When We Met (13 page)

Patience nodded. “This is good for me. Being adventurous. Were you wearing a thong? Aren't they uncomfortable?”

Isabel laughed. “You're going to have to give us lessons on being sexy, powerful women.”

“Who wear thongs,” Patience added.

She was pretty, with brown hair and brown eyes. She grabbed the hem of her Brew-haha T-shirt and pulled it off. Her jeans followed. Taryn told herself not to judge the plain cotton bikini briefs and unadorned white cotton bra. No doubt Patience was a much better person than she could ever aspire to be.

Patience took the black dress from Isabel and pulled it on. It was a simple tank style—fitted, with princess seaming and a hemline a good six inches above her knee.

“Nice,” Taryn said. “It fits you great.”

“It's tight.” Patience tugged on the hem. “And short.”

“Sexy,” Taryn corrected. “You need a good push-up bra with that and a matching thong.” She grinned. “Only don't let him see you getting dressed or you'll never make it to dinner.”

Patience drew in a breath. “You're right. I'm busy with Brew-haha and he's busy with CDS. We have Lillie and everything else that keeps the household running. I need to be more adventurous.” She turned to Isabel. “I'll take it!”

“You should,” Isabel told her with a grin. “It's Taryn. She inspires us all.”

Taryn stepped out of the red dress and put it back on the hanger. “I want this for sure. Now for the snake-trimmed suit.”

Isabel sighed. “I won't even ask if you have shoes worthy of this. I've seen what you wear.”

“If I don't have the right shoes, I'll buy them. I love clothes and accessories and I don't care who knows it.”

“I want to borrow your attitude for a night,” Patience told her. “Justice wouldn't know what hit him.”

“Neither would Ford,” Isabel admitted.

“Your men love you the way you are,” Taryn reminded them. “And my attitude comes with a price.”

She smiled at them, as if joining in the joke, but she knew she was telling the truth. She copped an attitude because sometimes it was all she had to get her through. She'd learned early not to trust people and that the world could be a cold, unfeeling place. Pretending a strength she didn't always have had gotten her through more than once. Now that she was in a place where maybe she could relax a little, she didn't know how to let down her guard. At least not all the way.

She'd made friends here, and she was grateful. But every now and then she looked at women like Patience and Isabel and envied them. They were loved and could love in return. What would that be like? Not the friendship kind of love, but the romantic kind. Where she was the most important person in someone's life. Where there was commitment and sharing and the promise of always.

For a second she thought about Angel, then shook her head. She knew better. He'd made it clear he wasn't looking and she'd been through too much to ever see the romance of wanting what she couldn't have.

They were good together, the sex was impressive and he didn't get on her nerves. For her, that was plenty and she was going to enjoy it while it lasted.

* * *

T
HE
INVITATION
HAD
been very clear. Young ladies were to wear dresses to the mother-daughter tea. Taryn took that to mean that older ladies were to do the same.

She appreciated the chance to wear her Naeem Khan print organza cocktail dress. She'd fallen in love with the off-the-shoulder black-and-white-print silk dress a few months ago and hadn't figured out where she could wear it. Okay, sure, it might be a little over-the-top for the event, but she didn't care. The full skirt made her feel like an extra in a 1950s movie. She'd slipped on her Pedro Garcia Candela sandals and twisted her hair up in a bun. Simple pearl studs finished off the look.

All the groves were seated around tables in a smaller ballroom at Ronan's Lodge. The girls were dressed in spring pastels. Some mothers had also gone all out, putting on pretty dresses. A few were in jeans and shirts. Humorously, there was only one man at the event. A dark-haired gentleman with gray eyes and a pained expression.

Taryn walked up to Angel. “Stop looking for the exit,” she told him.

He cleared his throat, then fingered the collar of his black shirt as if he wanted to loosen his tie. Only he wasn't wearing one.

“I'm not,” he told her.

“You're about thirty seconds away from succumbing to flop sweat.”

Those cool gray eyes settled on her. “I've never had flop sweat in my life.”

“There's a first time for everyone.” She turned and smiled as Regan walked over, her mother in tow.

The pretty seven-year-old beamed at Angel. “This is my mom. Mom, this is Angel, our Grove Keeper. And Taryn. She's helping him.”

Regan's mother was probably a couple of years older than Taryn and had on a wide wedding band. But that didn't stop her from batting her eyes at Angel.

“Regan says so much about you,” she gushed. “You're doing a wonderful job with all the girls.” As she spoke, she put her hand on Angel's forearm. “If you need any extra help, you can give me a call.”

