Come Home Again (The Donovans) (7 page)

“Sorry. I’m a little distracted.”

Mia shoved her glasses up the bridge of her nose. “Is this man distracted or job distracted?”

Delilah absently licked her lips and cursed the fact that they still tingled. Damn him. One kiss, and Nate had left her whole body vibrating for days after. “Job distracted.”

Mia narrowed her eyes. “Uh-huh. ’Cause I have to tell you, it looks like man distraction, but if you say so. Oh, have you told Mom you’re not coming to her birthday dinner on Sunday?”

Delilah groaned. Her mother was going to kill her. Once a month, all the family that was local went to their childhood home for dinner. She’d missed the last two months already. And this was her mother’s birthday. She’d already planned a make up spa weekend with her, but she had a feeling that wouldn’t cut it. “I’ll call her. I swear.”

“You’d better. You know her when she’s pissed. Besides, most of us are starting to wonder if you’re a myth. Sure,
I
see you, and I know you see Dylan, but that’s only because we drag you out of your office. You can’t work yourself to death without stopping for fun every now and again.”

Delilah knew better than to tell her sister it wasn’t work that had kept her from going home the last few months. She’d been avoiding the inevitable ‘When are you going to get married/get a boyfriend/stop working so hard?’ questions. With eleven brothers and sisters, it was par for the course, but still.

When her mother had remarried, Delilah had never imagined her life would include a hoard of new siblings. John had two sons, Dylan and Derek. As if that hadn’t been enough Brady-Huxtable fun for them, starting with Nate, they had fostered, then adopted eight others. Delilah loved her family and made it a point to call often, but going home was always a little overwhelming. Especially when she never had anything new to report except clients.

But one thing was for sure. She certainly wasn’t going to tell anyone about this particular client. Delilah didn’t want to be the one to dredge all that up. After all, what would she say? “Hey, Mom and Dad, I found Nate. He never bothered to reach out ’cause he didn’t feel like it.” Yeah, she’d just go ahead and keep that little bit of information to herself.

Delilah cleared her throat. “I know. And I’m not. But you’re really one to talk. The land of reality TV love must keep you hopping.”

Mia flushed rosy under her café-au-lait skin. “It does. But at least I make it home when I’m called. You buck the system.”

“So who’s the new bachelor this time around? Or are you on the women’s round? I lose track.”

“Honestly, so do I. But it’s that football player, Adam Hetherington.”

Delilah knew him well. Her firm had kept him out of the news often enough, thanks to his penchant for drinking too much. But she kept her mouth shut. “I’m sure more than one woman in the office is trying to figure out how to be one of his choices.”

“Not me,” Mia said. “I like my men a little more sincere.”

Delilah nodded in agreement. Her sister had a point. “Yeah, tell me about it.”

Mia studied her quietly for a minute. The intensity of her soft blue gaze made Delilah squirm. Mia saw too much.

“Do you want to tell me why you keep rubbing your lips?”

Delilah should have known she wouldn’t be able to duck the questions. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Mia smirked, making her sky blue eyes dance. “Right? This is me you’re talking to. I tell stories all day. I can spot when someone has one to tell.”

Delilah struggled with how much to tell Mia. Not like her sister would ever see Nate again. “If I tell you this, this is going in the bank vault. Do you understand?”

She nodded enthusiastically. “Spill.”

“That new client? I kissed him. Or rather he kissed me.”

Mia’s brows shot up. “Sister, that must have been some kiss. Or at least I assume it was good, if you’re still touching your lips.”

Delilah groaned and covered her face with the napkin. Maybe if she sat like this long enough, she could erase the kiss, erase the need that coursed through her blood now. Except, it
had
been some kiss. Now her emotions were twisted into a mangled mess with no hope of untwining them. “The man knows how to kiss. I can’t lie. But it can’t happen again.”

“Why the hell not? You deserve to have some hot and juicy man cake in your life.”

“It’s complicated.”

“What can be so complicated? Hot man kisses you. You stop thinking, and you go for it. Even I know that, Dee.”

Delilah covered her face with her hands. “I can’t go for it.”

“Come on, Delilah, live a little. Or rather, let me live vicariously through you. Why can’t you have a little fun?”

