to find her balance in everyday life.
She considered the door at the top of the stairs. Knock, or just walk in? Good Lord, she was about to talk herself right out of this. For a second, she hoped it was locked. It would be just the excuse she needed to walk away.
It opened beneath her hand.
Of course it did. She wasn’t going to get a single break when it came to Ian. To hope for one was stupid. Chin up, Rox. You can do this. Just keep your goddamn panties on and everything will be fine. Maybe if she said that enough times, she’d actually start to believe it. She was doing this for Elle, not because she cared one way or another if touching him soothed the haunted look in his dark eyes.
Roxanne gritted her teeth and threw the door the rest of the way open. “Honey, I’m home.”
Ian came around the corner, his chest bare and a goddamn towel wrapped around his waist. She watched a single drop of water trail between his pecs and down his abs, and licked her lips. How was she supposed to keep her head on straight and her panties in place when he was standing there, half-naked and looking good enough to eat? Hell, she could still feel his mouth on hers from their kiss at the coffee shop, and she wasn’t a goddamn saint.
His lips twisted into something that wasn’t quite a smile. “What an unexpected pleasure.”
She’d give him unexpected pleasure… Wait, no. She was here to talk, not lose control and mouth off. Roxanne crossed her arms over her chest and tried for her own smile. “Why don’t you put some pants on? I’m here to chat.”
“I don’t think I will.”
Just when she thought this couldn’t get any more uncomfortable, he went and made it worse. “Why not?”
“I’m comfortable.” He leaned against the wall and mirrored her pose. “Say what you need to say.”
“Ian…” Not exactly the warmest welcome, but she hadn’t expected anything different, not after the way she’d bolted this morning. But what did he think was going to happen? He showed up, blew her damn mind, and then held her close as if she were the only thing keeping him from his worst fears. Connection or not, she couldn’t risk spending more time with him. She reminded herself that she was doing this for Elle, not because she felt inexplicably drawn to him.
When she didn’t immediately continue, Ian raised his eyebrows. “Yes?”
Well, crap, she wasn’t sure where to go from here. There wasn’t exactly a playbook for this kind of thing. Roxanne cleared her throat. They’d never get to talking about the stuff that brought her here in the first place if they didn’t get the other stuff out of the way first. “Obviously, you have some pent-up rage. Hit me with it.”
“You came here for a reason, and it wasn’t to let me yell at you.”
“This has to be one of the strangest standoffs in history. No, please, you air your grievances first. No, no, I couldn’t possibly. ” When he only stared, she threw up her hands. “Fine, okay.” She was going to go about it like she always did—headfirst, without thinking too much. “It goes like this. Your sister is worried about you.”
“My…sister.”
Some of the anger had leached out of his voice, replaced by confusion. Roxanne figured she might
Similar Books
