Tailored for Trouble (Happy Pants #1) - Mimi Jean Pamfiloff Page 0,60
time to catch a cab. Then again, it would probably end up being more than she could afford, especially after last night’s two hundred and fifty dollars’ worth of rides.
“Good God. How did I get to this sad, sad place?” She was officially poorer than a church mouse.
“By sheer goddamned stubbornness!” barked a deep, angry voice.
Taylor swiveled on her heel to find Bennett in his immaculate suit, looming right over her with a rage-red face, his brow dewy with sweat.
“Bennett?” she gasped his name.
Snarling, he grabbed her by the elbow and snagged her suitcase with his other hand. “You have some goddamned nerve, Ms. Reed.”
She stumbled forward and pushed away from him. “What in the world has gotten into you? And what are you doing here?”
“Don’t pretend for one goddamned minute,” he said in a raised voice, “that you don’t know what I’m talking about.”
Man. She’d never seen anyone so upset. “I really, really don’t know.” She raised her palms. “But whatever it is you think I’ve done…” Oh shit. Oh shit. I do know. He found out about my phony training module. It then dawned on her that he’d been snooping around her laptop. He must’ve sent himself both modules and put it together that one was bogus?
“You’re a cruel, cruel woman, Ms. Reed.” He grabbed her hand and began pulling her along.
“Bennett, I can explain.” She began to panic. Not that he’d physically hurt her, but she sensed he was about to read her the riot act.
“I think we’re fucking past explaining,” he seethed.
“Bennett! I’m sorry.” She trailed behind him, his hand tightly squeezing hers in a death grip. He scanned some card at the set of stainless steel turnstiles, and they stumbled through. He then lifted her enormous suitcase with one arm, effortlessly toting it up two flights of stairs—Show off! They emerged outside onto a busy, pedestrian-packed sidewalk lined with towering office buildings and flashing, multicolored billboards with Japanese characters. The early morning sun hit her face, and the sound of traffic instantly flooded her ears. She wondered if that was why Bennett ignored her pleas to stop.
Grumbling like an angry ogre, he hauled her toward an awaiting limo at the curb.
“Bennett. Stop!” She dug her heels into the sidewalk and yanked back her hand. The people around them kept on going, acting like she and Bennett were invisible.
Good. Because this is about to get ugly.
“I’m sorry, okay,” she said, staring into his fuming face from a few yards away. “I’m really, really sorry. I didn’t mean to—”
“Don’t lie to me, Ms. Reed.” He closed in on her. “Not only is it beneath you, but you’re terrible at it and fool no one.”
She wasn’t lying. Why did he think that? She honestly couldn’t feel more sorry. That said…“I know you’re upset, but don’t forget the part you played. I’m not the one who decided to make a bet with my friends.”
Rage filled his eyes. “That’s no excuse to behave like a child, and you know it.”
It sure the hell was! But regardless…“I changed my mind after I realized how stupid it was.” That, and revenge wouldn’t accomplish anything except making her feel even more pathetic.
“Oh,” he laughed acerbically. “That was you changing your mind? Nice try. I’ve been chasing you from station to station. And you knew I’d follow, didn’t you?”
What? “Uhh…no. I didn’t.”
“What the hell else was I going to think when I lost your signal?”
Taylor stared at Bennett, completely perplexed. “Wait. I’m confused. What signal?”
He glanced at the brown leather purse slung over her shoulder, and then it clicked.
“You’re,” she pointed to her bag, “talking about your cell-phone?”
“What the hell else would I be talking about?”
Oh no. He’s not talking about the modules. “Uh…me leaving without saying goodbye?” Oh God. I am such a horrible liar.
He shot her a look as if trying to figure her out.
Ugh. This is silly. What am I doing? She was done with this mess and done with him.
She dug the device from her purse—it had reception, but probably blinked out when she’d been underground. In any case, so the hell what? This was ridiculous!
She shoved it at him. “Here. Take it. I don’t want it any…” She noticed Bennett’s face turning pale. “Ohmygod, Bennett. Are you okay?” She reached for his upper arm and absolutely did not take note of the firm biceps she needed two hands to grip. Nope.
He closed his eyes for a moment and took a breath.