Champagne and Bullets: Book 1 (Military Moguls) (6 page)

Unclipping the seatbelt, she pushed open the passenger door. “This conversation is over. Call me sometime if you can speak to me like an adult. I don’t question your decisions and I expect the same courtesy.”

Darby grabbed her arm and she jerked away. “I’m tired of being manhandled. Everyone thinks they can tell me what to do and I’m sick of it.”

“Listen, I’m sorry.” There was desperation and regret in Darby’s tone. “I just don’t want to see you go through it all again. Sebastian is bad news.”

“I think you’re being a little dramatic. Seb isn’t evil.”

He hadn’t set out to destroy her thirteen years ago. Not on purpose, anyway.

“Is there any reason to see him again? You’ve avoided him all this time, after all.”

“He’s doing some pro bono legal work for the foundation.”

Amanda didn’t mention that Seb had indicated he wanted to see her again, that he wanted to somehow make up for everything that had happened between them.

“Let your administrator handle this, Amanda.” His voice gentled and his fingers brushed her own. “I’m your friend and I just want whatever is best for you, that’s all.”

“I know you do, and thank you for that. Good night.” She swung her legs out of the car and he moved to open his door.

“Wait a minute and I’ll walk you to the door.”

She wanted to be alone to deal with all the colliding emotions inside.

“No, it’s not even ten feet.”

Not waiting for his reply, she quickly exited the car and jogged up the path to her front door. After she unlocked it, she turned to wave to Darby who was still in his car. He looked put out but started the engine and reversed down the driveway. She’d deal with Darby and his hurt feelings another day. Probably by tomorrow he’d be on to something else, forgetting all about their conversation tonight.

Walking through the living room and kitchen, she flipped on a few lights. Physically she was exhausted, but mentally her mind was way too active to be able to sleep anytime soon. She stopped at the refrigerator in her large, homey kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water and a few of the homemade cookies she’d made earlier today from the plate on the counter before heading back into the master bedroom.

Placing the water bottle on the nightstand and holding a cookie in her mouth, she stripped off her evening dress and panties, tossing them aside. They seemed to reek of sex, Seb, and illicit passion. It was a concoction she hadn’t experienced in a long time, although it was probably only her imagination.

Padding naked into the bathroom, she started a bath and poured in a few drops of oil before climbing in herself. She relaxed in the steamy water as it lapped at her chin and tried to make sense of what she’d done at the party.

The one thing Amanda had learned in therapy was to own her actions and decisions. She had allowed her need and passion for Seb to override her good sense. It hadn’t been smart but there was no going back. She had to deal with the fallout. At least they’d used protection. Bringing an innocent life into this mess would have only served to make things worse.

Seb had said he wanted to talk about things, make up for what he’d done. Her first reaction had been complete rejection of the offer but perhaps she’d been too hasty. There was no real way for him to make up for things, but it might be a good idea for them to finally talk as adults. Maybe this was the closure she needed to allow herself to move on. She’d spent so much time trying not to think about the past that the fact was she hadn’t dealt with it all that well.

If Seb initiated more contact she would talk to him. Maybe she could finally put Seb – and her feelings – in the rearview mirror.

‡

“D
o you have
the Blum file?” Dane breezed into Seb’s office with the usual smile. It was a Saturday morning and the office was quiet. Chris was at his parents’ house in St. Augustine for the weekend so it was just Dane and Seb.

Seb dug his hand into a scattered stack and pulled out the file. “Right here.”

Dane grimaced at the disorder of Seb’s office. “How can you find anything in here? It looks like a grenade went off.”

“I know where everything is. My organizational skills are deceptive but effective.”

“Your organizational skills are non-existent,” Dane retorted. “You forget I shared an apartment with you.”

Seb, Dane, and Christian had been roommates all through Harvard undergrad and then Harvard Law. That was one of the reasons they knew each other so well. Seb could deal with clutter around him, but Dane, on the other hand, was meticulous in everything whether it was his home or his grooming. Chris fell somewhere in the middle, as usual. He was the go-between whenever Seb got too casual or lackadaisical or Dane got too obsessive-compulsive.

“I could never forget that. You were a pain in the ass to live with.”

“You’re no fucking day at the beach yourself.” Dane plopped down into a guest chair and stretched out his long legs. “Why are you here anyway? We haven’t been open for business long enough to be behind.”

Seb shrugged and reached for his coffee cup. “I wanted to get a few things cleared away for Monday, that’s all. I probably won’t be here very long. What’s your story?”

Dane held up the Blum file. “I got a call and they’re ready to settle.” He dug into the front pocket of his jeans. “That reminds me. You had a call this morning from a Lance Poplin—says he’s ready to make a better offer. Whatever that means.”

Dane tossed the paper on the desk and Seb picked it up, perusing it for any clues as to what the offer might be. Unfortunately the message was just as his friend had said and nothing more. Seb would have to call Poplin to find the details, and then talk to Amanda. At least now he had a concrete reason to see her again.

“This is the developer that’s trying to run Amanda and the women’s shelter out of the house they purchased. Poplin wants the entire block for condos.”

Dane snorted in derision. “Just what Florida needs is more condos. Shit, is real estate coming back again? All we need is another bubble to burst.”

