Page 36 of Sexy Bad Escort

“Youtoo.” Keeping his voicelow, Danny offers his hand, and the other man takes it before hisgaze slides to me.

Danny’sgrip on my hand tightens as he tugs me closer and his gaze narrowson his brother. “Joe, this is Ronnie.”

“Nice tomeet you. Sorry it’s under such bad circumstances.” Joe engulfs myhand in his huge one. “You’re his girlfriend?”

Danny’sgirlfriend? I glance at the guy I’ve been spending my time with.More time than I’ve given any other man, more of myself.He’s staring at me, waiting.Wanting me to say what? That for the first time in my life, maybethemorethat I wantisn’t wrapped up in my career or who I am as an individual? Orhoping that we’re on the same page and this isn’t anything morethan a fling?

“Ronnie’s afriend.” Danny takes the decision out of my hands.

I’mgrateful, and also a little crushed. But what did Iexpect? We haven’t even talkedabout what this could be because I’ve balked at the idea thatthere’s more here. Been upfront about my opinion of relationships.“Right. Friends.”

“That’sgood,” Joe says, glancing at their mom and grimacing. “I’m gladyou’re here, Danny. Bothof you.”

“How’sshe doing?” Dannymovesaround the bed and takes the seat beside his mom.

“Good.She’ll probably wake up soon. I sentDad home when I got here this morning so he couldrest. Said I’d sit with her until he came back. I expect that willbe soon. But I could really do with a cup of coffee.”

“Howabout I get us all one?” I offer. Danny didn’t sleep much lastnight, and neither didI. We could all use a hit of caffeine. Plus I want to call my momand fill her in.

Dannynods.“Thanks.”

“I’llcome with you,” Joe says. “I want to stretch my legs.”

Danny tensesand flicks an almost imperceptible glare at his brother. Is heworried that Joe will want to talk about him? Or that I will?

“We’llbe back in a minute.” Ilean down and kiss Danny on the cheek. His breath catches, and mylips against his skin jolts my system. We’ve snuggled up, cuddledup, gotten incredibly close, but not in front of other people. Evenwith my family, neither of us intended to get caught beingaffectionate. “Do you want anything else? A bagel or a Danish?Muffins? Chocolate? Anything.”

“No. I’mgood,” he says, catching my hand, squeezing it, and then lettinggo. “You two grab coffee.”

“Okay.”Joe opens the hospitalroom door and steps out into the corridor. “Whichway?”

“I think it’sthis way.” I head left.

Joecatches up easily. His hands are shoved in his pockets. His arms held close to hisbody bulge with muscle and ink. If I asked him if he was ano-strings-attached kind of guy, he’d almost certainly respond witha yes. I can pick my type a mile away. My old type. “Do you own amotorcycle by chance?”

“Howlong have you known Danny?” he asks at the same time,almost stopping midstride whilehis eyes widen. “I do. Why, do you want to go for aride?”

“No,that’s not why... Never mind.”My suspicions confirmed, it’s time to get this conversationback on track. “We’ve known each other a little over a year. Hisbest friend Erin, I suppose you know her, married mybrother.”

“Yourbrother’s the golfer? Garrett Frost. I think I saw somewhere thathe and Erin got hitched.”

“Theydid.”We enter thehospital cafeteria and line up to order the coffee. “And sinceDanny and Erin are kind of a package deal, my family adopted himinto the fold.”

Theserver, a plump,middle-aged woman with gray roots peeking through her ginger hair,commandeers his attention for a moment while he places his order.Then he asks, “Does my brother still take three sugars in hiscoffee?”

“Three?”I almost choke on the idea of thatmuch sugar in one cup.

“Yeah.” Hegives me a grin very similar to Danny’s more charming one. “Healways had a sweet tooth.”

“One.Just one. Things change,I guess.”

“And you?”

“Same,”I say to the server before pointing at the display case. “And thatDanish—what’s init?”

She glances atthe flaky pastry. “Cherry.”

“Great. I’lltake one of those.”

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