If Angel hadn't looked so nervous, Taryn might have been annoyed. Since when had she become invisible? But her irritation was tempered by amusement.

“Oh, look,” she said, glancing toward the entrance. “Felicia is here. I'll be right back.”

“Don't leave me,” Angel said through gritted teeth.

Taryn beamed at him. “Regan, you and your mom will take good care of him, won't you?”

The little girl nodded vigorously.

Angel shot Taryn a look that promised retribution later. She could only hope he would make good on his word. She crossed to where Felicia stood staring at all the girls and their mothers.

“Their clothes are all pastel,” Felicia said, then fingered the fabric of her empire-style sleeveless dress. “I wasn't sure what to wear.”

“You look great.” Taryn linked arms with her and led her toward a table on the side. “The actual tea will start in about forty-five minutes. Until then, the girls are supposed to mingle with each other and the moms. There's a punch station. I thought you'd like to serve the punch. That way you can talk to the girls without being creepy.”

Felicia nodded. “Thank you. Having a task is helpful. Standing and staring at the children would cause alarm, and I don't want that.” She touched her round belly. “I've been doing a lot of reading, but when it comes to children there are some things that must be experienced rather than taught.”

Taryn stopped and stepped in front of Felicia. “I don't know your whole story. I know you're smarter than all of us, and that probably makes you feel like a freak sometimes.”

Felicia's mouth twisted. “
Freak
is an excellent word.”

Taryn shook her head. “That's not my point. Here's my advice. Love your kid and let her know. That's what children need. The rest of it takes care of itself.”

Felicia's expression softened. “Your mother didn't love you?”

“She left me. It wasn't good.” In some ways, having her mother leave was worse than her father's abuse. Because her mother had known what would happen to her and she'd walked out anyway.

Felicia nodded. “Thank you. You're right. Carter, my stepson, tells me that, as well. I do love her already. I just want to do the right thing.”

“All the time? What are the statistical odds?”

Felicia laughed. “Slim.”

They continued walking toward the table with the punch bowl. Felicia pointed to it. “Legend says that British sailors discovered punch in India. The etymology of
punch
comes from the Hindu word for
five,
referring to the five ingredients that made up the liquid. They are supposed to be a sweet flavor, a sour, something bitter, something weak and alcohol. Later versions used tea as a base.”

Taryn stared at the pink drink. “I'm hoping there's no alcohol in that, or we're in big trouble.”

“I'm sure it's nothing more than a sugar-based drink. The girls will be feeling the effects as the sandwiches are served.”

“That will make for an exciting afternoon.”

She got Felicia settled, saw that Angel was surrounded by even more mothers and walked in the opposite direction. Let him use his stealthy macho skills to get out of that situation, she thought with a grin.

She spotted Bailey and Chloe chatting in a group. Bailey saw her and said something to Chloe, then walked toward Taryn.

Bailey wore a green dress that was a bit tight. Her long red hair hung over her shoulders and she didn't have on much makeup.

“This is nice,” Bailey said as she approached. “I like how the FWM gets the girls together so they all become friends. When Chloe goes to middle school, she'll already know the older girls.” She lowered her voice. “I wanted to thank you and Angel for the extra help you've given Chloe. She's really excited about all the activities. I can see a difference in her already.”

“I'm glad,” Taryn said. “She's very sweet. When Angel asked her to look out for one of the puppies, she was so gentle with him. She's a great girl.”

“Thank you. It's been hard without her dad. I miss him, too, but it's different for me.”

Taryn wasn't sure that would make dealing with her loss any easier, but she decided not to say that.

Bailey smiled. “Chloe is always talking about your clothes, and I can see why. That's a beautiful dress.”

Taryn twisted back and forth so the skirt swayed. “It's a vice,” she said cheerfully. “And I don't care. I love this dress.”

“The shoes are great, too.”

Taryn noticed that Bailey's flats were scuffed from lots of use. She was suddenly conscious of the fact that her dress had cost nearly a thousand dollars and felt the need to apologize.

“I'm going to have to trade my mom jeans in for something more professional,” Bailey admitted.

“Changing jobs?”

“Getting a job.” Bailey shrugged. “I've had a few part-time jobs. Mostly so I could be around for Chloe. But she's doing better and we need the money. It's been a while since I was in the regular job market, though. Computer programs change every few years. I need to brush up my skills.”

“There are probably classes at the local community college,” Taryn offered. “You could get up to speed in a couple of days.”

