the door handle, her hand shaking. “And I’ll be fine. I’m used to being on my own, Lane, and I’m staying that way. I can’t continue to be in any kind of relationship with you, and I hope you’ll be a gentleman and let it go.”
He leaned over and opened the door for her, but his arm blocked her exit.
“You of all people know I’m not a gentleman. ‘Gentlemen’ are those shysters in suits that sat across the table at dinner. And I don’t know what makes you think any kind of man would let this go.” He eased back, letting her slide out of the car, but the hem of her dress caught on the door handle and she tugged at it, frowning.
“Don’t worry, princess. Your secrets are safe with me.” He reached over and pulled her dress free, brushing her thigh in the process. “I just wonder what they’re doing to you.”
Chapter 19
Sarah clutched her purse close to her body as she headed for the front door of the condo building. Fishing for her keys, she glanced back at the curb where Lane’s big diesel idled, growling like a monster in a kid’s nightmare. He’d parked at a slant to light her way. It was a nice thing to do, but in her agitated mental state, its lights seemed mercilessly bright, blinding her view of the man in the driver’s seat.
Which was just as well. She’d be better off if she never saw Lane Carrigan again. Somehow, he’d turned her from a dutiful, rational publicity executive into a wild woman with all the poise and judgment of a rabid squirrel.
She found her key ring and fumbled to find the front door key. Somehow they slipped from her fingers, and she bobbled them frantically before dropping them on the doorstep. She bent to pick them up, angling her body and stooping so she wouldn’t flash her panties at Lane. As she shoved the key in the lock, she turned and gave him a dismissive wave.
The truck stared back, its lights bright, its broad grill grim and threatening. Turning, she jerked the door open, eager to escape into the sanctuary of her apartment.
Whap.
She’d jerked the door right into her forehead. The impact knocked her backward and her heel hit the edge of the step. Flailing for balance and cursing her own clumsiness, she grabbed the door and dodged inside, hastily turning the dead bolt.
As she climbed the steps, harsh white light from Lane’s headlamps still lit the hallway. She couldn’t believe he’d asked if she had a doorman. How much did he think the company was paying her?
Of course, he couldn’t know she gave half her money to her sister, which was why she’d had to give up her paid parking space in the well-lit lot next door. Lane would really freak out if he saw her usual nighttime arrival, dodging in the back door from the dark alley, hoping no late-night drunks or homeless vagrants happened by.
Wearily, she crossed the second floor landing and traipsed up the final flight to her apartment. She should have been home hours ago. She had to work tomorrow, then make the two-hour drive to Two Shot in time to get there before Katie’s bedtime. Kelsey managed to play happy housewife without a husband from Monday to Friday, but working in Katie’s preschool, shuttling her to half-a-dozen after-school activities, and then chairing PTO meetings in the evenings took everything she had. By Saturday, she was a basket case. When Sarah found out Katie was spending entire weekends in front of the TV while her mom lay half comatose on the sofa with a migraine, she started going home to help out every Friday night. She played with Katie on Saturdays, giving Kelsey a break, and drove home Sunday morning. Two Shot wasn’t exactly her dream destination for weekend vacations, but so far she’d been able to hide out in Kelsey’s battered single-wide.
Flicking the light switch on the third floor landing, she peeked out the window to see Lane’s truck pulling away from the curb. She sorted through her keys, then tripped on the top step and dropped them again. Was she drunk or just tired?
A little bit of both, maybe, plus weak in the knees over Lane. She yawned as she found the apartment key and swung the door open. Dim light spilled into the hallway. Gloria must have left a light on for her. That was thoughtful. A light and…
Music?
Something soft and new-agey