Page 97 of Settling the Score

Ridiculously.

Having days ago given up on the very juvenile idea of making him want her and then walk away, in the end, that was exactly what had happened. Only it hadn’t just been fun and flirty. It hadn’t been harmless. She could say with absolute certainty that her rejection of Aiden had hurt him. Deeply.

She believed he did, in fact, love her on some level.

Maybe he always had, but not enough.

Not enough to make it work.

Not enough to even try.

What if something happened in a year’s time, where he had to choose between Sienna and something else? Another predicament where he felt like he had to leave her? She’d never feel safe with him. She’d never feel secure. Because she’d felt both those things in the past, she’d felt totally lulled into a false sense of security, and he’d ripped it right out from under her.

Bouncing back from that had been no mean feat.

‘So, what do you think?’

‘I think your last name should be Machiavelli,’ he said with a carefree grin, and no idea that Sienna’s never-fully-recovered heart was currently experiencing fresh stress fractures. ‘That’s a pretty well-cooked plan.’

‘Well, I had help,’ she assured him. ‘There were a couple of other evil geniuses at work.’

‘Hmm.’

‘So?’

‘I’m willing to help you,’ he said quickly. ‘It doesn’t cross the line, as far as I’m concerned, and God knows the bastard deserves it.’ Having heard the full story, which Paige had authorised Sienna to share, Chuck had been a very serious, very angry version of his usual self. ‘Why don’t we have lunch next week, to go over the finer details?’

‘Erm, because I won’t be here next week.’

He laughed. ‘No, you’ll be in Ashbury Falls, right?’

She was surprised he remembered the name. ‘Right.’

‘A place I’m dying to see after hearing Aiden’s five-star review of it.’

She rolled her eyes. ‘Funny, the tourism board went a different direction, in the end, to asking him to be spokesperson.’

‘Funny,’ he agreed, with a wink. ‘I’ve got business nearby. It’s no hassle to come to you. You can buy me a burger in the local diner.’

‘Ha. I happen to work in the local diner, I can probably score you one for free.’

‘Ah, I always love a girl who can hook me up with a freebie.’ He leaned forward and squeezed her hand, then slipped a business card over the table. ‘We could go for a run afterwards?’

‘It’s too hot for a run at lunch time.’ She pulled a face.

‘Fine, we’ll make it dinner.’

‘I’m not running after eating a burger.’

‘Shame.’ He grinned. ‘I’d like a chance to whoop your ass again.’

She rolled her eyes. ‘You wish.’

He shrugged, then looked over her shoulder. ‘Someone’s waiting for you.’

She turned, glancing in the same direction. Aiden was hovering a couple of feet away.

Her heart stammered then pounded into her ribcage.