Inevitable by Michelle Rowen Page A

it?”
    â€œOh, yes.” He grabbed the book and thumbed through it. “I even dog-eared the pages I liked best.”
    â€œThen consider that your copy.” She forced a smile and hoped that her cheeks didn’t appear as flushed as they felt. “My gift to you. Would you like it signed?”
    â€œAbsolutely.” He smiled and his blue eyes locked with hers. “Interesting that the hero is named Bryan.”
    Her heart started pounding faster. “It’s a common name.”
    â€œAnd he’s also the heroine’s business partner. And they investigate paranormal phenomena.”
    â€œSo?”
    He leaned back. “I guess you’re going to pretend that Bryan isn’t based on me.”
    â€œHe isn’t.”
    â€œLooks like me, sounds like me, same role in your life—”
    â€œYou’re not my partner anymore.”
    â€œâ€”and your heroine, who frankly sounds a whole lot like you, can’t keep her hands off of him. Really, Em, I had no idea what a dirty little mind you have. A couple scenes in here even made me blush. They’re the scenes I dog-eared so I can read them again later.”
    She glared at him. “Do you have a purpose for barging into the middle of my date or was it just to embarrass me?”
    â€œIs there another option?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œListen, what I want is a chance to talk to you. Just you and me without any negativity swirling around. Do you think that’s possible?”
    â€œIf you wanted that, then you shouldn’t have waved this book in my face and tried to make me feel self-conscious about it.”
    Ryan looked a bit confused. “Why would you feel self-conscious? Em, you have to own what you like to do and to hell with anyone else’s opinion. It’s a great book. Quite honestly, I was going to tease you about it a bit, but then I read it and…I liked it.”
    She studied him to see if he was lying to her. It was hard to tell with Ryan. Her face warmed at the unexpected compliment. “You should join my Facebook page.”
    â€œMaybe I will. Now that I know your secret identity.”
    â€œIt doesn’t matter anyway. This is the only one I’ll be writing.”
    He frowned. “Why?”
    â€œI want to focus on my career with PARA.”
    â€œI don’t see why you can’t do both. I think it would be a mistake for you to stop doing something you’re so good at.” The gazes locked and a warm emotion that went well beyond lust slid behind his blue eyes. “Hell, Em. You still don’t know how amazing you are, do you?”
    How she wanted him. Right here. Right now. Her body ached for his, every minute he was close to her. And it was moments like this that Emma remembered why she’d begun to fall for him before. Why she still cared abouthim even after everything that had happened. He could tease and turn on the charm when it suited him, but underneath that shiny layer was something else, something vulnerable that he’d allowed her to see when they’d been friends and partners. It was something she liked, was drawn to, and wanted to see more of. But he seemed hesitant to let that glossy exterior slip very often.
    She knew Charlotte had never seen that deeper side of Ryan. She’d been so happy with the exterior package, she didn’t bother to look too deeply inside.
    At this point, Emma was afraid what more she might find if she looked too closely and how much she’d like it.
    She knew Ryan had had a troubled youth that got him in hot water with the police. He’d confided this to her once when they’d been staked out in a car for six hours.
    Damn. If she hadn’t seen him steal with her own eyes, she never would have believed it. But it had happened. And the fact that he’d denied it to her face kept her from ever entertaining the possibility of something more with him.
    She could deal with a repentant