“It is,” Seb said dryly, frowning at his now empty coffee cup. “He low-balled the first offer so I hope this one isn’t a waste of my time.”

“Is Amanda looking to sell?”

“She’d entertain the right offer.” Seb got up and crossed the room to the coffee pot in the corner and poured himself another cup. He pointed to the spare cup on the counter, but Dane shook his head. He was probably on one of his health kicks again.

“What about you? Is spending time with Amanda a good idea? Chris or I can take this over for you.”

If it was possible, Dane was even more protective than Seb, and declaring his intentions was going to upset his friend.

“Actually, we may have had a breakthrough last night. I think she still has feelings for me. And hell, you know how I feel about her—always have. I decided last night that I’m going for it. For her. I never thought I’d get a second chance but I really think this might be it. I won’t pass it up.”

“A breakthrough?” Dane sat up straight in the chair. “I don’t even want to fucking know what kind of breakthrough you had, although by the smug-ass smile you have on your face this morning I can guess. But have you lost your mind, dude? What will you do if she tells you to take a hike? You’re too old to go back into the Army and get yourself blown up or shot all because your heart is broken. Fuck, Seb—think this through.”

Seb rubbed his thigh where a bullet had left a nasty scar, thinking of how he’d stayed up half the night thinking about this very thing. He was done thinking and it was time to take action.

“Trust me, I have. If Amanda blows me off, well, then I know for sure that it’s not meant to be. But dammit, Dane, how can I walk away from this chance to be with the only woman I’ve ever loved? Could you do that?”

Dane stood and moved toward the door. “I’ve never been in love so I have no idea. Watching you, by the way, sure doesn’t make me anxious to do it, either. It looks messy and painful so I’ll just say no thanks. There are no shortage of willing women in this world. Shit, you don’t need to marry them, Seb. Just throw them a diamond bracelet or some earrings every now and then. That keeps them happy and you out of divorce court. Repeat after me…community property.”

Seb shook his head at his best friend. “When did you get so damn cynical?”

Dane just laughed and took the coffee cup out of Seb’s hand. “Have you met my parents? I learned at the feet of experts. Put that swill away and let’s go get some breakfast. Pancakes are on me.”

Seb eyed Dane suspiciously. “Is this just a ruse to get me somewhere so you can talk me out of this? I won’t change my mind.”

“No way.” Dane raised his hands in surrender. “I’m your friend, and if this is what you want, then that’s what I want. Hell, maybe I’ll give you some pointers with the ladies that I’ve picked up over the years.”

“Now this I’ve got to hear. Not that I plan to use any of them. It’s purely for entertainment value.”

“Listen and learn, bro. I’ll get my keys and we’ll get out of here.”

Dane loped down the hall whistling a song from their days in high school while Seb tried to straighten his desk for Monday morning. Despite the ribbing he’d given Dane, it might not be a bad idea to brainstorm some ideas to woo Amanda. It had been over a decade since Seb had given a damn whether a woman cared or not. This was too important to mess up.

*

It was simply
another quiet Sunday night for Amanda. She knew most of her friends would have called it boring, but she enjoyed puttering around the house in old clothes and no makeup. She’d worked in the back yard this morning and then lazed in the pool in the afternoon. Now she was showered, her stomach was growling, and the contents of her refrigerator left something to be desired. She’d already eaten her weight in chocolate chip cookies. She needed real food. Delivery might be her only option for sustenance. She was sifting through pizza coupons when she heard pounding on her front door.

“Just a minute,” she called out, making a face at her cut-off shorts and tank top. No bra. Crap. She hated the damn things and never wore one when she was home. She’d just have to cover up. Picking up the stack of coupons, she held them against her chest and went to answer the door.

Peeking out the window, her heart lurched in her chest.

Seb.

Or more correctly, Seb with a couple of large brown paper bags and a bouquet of flowers in his arms.

He hadn’t given her much time to rebuild her defenses and she was sure that was by design. She’d hoped to be more put together when they had their talk. It looked like that wasn’t going to be an option, for as much as she didn’t want to answer the door, a big part of her did—that hopeful, optimistic person deep inside of her that wanted to believe everything was rainbows and unicorns.

That person kept getting Amanda in deep shit.

Steeling herself for what was ahead, she opened the door and stepped back. “Hello, Seb. This is a surprise.”

The wonderful smell of garlic and tomato sauce wafted from the bags and her stomach gurgled loudly, making Seb laugh and her to press her hand to her stomach. That only served to uncover her already hard nipples under the cotton of her tank.

Fuckety fuck.

“I brought dinner. I was going to say that I hope you’re hungry, but that appears to be a given.”

His golden brown eyes had darkened as his gaze swept up and down her body before coming to rest on her breasts that seemed to swell under his regard.

“You should have called.”

Amanda was going to let him in but some impish demon inside wanted to give him some shit first. As always, Seb made the decisions and she was supposed to just fall in line. He needed to learn she wasn’t planning to do that. Ever.

“I should have and I apologize.” He nodded in an almost humble manner which was completely incongruent with everything she knew about this man. In all their time together he’d never apologized for anything or even admitted when he was wrong. “Lance Poplin called with another offer and I thought we could discuss it over dinner.”