Bailey nodded. “I looked online, but they were really expensive. The community college would be easier and cheaper.”

“Plus, you'd meet people in your same situation. You can network. Then go buy a power suit and impress the heck out of your future employer.”

Emotions chased across Bailey's face. “That's a great idea.” She smiled, but something wasn't right. The warmth was gone. “I don't want to take any more of your time. Thanks again for all your help with Chloe.”

Taryn nodded as the other woman walked away. She knew she'd said something wrong but couldn't figure out what. The college idea made sense. How else would Bailey get her skills up to date? So if it wasn't that, was it...

“The power suit?” she murmured to herself.

Maybe money was so tight Bailey couldn't afford one. Which made Taryn feel even more upset about her dress. What a ridiculous amount to have spent on a piece of clothing. Sure, she could afford it, but...

“You're looking fierce,” Angel said, coming up to stand next to her. “What's wrong?”

“Nothing.” She twisted her fingers together. “I feel stupid.”

“Not possible.”

She looked at him. “Am I ridiculous? With the clothes and the shoes?”

“What brought this on?”

“You're not answering the question.”

“I don't buy in to the premise. You're a beautiful woman. You dress like you want to dress. Why does that make you stupid?”

“I spend thousands of dollars on my things. Do you know what these shoes cost?”

“No, and I don't care. Do you like them?”

“Yes.”

“Can you afford them?”

“Sure.”

“Then enjoy them.”

She knew he was right, but it also wasn't that simple. She watched Bailey talking with some of the other moms. As Taryn studied Bailey, she felt an odd clenching in her stomach. A need to help.

“It's this town,” she grumbled. “I never wanted to get involved. I'm not like you. I don't connect with people.”

Angel gave her a slow, sexy smile. “I hate to be the one to break it to you, Taryn, but it's already happening.”

“I want it to stop.”

“Too late.”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

A
NGEL
WAS
WILLING
to admit he was just as secretly sexist as the next man. Sure, he was all for equal pay and felt there should be more women running Fortune 500 companies. He thought women in combat was a good thing, because the way war had changed, they were there already. They might as well get credit.

But those attitudes were all in his left brain. Conscious. Thoughtful. They had nothing to do with his visceral reaction to watching Taryn present her ideas to the CDS team.

He sat in the back with Ford and Consuelo. Justice was up at the conference table. Taryn sat next to him, touching her computer every few seconds to change the slide on the big screen up front.

She'd provided a detailed explanation about why their logo worked and why the rest of their material didn't. She provided market research, information on corporate trends, even some charts on demographics. Angel wasn't sure, because he wasn't listening. He was watching.

She wore some fitted black suit with what he would swear had snakeskin trim. Only Taryn, he thought in admiration. Her shoes had a heel so thin and high they could be classified as a weapon. Her long black hair hung straight down her back. She looked both powerful and unbelievably sexy. It wasn't hard to picture her with a whip...or handcuffs. Not that he was into either, but if she wanted to play he didn't think he had it in him to refuse her anything.

Which made sitting there, listening to her talk, physically uncomfortable. While he kept trying to control himself, he'd spent the past hour with a hell of a hard-on. He was careful not to shift in his chair too much. The last thing he needed was for Ford to notice and start ribbing him. While he wasn't keeping his relationship with Taryn a secret, there was no way he wanted to undermine her.

The slide changed again, showing letterhead and business cards. There were several different designs—all variations on a theme. Taryn talked more about what she liked and why. Justice asked a few questions.

Angel let the conversation drift out of focus as he wondered what Taryn would have been like if she'd gone into the military. She would have been tapped for OCS, he thought. She would have liked the discipline and challenges. She would have hated the uniforms.

When the meeting ended, Taryn shook hands with everyone. Justice said they would discuss her ideas and get back to her by the end of the week. Angel knew his friend had liked what he'd seen but didn't want to say so without team feedback.

“Your girl's got some brains,” Ford said.

Angel grinned. “Tell me about it. I'll meet you back at CDS.”

Ford nodded and left with Consuelo. When Angel was alone with Taryn, she picked up her computer and started down the hall.

“So, what did you think?” she asked.

“Good presentation. It was clear and you'd obviously done your homework.”

They walked into her office. He closed the door and adjusted the blinds on the windows so that no one could see in. Then he moved toward her.

