sixty strangers in a church basement.”
Tanyalee lifted her nose and narrowed her eyes. “You know exactly what I mean, Dante, and don’t pretend that you do not! What I shared was in the interest of my recovery. I’m sure you’ve said plenty of deeply personal things in AA meetings—things you may not be particularly proud of—but felt comfortable doing so because the people listening were strangers to you, anonymous strangers. That’s why there’s an extra A in the organization’s name. Otherwise it would just be called ‘Alcoholics’!”
She had a point. God, he loved the way her mind worked. “Can I ask you something?”
Tanyalee sighed like it took every bit of her patience to remain in his apartment. “Go ahead.”
“You said our night in the hotel was the most passionate and beautiful sexual experience of your whole life.”
“That was not a question,” she snapped.
“Okay. Let me rephrase that. Why did you tell the whole room that it was the most passionate and beautiful sexual experience of your life?”
Her voice was barely audible. “Because it was.”
“And you have feelings for me?”
She sniffed, looking away. “Not at the moment I certainly do not, thankyousoverymuch!” She was at the door in seconds.
“Tanyalee, wait.”
She held out one hand to block him, then hurriedly tied the sash of her trench coat. “You know what, Dante? I am furious with you right now. I am angry that you never told me the whole story of how you found out where I lived, that you sat there in that room and listened to me as I said all those personal things. I can’t help but think you’ve used that information against me somehow, that all this time you’ve known how … how attracted … how much you … anyway, it wasn’t fair and it wasn’t decent, and right this moment I am angry as a wet cat!”
He nodded and shoved his hands into his pockets. “I didn’t abuse the knowledge, Tanyalee, but you’re absolutely right. I apologize for not telling you the whole story sooner. You have every right to be angry.”
She blinked in surprise, grabbing her bag from the floor. “Well then, thank you, I suppose. Now, if you don’t mind, I need some time to myself so that I can figure things out.”
He didn’t like the way that sounded. “Sure. I understand.”
“I don’t know about this thing…” She gestured to the space between them. “I want that clear-hearted feeling you mentioned, and I think I should have it before I decide what I want with you, if anything, because I surely do not wish to do anything more in my life that I will come to regret.”
He thought she was extraordinarily beautiful when she was pissed off, though he thought better of saying so out loud. Dante took a step toward her. “I don’t regret anything, Pink Taffy.” With that, he reached up to caress the back of her neck. “When will I see you again?”
“I don’t know, Dante. I’ll be in touch when I’ve made my amends and cleared my head and heart. I can’t … you just…” She reached up and removed his hand from her neck. “You distract me something awful!”
Dante gave her what he figured was a sad smile. He was quite proud of her, really. Tanyalee had just told him that she was angry and why. She’d set a distinct boundary. She’d told him how things were going to be.
But he hoped to hell she wouldn’t stay away too long.
“So when, exactly, will I get a chance to distract you again?”
Tanyalee tried not to smile, but failed. She put her hand on the doorknob and was about to leave but suddenly turned around, popped up on her tiptoes, and planted a kiss on his lips. “Something for you to remember me by,” she said.
Chapter 15
Tanyalee smoothed her hands down the skirt of her nasturtium-pink Armani crepe suit, the last thing she purchased from Neiman Marcus with the credit card given to her by Wim Wimbley, her former fiancé. It seemed only fitting that she wear it to visit him at the Cataloochee County Jail, where he was being held while waiting for his transfer to the federal court and his trial.
She had no desire to see Wim at all, of course, but it was the first of her nine-step amends and it could not be avoided. She hadn’t loved him, but that hadn’t stopped her from maneuvering him into proposing, then accepting him with false claims of ardor and fidelity.
Simply put,