noticeably thawing. “You should check at the bar.”
“Thanks. I will.”
A group of six men walked out the door, their dark suits indicating they’d hit the place after a day of work. Interesting. Most clubs didn’t attract this type of clientele. What were they doing that was so different?
“How many are in your group?” the bouncer asked.
“Seven,” Julia said.
“Close enough. You can go in now. Good luck with the job.”
“Thanks.” Julia flashed a smile and sashayed into the club, putting an extra wiggle in her hips. It was the least she could do in exchange for the information.
“Hey,” Ryan’s arm curved around her waist. “I hope your sexy flounce is for me.”
Her steps became jerky, and he chuckled. She swallowed, knocked off her usual even stride. His arm felt natural around her, damn it. She’d softened naturally, leaning into his warmth. And that was stupid, but right now she was so confused and out of kilter she had difficulty thinking straight.
“Relax.”
“Easy for you to say,” she said. “You don’t have four curious friends trying to grill you for answers. Or a husband who thinks he can walk right back into your life when it suits him.”
Ryan’s arm tightened as he guided her into the intimacy of the dimly lit club. “This isn’t easy for me either.”
The tense note in his voice had her searching his face. All this time she’d thought of him as the bad guy, but what if he spoke the truth? Maybe she should own some of the problems with their marriage. She’d seen online pictures almost as soon as the band arrived in Europe, and a part of her had died when they kept appearing. Then the baby… The guilt had overwhelmed her, withering her emotions, plunging her into darkness.
“Meet me for breakfast,” she said.
“Where? When?”
“I thought I’d grab something at the cafe down the road from the club. They always used to do a decent breakfast. I want to get an early start.”
“Good idea,” Maggie said, overhearing them.
“Julia and I are having a private breakfast,” Ryan said.
Maggie’s lips twitched. “You can share a table together.”
Julia got it, and a bloom of emotion warmed her through. In their unsubtle way her friends were letting Ryan know they had her back. “Fine,” she said, squeezing Ryan’s hand to still his protest. “Maggie is right. I have a lot to do, and I can’t afford distraction.”
“Fine.” He threw her reply back at her. “We’ll share a table at breakfast, but I get a goodnight kiss.”
“That sounds fair,” Maggie said, puckering up in Ryan’s direction.
“Only if you want a spanking,” Connor said sternly.
“Yes, please.” Maggie smirked at her husband, one eye closing in a sexy wink.
Susan clapped her hands over her ears. “La, la, la, la.”
Julia laughed at Ryan’s confusion. “I’ll explain later.”
“There’s a booth,” Caleb said. “We should be able to squeeze in there.”
“Quick,” Christina said. “Let’s grab it before the people behind us get the same idea.” She took off, gliding between the chairs and tables with real speed.
Ryan’s hand slipped from around Julia’s waist, and she felt the loss straight away. Damn it. She couldn’t act this way. She wasn’t usually a pushover, yet with Ryan... Focus, girl. This is a business jaunt.
“I don’t understand why they’re restricting admission when there are loads of empty tables,” Susan said.
“They’re playing head games,” Caleb said. “If prospective customers see a line outside a club, they think exclusivity. The owners are playing the snob factor and it’s working for them.”
They crowded into the booth. Julia found herself squeezed against Ryan.
“Relax,” he whispered, slipping his arm around her shoulders. “I only bite in private.”
It was privacy that worried her. He’d burst into her life again today, and already she was toast. Well done, burned to a crisp, toast, her emotions and anger
“Thanks. I will.”
A group of six men walked out the door, their dark suits indicating they’d hit the place after a day of work. Interesting. Most clubs didn’t attract this type of clientele. What were they doing that was so different?
“How many are in your group?” the bouncer asked.
“Seven,” Julia said.
“Close enough. You can go in now. Good luck with the job.”
“Thanks.” Julia flashed a smile and sashayed into the club, putting an extra wiggle in her hips. It was the least she could do in exchange for the information.
“Hey,” Ryan’s arm curved around her waist. “I hope your sexy flounce is for me.”
Her steps became jerky, and he chuckled. She swallowed, knocked off her usual even stride. His arm felt natural around her, damn it. She’d softened naturally, leaning into his warmth. And that was stupid, but right now she was so confused and out of kilter she had difficulty thinking straight.
“Relax.”
“Easy for you to say,” she said. “You don’t have four curious friends trying to grill you for answers. Or a husband who thinks he can walk right back into your life when it suits him.”
Ryan’s arm tightened as he guided her into the intimacy of the dimly lit club. “This isn’t easy for me either.”
The tense note in his voice had her searching his face. All this time she’d thought of him as the bad guy, but what if he spoke the truth? Maybe she should own some of the problems with their marriage. She’d seen online pictures almost as soon as the band arrived in Europe, and a part of her had died when they kept appearing. Then the baby… The guilt had overwhelmed her, withering her emotions, plunging her into darkness.
“Meet me for breakfast,” she said.
“Where? When?”
“I thought I’d grab something at the cafe down the road from the club. They always used to do a decent breakfast. I want to get an early start.”
“Good idea,” Maggie said, overhearing them.
“Julia and I are having a private breakfast,” Ryan said.
Maggie’s lips twitched. “You can share a table together.”
Julia got it, and a bloom of emotion warmed her through. In their unsubtle way her friends were letting Ryan know they had her back. “Fine,” she said, squeezing Ryan’s hand to still his protest. “Maggie is right. I have a lot to do, and I can’t afford distraction.”
“Fine.” He threw her reply back at her. “We’ll share a table at breakfast, but I get a goodnight kiss.”
“That sounds fair,” Maggie said, puckering up in Ryan’s direction.
“Only if you want a spanking,” Connor said sternly.
“Yes, please.” Maggie smirked at her husband, one eye closing in a sexy wink.
Susan clapped her hands over her ears. “La, la, la, la.”
Julia laughed at Ryan’s confusion. “I’ll explain later.”
“There’s a booth,” Caleb said. “We should be able to squeeze in there.”
“Quick,” Christina said. “Let’s grab it before the people behind us get the same idea.” She took off, gliding between the chairs and tables with real speed.
Ryan’s hand slipped from around Julia’s waist, and she felt the loss straight away. Damn it. She couldn’t act this way. She wasn’t usually a pushover, yet with Ryan... Focus, girl. This is a business jaunt.
“I don’t understand why they’re restricting admission when there are loads of empty tables,” Susan said.
“They’re playing head games,” Caleb said. “If prospective customers see a line outside a club, they think exclusivity. The owners are playing the snob factor and it’s working for them.”
They crowded into the booth. Julia found herself squeezed against Ryan.
“Relax,” he whispered, slipping his arm around her shoulders. “I only bite in private.”
It was privacy that worried her. He’d burst into her life again today, and already she was toast. Well done, burned to a crisp, toast, her emotions and anger
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