“For starters, I don’t trust him.”

Mia pondered that for a moment before speaking. “How is that different from any of the other men you date? You have some seriously insurmountable walls, big sis.”

“We have a history.”

Mia leaned forward and pilfered a French fry from Delilah’s plate. “Even better. Hot ex-sex. Have some for me, would you?”

Delilah barked out a laugh. “First of all, I’m not sleeping with him, and it wasn’t like that.” She paused. “He could break me. There is no way I want to go back there.”

“Everyone’s been hurt before, Dee. You can’t shut off any new possibilities. Maybe things with this guy will be different.”

“I doubt it.”

“What else is wrong with him?”

Besides him being sexy and irritating and untrustworthy, and a manipulative liar and the kind of guy who will only hurt and disappoint? Nothing. “He’s all wrong. Not to mention a client. If anyone ever found out, I’d lose my job. Add to that, I turn sows’ ears into silk purses for a living, and it’s easy to start believing he’s something when he’s not.”

“That doesn’t sound like you to give up so easily. Your stubborn streak is legendary...” Her voice trailed. “Unless, of course, he’s more than a client.”

Delilah choked on her sip of coke. “What?”

Mia’s eyes widened. “Oh My God, he actually means something to you.”

“No. He’s nothing to me.”
Liar
. “I know better than to believe the hype. He’s the kind of guy who could really break hearts. So I’m not interested.” She smoothed a hand over her bun. “I’m so screwed. I keep thinking I’ll be able to work with him, but I don’t know.”

“Does this guy legitimately need your help? Or is he trying to get himself on TV and get some press clippings?”

Delilah slumped into her seat. “He actually needs my help. In fact, he wants to avoid the press,” she mumbled.

Mia frowned. “Can anyone else do for him what you can?”

She really hated it when her sister had a point. Nate had been right when he’d said they had a connection, that she understood him. “Not exactly.”

“Then do what you do and help him.”

Delilah met Mia’s gaze. “And pretend the kiss didn’t happen?”

Mia whistled low. “I have no idea what to tell you. You can’t have him because of the job, and you can’t think of the job because you want him?”

“That pretty much sums up my private hell.”

Even after leaving lunch with her sister, Delilah still didn’t have an answer for Mia’s question. Mia was right, she’d fought hard for this job, and it wasn’t like her to give up on something she wanted.

The moment Delilah was back in her office, her phone rang. “Hi, Mom. Did Mia tell you she saw me?”

“When are you children going to learn I have a sixth sense?” There was a smile in Sara Donovan's voice.

“In that case, I'll say your ears were burning then. Mia said E.T. should phone home.”

“And your sister has to tell you to call before you even think of me?” Her mother’s voice was teasing.

“Come on, Mom, cut me some slack. Remember which child got you
So You Think You Can Dance
tour tickets.”

“The one I barely get to see, that's who.”

Delilah groaned. She might as well rip off the Band-Aid. “Yeah, about that Mom, let me remind you that Jezzy is international, so you barely get to see her. And Holden is in and out. So you see me more than you see either of them.”

“Is this your way of telling me you won’t be here for my birthday?”

Delilah stifled a curse. “I'm sorry, Mom. I just got a new client added on top of my original workload.”

“Honestly, Delilah, I don't know why you do this to yourself. Last time you were home, your blood pressure was through the roof. I need you to start taking it easy.”

Her mother was always trying to take care of her. “I hear you, Doc. I'm in the midst of trying to build my career. If I can do it, I can carve some time out for myself.”

“Baby, I understand, but it's all about balance, you know. When was the last time you had some fun?”

Fun, fun...when was the last time she’d had fun? Or not eaten standing up at her counter as she reviewed blogs for posts about her clients. Even better, just relaxed and had a date. She’d vaguely enjoyed dating once. She was normally so on the go, she didn’t stop to think about the vast emptiness of her apartment or the sometimes crippling loneliness. And at this point, it wasn't even a matter of selection. If she’d slowed down long enough, she might have met someone nice by now. Or even accepted one of her friends’ suggestions for a blind date. And sex. God, she missed sex. But she wasn’t into one night stands and didn't have time to invest in a relationship.

But Nate is here, and he wants you.

