Hot Finish by Erin McCarthy Page B

them.
    The light changed and she waited until he had pulled forward, then she changed lanes, whipped into the shopping center parking lot, and redirected her car to head back home.
    Her big lonely bed was waiting for her.
    Yay her.
    Suzanne hit the steering wheel again and cursed Ryder from here to Talladega for kissing her.
    Then she cursed herself for kissing him back.

    RYDER knew he was risking Suzanne being royally pissed at him, but then again, he pretty much risked that on a regular basis just by breathing.
    He pulled into the parking lot of her condo complex at a quarter to twelve, noting her car was in its assigned spot. There was no doubt in his mind that she had intended them to have this conference call at separate locations, but after last night, after that kiss, after her rejection, he wanted to see her.
    He knew why she’d changed her mind, and hell, she had probably been smart to do it, but he couldn’t help but think they had some seriously unfinished business. Maybe the long night spent tossing and turning in his empty bed had affected his brain cells, because normally he avoided poking the bear, but today, he wanted to look Suzanne in the eye and discuss the fact that he had kissed her and she had kissed him back.
    When he rang her doorbell, she answered right away, and her face was pinched but resigned. “I meant for us to do this call at our own houses.”
    “You never said that,” he pointed out, which was the truth.
    “You knew what I meant.”
    “Maybe. Maybe not. I’m not all that bright.” He gave her a smile.
    She shifted, one hand still on the door like she might slam it shut in his face. She was wearing jeans again and a black sweater. A shiny belt buckle drew attention to her flat stomach and Ryder marveled again how much he was attracted to her still. It seemed like at some point he should have stopped thinking of her as the hottest woman to grace the planet, but he hadn’t.
    “Well, that’s true,” she said, but she tempered the words with a smile of her own. “You certainly don’t have any sense of self-preservation.”
    “I’m a race car driver. I like to take risks.”
    “What you’re risking is becoming a serious pain in the butt.” But she moved out of the way. “Since you’re here, come in, and let’s get this taken care of.”
    “Such warmth, such enthusiasm.” Ryder followed her into the house. Her dining room table was still covered with bridal magazines and her computer was open to a picture of something that was either a wedding gown or a tablecloth, he wasn’t sure which. Seeing the grease stain from the pizza still glaring up at him on the carpet, Ryder felt guilty.
    “Sorry about the pizza incident. I had no idea Nikki would go nuts like that. You want me to call the carpet cleaners?” He knew she’d say no, but he had to offer.
    “No, that’s okay, I can do it. It’s not your fault she lives on iceberg lettuce, with a little romaine tossed in when she’s feeling downright wild.” Suzanne flopped onto a chair and dug through a pile to get out the manila envelope from the lawyer. “Damn, I’m tired. I must be getting old.”
    He figured this was the best opening she was ever going to grant him, so Ryder sat in the chair next to her and went for broke. “I’m tired, too. I didn’t get much sleep last night because I kept thinking about you.”
    She shot him a nervous look but didn’t say anything.
    “Suz, are we going to discuss the fact that we kissed last night?”
    “No, we’re not going to discuss it. It was a long day, and we were feeling nostalgic, fueled by alcohol and this.” She held up the packet and shook it. “It doesn’t change anything.”
    “No?” he asked mildly. He knew when to retreat with Suzanne. And when to push. “Alright, then. Guess that means I can kiss you again and it won’t matter either.”
    Her eyes went wide and she shoved her chair back, away from him. “No!”
    Ryder suppressed the urge to grin.