Page 73 of An Indecent Longing

“Fear is what keeps you alive. You just can’t let it rule you.”

“Sounds exhausting. I don’t want to be scared all the time. I just want to live.”

“And are you? Scared all the time, I mean.”

Unlocking the door, she pushed through and held it open for him then locked it again.

“Sometimes.” She waved at the chairs in the lobby. “It shouldn’t take me long. I just want to make sure he’s comfortable.”

Ben stopped, knowing she wanted him to wait for her out here. He wondered if that was because she didn’t want Blank to know he was here. Which didn’t make much sense because she’d told him there was nothing going on between her and her bodyguard.

Or maybe she didn’t want it getting back to her secret benefactor.

Taking a seat, he took another look around her office, taking note of things he hadn’t the other night. Like the quality of the chairs and couches, the richness of the wood trim and hardwood floors, and the overall understated elegance of the room. Even the curtains at the windows looked like real silk.

Antonoff had spared no expense when he’d set her up here.

Not for the first time Ben wondered what the hell Antonoff had on her that made her willingly work for him. Was it just the money? If it was, how the hell did Antonoff get his claws into her in the first place?

Tomorrow, he needed to do a little more investigating on Dorrie’s background. Tonight, he wanted to be in her bed. Actually, he wished she’d stayed at his and Ian’s house tonight but they’d work on that.

Christ, Ian was going to need a hell of a lot of work to make that happen

Which reminded him he should check in with Ian. He pulled out his phone.

Hey. Stopped at her office to check on Blank. Will take her home after that.

It only took Ian a few seconds to respond.

K.

Ben rolled his eyes. No one had ever accused Ian of being talkative.

I’m gonna ask her out again for tomorrow night. You in?

This time it took longer for him to respond.

Probably not a good idea. She’ll be more comfortable if it’s just you.

Sighing, Ben shook his head and decided to fight that battle tomorrow.

And if Ian proved to be a dick, well, Ben would just have to knock some sense into him.

* * * * *

“Dorrie, what the hell are you doing here this late? Something happen?”

Blank was sitting up in bed, TV remote in his hand, some old-fashioned western on the screen.

For some reason, that didn’t fit her image of Blank. Then again, it probably explained a lot.

“Nothing’s wrong. I just wanted to check and make sure you’d had no setbacks.”

Eyes narrowing, he switched off the TV. “Where were you tonight?”

“I had a date.”

Now his eyes flew wide and she wanted to throw something at his head. She hadn’t realized until just this second why she was here but now that she had, she wondered if she had the courage to ask what she needed to know.

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