leaned against the door as he spoke to her. “You’re not thinking about leaving the scene of an accident?”
Her hand stalled on the ignition. That was exactly what she’d entertained for a brief and thoughtless moment.
“I would hate to have to sic the police on you, especially since I like you. But I will.”
Brooklyn glared at him, not sure why she was so angry. Maybe because of all the men she could have selected for her one-night stand, she would pick the one that would boomerang.
“Speaking of police,” she said, reaching for her cell phone again. “Shouldn’t one of us call them?”
He nodded. “Good idea.” Disappointment laced his voice as well as etched into his features.
Before she was able to dial the number, her phone rang. “Brooklyn Douglas,” she answered. “Oh, Mr.Parris. Yes, I’m sorry, but I am running a little late. I seem to have gotten myself involved in a little fender bender.”
Her client expressed rather harshly his disappointment for having his time wasted. She drew in a deep, steady breath and tried to placate him. “Yes, Mr. Parris, I understand and I do apologize. Perhaps we can reschedule for a later time. I’m certain you’ll love this house.”
He ranted some more, but she was relieved when he agreed to another meeting. She ended the call and breathed a sigh of relief.
“Brooklyn Douglas. At last I know your full name,” Isaiah said.
“This has to be the worst day of my life.” Brooklyn’s eyes squinted against the bright sun and into his handsome face. Once again, her senses went haywire. It really was great to see him again.
“I’m sorry,” she said, reaching for the door handle. Once out of the car, she flashed him a smile. “I’m being rude.”
He held her gaze as if trying to judge her sincerity and then said, “Maybe you should go ahead and call the police. The sooner we handle this matter, the sooner we both can be on our way.”
She frowned. “Didn’t you hear me? I said that I was sorry.”
“Then I accept your apology.”
Their gazes held each other’s and Brooklyn foundherself wanting to repair the damage she’d caused. “I was rude.”
“You’ve already apologized. Maybe I should make the call,” he surmised and turned toward his car.
Brooklyn wondered if there was any way she could crawl back in bed and start the day over again. “Isaiah—”
He stopped and allowed his shoulders to sag before turning back to face her. “Look, you made it perfectly clear by your words and actions that you don’t want to have anything to do with me. I don’t need a brick building to fall on my head. Let’s just deal with this situation so we can get on with our lives. I have an emergency to get to.”
She lifted her chin. “I told you in New York that a relationship was impossible.”
“So you did. Foolish of me for expecting at least a goodbye.”
A wave of shame caught Brooklyn off guard. Who knew there was proper etiquette for one-night stands? “Isaiah—”
Flashing blue and white lights stole her attention and simultaneously brought her back to reality. What did it matter the man’s feelings were bruised? She hadn’t lied to him.
In the minutes that followed, the couple gave their statements, presented their cards, and for the most part behaved as though they were strangers.
Brooklyn swallowed a lump of dread as she acceptedthe ticket for the cause of the accident. From behind the driver’s wheel, she watched as Isaiah returned to his car.
The officer was the first to pull away from the scene while Isaiah and Brooklyn simply stared at each other through the Mercedes’s side mirror.
Isaiah knew he needed to go. His lingering on the side of the road was inexcusable, yet, at the same time, he couldn’t understand the flutter of hope in his chest. For six months he’d prayed for the opportunity to see Brooklyn again and here she was—about to walk out of his life for the second time.
He started the car and took a deep
Her hand stalled on the ignition. That was exactly what she’d entertained for a brief and thoughtless moment.
“I would hate to have to sic the police on you, especially since I like you. But I will.”
Brooklyn glared at him, not sure why she was so angry. Maybe because of all the men she could have selected for her one-night stand, she would pick the one that would boomerang.
“Speaking of police,” she said, reaching for her cell phone again. “Shouldn’t one of us call them?”
He nodded. “Good idea.” Disappointment laced his voice as well as etched into his features.
Before she was able to dial the number, her phone rang. “Brooklyn Douglas,” she answered. “Oh, Mr.Parris. Yes, I’m sorry, but I am running a little late. I seem to have gotten myself involved in a little fender bender.”
Her client expressed rather harshly his disappointment for having his time wasted. She drew in a deep, steady breath and tried to placate him. “Yes, Mr. Parris, I understand and I do apologize. Perhaps we can reschedule for a later time. I’m certain you’ll love this house.”
He ranted some more, but she was relieved when he agreed to another meeting. She ended the call and breathed a sigh of relief.
“Brooklyn Douglas. At last I know your full name,” Isaiah said.
“This has to be the worst day of my life.” Brooklyn’s eyes squinted against the bright sun and into his handsome face. Once again, her senses went haywire. It really was great to see him again.
“I’m sorry,” she said, reaching for the door handle. Once out of the car, she flashed him a smile. “I’m being rude.”
He held her gaze as if trying to judge her sincerity and then said, “Maybe you should go ahead and call the police. The sooner we handle this matter, the sooner we both can be on our way.”
She frowned. “Didn’t you hear me? I said that I was sorry.”
“Then I accept your apology.”
Their gazes held each other’s and Brooklyn foundherself wanting to repair the damage she’d caused. “I was rude.”
“You’ve already apologized. Maybe I should make the call,” he surmised and turned toward his car.
Brooklyn wondered if there was any way she could crawl back in bed and start the day over again. “Isaiah—”
He stopped and allowed his shoulders to sag before turning back to face her. “Look, you made it perfectly clear by your words and actions that you don’t want to have anything to do with me. I don’t need a brick building to fall on my head. Let’s just deal with this situation so we can get on with our lives. I have an emergency to get to.”
She lifted her chin. “I told you in New York that a relationship was impossible.”
“So you did. Foolish of me for expecting at least a goodbye.”
A wave of shame caught Brooklyn off guard. Who knew there was proper etiquette for one-night stands? “Isaiah—”
Flashing blue and white lights stole her attention and simultaneously brought her back to reality. What did it matter the man’s feelings were bruised? She hadn’t lied to him.
In the minutes that followed, the couple gave their statements, presented their cards, and for the most part behaved as though they were strangers.
Brooklyn swallowed a lump of dread as she acceptedthe ticket for the cause of the accident. From behind the driver’s wheel, she watched as Isaiah returned to his car.
The officer was the first to pull away from the scene while Isaiah and Brooklyn simply stared at each other through the Mercedes’s side mirror.
Isaiah knew he needed to go. His lingering on the side of the road was inexcusable, yet, at the same time, he couldn’t understand the flutter of hope in his chest. For six months he’d prayed for the opportunity to see Brooklyn again and here she was—about to walk out of his life for the second time.
He started the car and took a deep
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