“CDS is an interesting case,” she was saying as she put her laptop back into its docking station. She didn't notice him approaching. She shrugged out of her jacket and tossed it over a chair. “There are two distinct branches of the company. That's not generally a successful business model, but in this case—”

He grabbed her by her upper arms and turned her toward him. In her damn heels, she was about his height, so they were at eye level. But that was okay as it made it easier for him to kiss her. Which he did.

* * *

T
ARYN
LEANED
INTO
Angel and wrapped her arms around him. His mouth was hot and hungry against her own.

“Here I was hoping for a little more feedback on the presentation,” she said, her voice teasing. “But I guess I can accept this instead.”

He moved close and rubbed himself against her. She felt his rock-hard erection. “You're sexy when you talk business. Or talk about anything. Or walk. Or breathe.”

Feeling his arousal caused her body to respond in kind. Her belly clenched and she was instantly annoyed by all the unnecessary layers of clothing between her and the magic that was his hands on her bare skin. She glanced toward the closed door and saw he'd thoughtfully locked it.

“I'm not generally a sex-at-the-office kind of girl,” she murmured, pressing her lips to his jaw as he reached behind her for the zipper to her skirt.

“Me, either.”

She smiled as she breathed in the scent of him. “You're thinking on the desk?”

“I am.”

A shiver rippled through her. Tacky, she thought. But equally wonderful.

He lowered the zipper of her skirt. It fell to the floor. She was already pulling off her blouse. He took care of her bra and thong, although he left her high heels in place. Kinky, she thought with a grin.

He reached for her, but she shook her head, then waved her index finger up and down. “You're dressed. That doesn't work for me.”

She pushed her computer aside, then sat on her desk and spread her legs. “I'm waiting.”

She had to give Angel credit. He took about five seconds to look her over, lingering at her breasts and between her legs. His eyes dilated, his jaw clenched, as if he were holding himself back. But once he started taking off his clothes, he moved so quickly he was a blur. Then he was naked and gathering her in his arms.

His mouth found hers and he pushed his tongue inside. At the same time he slid his erection deep into her. He filled her all the way, igniting nerve endings as he moved. She clenched around him, tightening as he withdrew. They both whimpered.

She wrapped her legs around his hips and pulled him close. He continued to kiss her, moving his tongue against hers. At the same time he cupped her breasts with his hands and rubbed her tight, aching nipples. He pulled out and pushed in again, driving her closer. He dropped one hand between them. His palm was flat against her belly as he slipped his thumb down to her center and began to rub her clit.

It was too much, she thought frantically. Their kiss, his hands, how he knew exactly how hard and fast to fill her. She drew back slightly so she could stare into his eyes. Heat burning as his muscles tightened.

She felt him getting closer, even as she climbed toward her release. But she wanted to hold back—just for a second. Just to enjoy the trembling anticipation as she hung on the verge of—

Her orgasm claimed her. Every part of her shuddered and she drew in a breath to scream out her pleasure. Even as her brain warned her that was a very bad idea, considering their location, her body lost itself in release and her control slipped to the point where she just didn't care.

But as she opened her mouth, Angel silenced her with a kiss. The sound died as she rubbed her tongue against him, wanting him to feel how good it was. Then he was coming and they were straining together in mutual climax.

* * *

A
NGEL
WAS
GLAD
he'd gone on his run by himself. He didn't want to have to explain his ever-present grin. He felt relaxed, yet strong as he made his way up the mountain. Damn, he had a good time with Taryn.

He'd clocked their session in her office, and from the time he'd closed the door until they were both dressing and giggling like teenagers, all of four minutes had passed. Under other circumstances he might have been embarrassed by his lack of control, but she'd come just as quickly. She was eager and responsive—a difficult combination to resist.

He jogged past a stop sign and the road that led to the highway and was about to head east along a trail when he spotted a car at the side of the road. It was a ten-year-old import with a dent in the fender and a woman standing beside it.

Angel slowed, then came to a stop. It took him a second to place the woman. She was blonde and dressed in yoga pants and a T-shirt with tiny flowers all over it. Laura? Leslie? He frowned. Larissa. She worked with Taryn. Something touchy-feely, maybe?

But even though he knew who she was, he couldn't be sure she had the same information about him. He slowed to a walk and kept his arms loose in an attempt to look as nonthreatening as possible.

“Hi,” he said. “I'm Angel. I work for CDS in town. Car trouble?”

Larissa smiled at him. “So you're the mysterious Angel. I've heard all about you. Nice to finally meet you.”

They shook hands. He glanced at the car.

“What's the problem?”

