Page 39 of Reunion With Benefits

Ten

The next week passed by in a happy blur. They didn’t get naked again, which Spence regretted, but it was the right answer. He was willing to give Abby as much time as she needed and hoped the answer wasn’t forever.

She was feeling better and back to work, having missed only one day. Her so-called easier schedule quickly gave way to long meetings and even longer workdays. They went to dinner, talked, watched movies on her sectional, and then he went home each night after a lingering kiss. That was the new cycle.

Since Beth had dragged Eldrick right back out of town after the scene in the Virginia estate library, it was easy to ignore his calls. Even easier to ignore the stupid envelope with his To Do list for keeping the business. It sat unopened on the dresser in the bedroom Spence still used in Derrick and Ellie’s house. She was still resting but up more. Keeping Carter entertained and Derrick smiling.

It was all so normal. Well, normal for other people. Spence didn’t know what to do or what to think. He stayed on edge, waiting for the bad news to come. Because it always did.

In her second week back, they had a morning status meeting, covering several projects, and then Abby had a business lunch. Something she’d been putting off and moved on her calendar twice. He didn’t know what it was but he trusted her. They were...dating. He guessed that was the right word, but who knew. He wasn’t about to ask, because he didn’t want to scare her away. Not when things were going well.

Right now she was sitting in a conference room chair, pummeling Rylan with questions. “When will the report be done?”

He shifted the papers around in front of him on the conference room table. Abby had insisted on scheduling them for the big room. The one with expensive artwork hanging on the walls and the blackout curtains. It spoke to the company’s success and provided a level of intimidation.

The whole thing was wildly enjoyable for Spence to watch.

“I need—”

“Rylan, I am done playing with this.” Abby leaned back in her chair. “You know I am.”

Something had changed in the relationship between Abby and Rylan. It had always been professional, respectful and still was, but Abby’s patience had seemingly expired. There was a charged energy in the room. Gone was Rylan’s flirting and Abby’s gentle coaxing. She was going in for the kill.

“I finished,” Rylan said in a flat tone. “You set a deadline and I met it.”

He pushed a report across the table. A letter attached to a thick binder with folded blueprints tucked inside.

Abby didn’t touch it. “I thought so.”

“The project has been approved. There are no more impediments to getting started on the work.” Rylan couldn’t have sounded less excited if he were talking about toothpaste.

Spence was pretty sure he’d missed a step. No question the Abby-Rylan dynamic had flipped. Rylan actually looked a little afraid of her, which was probably a wise choice. Abby walked into the meeting looking all professional and no-nonsense in her trim black suit. Rylan usually let his gaze travel a bit. He’d wait until she turned and would sneak a few peeks. Not today.

Spence found the outfit sexy as hell. That little bit of light blue stuck out from the top of her buttoned jacket had sent his control careening into a wall. He’d seen the jacket unbuttoned earlier in her office. He knew the shirt was silky and thin and all he wanted to do was get his hands under it.

He really hoped he earned that right back soon.

“If that’s all?” Rylan stood up before he finished the sentence.

“You’ve signed everything?” Abby just stared at the man, still not touching the paperwork she’d pushed so hard to get completed. “I don’t want any surprises.”

“No, we’re done.”

She nodded. “Good answer.”

A minute later, he was packed up and Spence showed him out the door. Handed him off to an assistant, then stepped back into the conference room. The satisfied grin on Abby’s face suggested she liked how that battle ended.

“Want to clue me in?” he asked.

Her head jerked up. “What?”

“That was a big change in attitude. You were coddling him, letting him take the maximum time to ensure the project got approved. It’s exactly what I would have done since Rylan seems like the type who craves attention.” Minus the flirting, of course. Spence was pretty sure Rylan wouldn’t have tried that tactic on him. Spence leaned against the table and faced her where she still sat in the chair. “He went from drooling over you and dragging his feet to jumping to your every demand.”

She shrugged. “We had a chat and I made my position clear.”

“Which means?”

“I told him he had misstepped if he thought he had a chance at something with me. Also made it clear I wanted the job done.”

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