She ignored her libido’s play for attention. “I have fun, Mom.”

“Is it worth it?”

Delilah frowned. “Of course it’s worth it. Knowing I’m doing what I love and how proud Daddy would have been of me. I don’t care about the long hours. If I can make partner, it will all be worth it.”

There was a beat of silence. “Delilah, your father would have been proud of you if you’d decided to be a street artist. Sure, he wanted you to work hard, but you don’t have to sacrifice yourself to make him proud. He loved you.”

Delilah rapidly blinked away the tears that pricked her eyelids. “I know that.” But the truth of her mother’s words chipped away at her iron will.

“Did you go and ask for more work?”

“Well, I asked for better clients, although I’m not sure how this new one is going to work out. I think it's best if he and I don’t work together.”

“Is he a bad person, fundamentally incapable of changing?”

Delilah ground her teeth. The hurt child in her wanted to hold onto the pain Nate had caused. But the fixer in her was intrigued. She wanted to see what she could do with him. “No, not a bad person. Just complicated.”

“The Delilah I know and love wouldn't turn down someone who really needed her. No matter how complicated. That Delilah doesn’t think of herself first. Just a thought. Now if he's a bad man, then fair enough. Pull yourself off that case already. But remember everybody needs help sometimes. You've always believed that.”

After another seven minutes on the phone with her mother, she picked up the phone again and called Nate. Her stomach flipped the moment his strong voice reverberated over the phone line.

“This is Nate.”

She cleared her throat. “It's, Delilah.”

He was silent for several heartbeats before saying, “I didn't think I’d be hearing from you again.”

“Well, it appears I'm full of surprises. Are you in the office now? I can stop by and pick you up for lunch.”

He hesitated for only a moment. “Actually, I had a meeting downtown. I’m at the Geo building. Do you know it?”

“I know the one. I'll be there in seven minutes.”

Willow was still on assignment dealing with Michael Ross, so she headed over without her sidekick. As her driver wove through traffic, she tried to calm her nerves. It didn’t need to be awkward. She could do this. Nate needed her help. She could give it to him without going down that dark path again.

The real problem was that she knew herself. And if she wasn’t careful, she was bound to fall for him. She’d have to find a way to avoid that at all costs.

He’d been sincere when he said he needed her. But could she trust him? And more importantly, could she trust herself around him? She’d need to be careful if she wanted to escape her dealings with him unharmed. Absolutely no entertaining the thought that he was the young boy she’d saved. That kid was gone. As long as she could remember that, she’d survive unscathed.

The lobby of the Geo building was all sleek glass and chrome. Security directed her to the conference room where Nate was waiting. Marshaling her nerves, she strode in without knocking.

Relief crossed his features first, then disbelief, then longing. Finally, he closed his laptop. When he spoke, his voice was low. “Can I ask why you changed your mind?”

Delilah tipped her chin up. “Because you need my help. But we need to set some ground rules. Don’t ever kiss me like that again. You do, and I’m gone.”

His exhale was sharp. “If you’re sure that’s what you want.”

Delilah forced her head up and down against its will and lied. “Yes. I’m sure.” She met his gaze. “Nate?”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t make me regret helping you.” But being so close to him, she remembered his kiss. Remembered his arms around her. Remembered what it felt like not to be alone.

###

N
ate didn’t want to let his relief show, but his body nearly vibrated with it. “Thank you, Lila. I was a little worried I’d have to go it alone.”

She pursed her lips. “What did I tell you about that nickname?”

“Sorry. Honest mistake.” He’d have to find a way to ignore the pull he felt to her. Hell, he’d been able to manage it as a horny teenager, why the hell couldn’t he control himself now? Probably because he’d never tasted her before.

Over the years, he’d tried to forget her. Even after seven years, she had a potent effect on him. Innocence and longing and sugar with the hint of sin. Then he’d been dumb enough to kiss her. Not his brightest hour. He needed to focus, otherwise, she’d leave him to his own devices. “Delilah, thank you. I'm not sure why you're doing this, and I don't care, just know that I'm grateful.”

She narrowed her eyes. “I'm not doing this for you. I have an assignment. I see things through.” She inhaled then took a deliberate step back.