Larissa sighed. “I'm transporting a couple of endangered snakes to a reptile refuge in the desert. I was going to take the interstate through the mountains. I thought it would be a pretty drive.”

She mentioned several wildflowers that were in bloom and how important wildflowers were to the ecosystem. Angel waited patiently.

When she paused for breath, he motioned to her car. “Why did you stop?”

“Oh, right. I'm not exactly a snake person. I know they're people, too, but I prefer things with fur. So when I happened to glance over and realized the lid wasn't completely secure on the container, I sort of freaked out. I think one of them is loose in the car.” She held out her cell phone. “I was just about to call Jack.”

For a second he thought about letting her do just that. Taryn had warned him Larissa was a do-gooder who loved to drag everyone into her projects. Here was a living demonstration. But in truth he had no problem with snakes, and how long could it take to capture one in a car?

“I'll take care of it,” he said. “Did you secure the lid before you got out?”

Larissa shook her head. “I kind of screamed and stopped the car. The keys are still in the ignition.”

He held in a smile. “If you're afraid of snakes, why did you agree to drive them anywhere?”

“Someone had to. They need a home.”

Yup, a do-gooder. Taryn was right—Larissa was trouble. But once he got the snake or snakes back in their container, not his problem.

He moved toward the car. “Do you know if they bite?” He opened the door and moved into the vehicle.

“I'm not sure. Oh, and someone mentioned they might be venomous.”

* * *

“I
TOLD
YOU
,”
Taryn said firmly. “I was extremely clear. But did you listen?”

If Angel hadn't been feeling as if something had clubbed him with the side of a mountain, he would have enjoyed the fussing. But right now he was having trouble focusing and his body ached, as if he was getting the worst flu ever.

“Yeah, you said,” he admitted.

He was in a bed, which meant he wasn't still on the side of the road. But he didn't remember much about the trip. He saw the IV connected to his arm and knew the bed he was in wasn't his.

“Hospital, right?” he asked.

“Yes, you're in the hospital. You were bitten by a venomous snake, which is totally ridiculous.”

“I feel like crap,” he told her. “How about some sympathy?”

“I'm not sure you deserve it.” But she sat next to him on his bed as she spoke and she put a cool cloth on his forehead.

“I thought Larissa was kidding,” he admitted, the events from earlier that day coming back to him. The snake, the bite, Larissa calling for an ambulance. “I did get the snake back in the container.”

“Yes, you did. Larissa is very appreciative and she feels guilty.”

He looked at Taryn. “You're going to yell at her, aren't you?”

“Over and over again.”

“It's not her fault.”

She stroked the side of his face. “You're defending her? She was transporting venomous snakes without proper precautions and she could have died.
You
could have died. If she's crossing state lines, I'm sure there must be a permit, but did she bother? No. She loves her causes and sometimes she doesn't think.”

“I'm okay.” He put his hand on top of hers. “You can be intimidating. Go easy on her.”

Taryn glared at him. “I can't believe you're acting like this. You could have died.”

“But I didn't.”

Her fierceness was kind of nice, he thought as he did his best to ignore the throbbing throughout his body. Her touch helped. The gentleness of her hands. He wasn't surprised that Taryn had a caring side—he knew that while she complained about “the boys” she would do anything to protect them. However, he hadn't expected that he would find himself the subject of her concern.

Consuelo appeared in the doorway. “You have a couple of visitors,” she said.

He stared at his roommate. “What are you doing here?”

She shrugged. “I heard what happened. I couldn't believe you were that stupid. I came to make fun of you.”

Defiant words, but he saw the concern in her eyes. “I'm touched.”

“Later you're going to be hit,” she grumbled, and turned away.

Taryn stood and shifted to the chair by the bed as Bailey and Chloe walked into the hospital room. Chloe was all big eyes. She'd gone pale and her freckles stood out. As she saw him in the hospital bed, her eyes filled with tears. Not knowing what else to do, he held out his arms.

“Hey, kiddo.”

She rushed at him. He wrapped his arms around her, amazed at how small she felt. But fierce. She hung on as if she would never let go.

“I was scared,” she whispered against his chest. “I thought you were going to die.”

Bailey smiled apologetically. “I told her you were going to be fine, but she needed to see for herself. I'm sorry we're intruding.”

“You're not,” Angel told her. “It's okay.”

“It's just...” Bailey paused. “Because of her dad.”

Angel touched Chloe's chin until she looked at him. “Chloe, your dad was a hero. I'm just a guy who got bit by a snake. It was dumb on my part. But the doctors took care of me and I'm going to be okay.”