Page 37 of Falling for the Bad Boy

She crossed the space between us and met me there. “I owe you one.”

“Don’t worry about it. Just being neighborly.”

We reached for the doorknob at the same time, bumping hands. She backed off, letting me close my fingers around the knob.

“How about dinner later to pay you back for coming up with my business name?” she asked.

“Trinity, I don’t think that’s such?—”

“I’m talking takeout. I’ll order some Chinese and we can sit on the floor.” She lifted her shoulders. “Just a small way of saying thanks.”

I didn’t have plans. It’s not like I was going to have a better alternative. “Fine. As long as you get Kung Pao Chicken.”

“You like it spicy, huh?”

“The hotter the better.”

Her eyes widened a bit as she realized the double entendre. “Get out of here. Seven o’clock. I’ll bring the dinner, you bring the beer?”

“Deal.” I didn’t bother with a handshake. It wouldn’t do any good to touch her again. The feel of her palm against mine had been seared into my memory. No matter how much she wanted to pretend we were nothing but neighbors, nothing but two adults being friendly, I couldn’t shut down the kind of heat she’d stirred up inside.

Rather than walk around the outside of the building to the stairs in back, I decided to cut through Tapped to get back to my apartment upstairs. I left the sunny day behind me as I stepped inside the dark interior of the bar. Even though we shared the same building, the vibe on this side radically contrasted with the bright open space next door.

“Hey, Oliver. Got a sec?” Wyatt stood behind the bar.

I nodded as I crossed the room.

“Let’s chat in the office.” Wyatt gestured toward the back hall.

I followed, waiting for my boss to crack a joke about the offer he’d made last night. Even as I settled into the chair facing the desk, I expected him to downplay the conversation.

Instead, he kicked his feet up on the desk. “You think about what we talked about last night?”

Bracing my forearms on my thighs, I leaned toward the desk. “You’re serious?”

“Hell yeah. Without the space next door, I’m dead in the water. I don’t have a choice.”

I let my head hang down. I studied my shoelaces as I contemplated how to respond to Wyatt’s offer. How could I live with myself if I took active steps to shut Trinity down?

“Well?” Wyatt prodded.

“I can’t, man.” I stood. “I’m sorry, but I don’t play that way. I hate to say it, but you had your chance at buying the building. You should have taken it while you could.”

Wyatt nodded, the picture of calm resignation, completely opposite to the reaction I expected. Something didn’t add up.

“I’m not going to be able to help you.” I restated my decision. I wanted to be one-hundred percent sure that Wyatt got the message. Loud and clear.

“You’re positive about that?” He asked as he examined his nails.

“Yeah. I’m out.”

The silence dragged on. I waited for some sign of acknowledgement. When it didn’t come, I gave up. "I’ve got things to do. I’ll catch you later.”

Wyatt nodded. “So there’s nothing I could say or do that might make you reconsider?”

What the hell kind of game was he playing? I shrugged. “No.”

A sly grin spread over Wyatt’s face. “What if I brought up the idea of a partnership?”