Page 22 of Fire

“No,” I deflect, knowing I need to get out of this kitchen. Fast. “Also, we’ve been separated for six months, Tanner. And, not that it’s any of your business, but he’s just a friend. Someone I know from college.”

Just a friend.Do friends fuck?

I turn my attention back to Loren. “I’ll meet him up front.”

I’m about to make my exit until Tanner’s third degree resumes. You would think he’s jealous, but really, I think he’s more concerned about appearances than anything. Can’t haveme moving on first. How would that look? And before the formal announcement?Gasp!

“From college? Who? And since when do you have visitors at the office?”

“Since today.” I shrug, giving him an arduous expression. “I didn’t know he was popping in, but it’s not a big deal. It’s?—”

“Hendrix Creed?”

“What? How did you—” My gaze follows him, andoh my god, he’s right there. Barely inches from where I’m standing at the entrance of the breakroom. Tall, tattooed, and dressed in faded jeans and a black tee. His last name is inked in bold, black script along his sculpted forearm.

I blush. I’ve licked that tattoo.

His eyes meet mine and then go to Tanner and widen ever so slightly before I see his expression harden.

Oh, right. I did omit that detail, didn’t I?

“Hey, Tan. Good to see you.” His words seem friendly, but his tone clearly isn’t.

Tanner’s jaw tics. If there’s one thing he hates more than anything, it’s being called Tan. “I didn’t realize you and my wife were friends.”

Hendrix leans against the doorframe and folds one muscled forearm in front of the other. “Yourex-wife and I go way back.” He pauses as if letting that information sink in, but offers no further explanation. On purpose, I’m sure. Then, his gaze shifts, and those striking blue eyes find mine. My stomach does this stupid fluttery thing. “Can we talk?” His gaze flicks back to Tanner for the briefest moment. “In private.”

I see Tanner’s knuckles turn white at his sides, and I fight a smile. “Follow me.”

The second I close my office door behind us, we both try to speak at the same time. But before I can get out even the firstsyllable, I hear him say, “Tanner Price? You marriedTanner fucking Price?”

I assumed Tanner and Hendrix knew each other in college because of their mutual friendship with Edwin, but I never mentioned to Tanner that I had tutored Hendrix. I think I knew what he’d say—what he’d think—and I wanted to keep those memories free from his opinion.

They were mine.

I wince as I make my way around the desk to sit down. “A decision I distinctly regret, if you remember our conversation the other night.”

“At least it makes a little more sense why you were there.”

I scoff. “He is theonlyreason I was there. And after Saturday, I can definitively say that will be my last appearance as Mrs. Price.”

“You’re not, though,” he says, taking the chair opposite me. His eyes seem to linger on my breasts before I realize he’s looking at the name embroidered on my white coat. “Mrs. Price? Because I found your practice by searching under Valentine. Didn’t bother checking who your douchey doctor husband was, though. Was a bit in a hurry…”

My lips quirk. “Yeah, quite the sore subject in the Price family. That I didn’t take his name,” I reiterate. “But I knew how intertwined our careers would be, and I needed mine to be separate from theirs. In hindsight, it was a good choice. Saved me a shitload of paperwork.”

The corners of his eyes crinkle in amusement. “So are you going to tell me how the hell you, a ball-busting academic, ended up married to a guy once known on campus for wooing his female TAs for better grades?”

“Wait. What?”

“You didn’t know this?”

I shake my head. “I didn’t really know him as an undergrad.”

“Well, I did, unfortunately. He had this thing he would do with his female TAs. Sometimes it was flowers or a date. But what he really loved to do was give them a necklace. One with a?—”

“T,” I finish his sentence, feeling queasy all of a sudden as I remember those first few tutoring sessions.

Tanner flashes a grin as he leans over the arm of the chair in the study lab. “I got you something.”