I hadn’t slept very well last night. I couldn’t decide if I’d screwed up with Tanya or not. It wasn’t so much the kiss as the fact I was afraid she would think I was exactly what the rumors said I was, a playboy that couldn’t keep his hands to himself or his cock in his pants. I decided there was nothing for it. If she was an honest investigator, as she claimed, she’d realize the facts didn’t support that narrative, despite what I’d done the night before.

Just a good night kiss, that’s all it was. People did it millions of times every day. I hadn’t been handy with her, I hadn’t tried to seduce her, and I hadn’t been pissy. It was just a kiss good night. So why was I so worried about it? I didn’t know. I sniffed at my self-deception. I did know. I needed her to believe I wasn’t the person the rumors said I was to help me professionally, but that was only part of it. I wanted her to believe I wasn’t that person for me. I liked her and didn’t want her to think less of me for the rumors.

Another accusation had popped up late last night, an unsubstantiated rumor on Twitter and Facebook. One of those a-friend-told-me-about-a-friend rumors. In this one, the woman had been at one of my fitness centers. I stopped in and offered to give her private lessons. The woman claimed I’d taken her into one of the rooms where we conducted classes and had been grabby. She didn’t outright accuse me of attempted rape, but it was implied the woman thought it was leading to it before she’d managed to slip away.

I hated this shit! I didn’t understand how anyone could believe the rumors, especially since they were always third-hand information. But with everything going on in Hollywood right now, with so many big stars and executives being accused of sexual harassment, people were apparently willing to believe anything without a shred of proof. Worse, the rumors were starting to get traction, and they were being spread as facts.

If it turned out April was the source of the rumors, I was going to fucking bury her for it, and I didn’t care what it cost. I took a deep breath and tried to let the anger go. I had no proof April had anything to do with my problems, and blaming her without proof was no different than what people were doing to me.

By the time I turned into the Jacklyn Sauserly’s driveway, I’d released the anger. Jacklyn was the ghostwriter for my upcoming book, and she wanted to talk to me about some point where I had the same event attributed to two different people. We’d tried to talk it out over the phone, but my explanation wasn’t clear to her, so we agreed to meet and work though the confusion in person. Jacklyn was in her late sixties, smoked like a chimney, and lived in a modest home with her three Corgis in Placentia, a small community just north of Anaheim.

I read the section she’d written around the details of the Olympic team and marked it up with corrections. She’d gotten crossed up because one of my team members was named William, Will for short, and one of the coaches was also named William, Bill for short. I could understand her confusion. The team often mixed up Bill and Will since they sounded so much alike when spoken in a noisy arena.

We were sitting in her office, talking about her progress, when my phone rang.

“Excuse me,” I said as I pulled my phone from my pocket and saw Tanya’s name. “I need to take this.”

“Go right ahead, dear,” she said.

I stepped into the next room. “Hey.”

“Hey! That offer still on to take me to get a rental?”

I almost sighed in relief. She didn’t sound upset. “Of course! I’m in Placentia talking to the writer, but I can be there in about an hour. Can you wait that long?”

She sighed, but I could I could hear the teasing in her voice. “If I must.”

“Let me say my goodbyes, and I’ll be there quick as I can.”

“You remember where I live?”

“Yeah.”

“See you when you get here,” she said, then was gone.

I stared at the phone a moment, feeling like a great weight had been lifted from my shoulders as I returned to Jacklyn’s office. She didn’t smoke around me as a courtesy, but she had one going now. I tried to keep my distance without looking like I was keeping my distance.

“Jacki, I need to bolt. Something came up. I answered all your questions?”

She took a hard pull on her cigarette and nodded as she blew smoke at the ceiling. “For now. I’ll call you if anything else comes up.”

“Please do,” I said as I backed away.

I quickly trotted down her steps and hurried to my car. It was about an hour from Placentia to Tanya’s home in Inglewood, but I drove a year-old Porsche 911. I was pretty sure I could do it faster.

I didn’t drive like a madman, but forty-eight minutes later I was pulling into her driveway. I’d debated with myself the entire way and had decided I needed to clear the air with her. Taking a deep breath, I pushed the button beside the door and smiled as the old-fashioned bell buzzed inside.

I was bouncing on my toes, my nerves getting the better of me, when she opened the door. My eyes opened wide. I’d never seen her in anything other than suit, so seeing her dressed in faded, tight jeans, black, calf-high boots with a two-inch heel and buckles on the side, and a breezy, pale-yellow blouse opened enough to show the swell of her breasts was a bit of a surprise. She wasn’t as heavy breasted as some women, but she wasn’t as flat chested as I’d first thought, either.

“That was fast! You must have put your foot down.”

“Porsche, baby!” I teased. “You ready?”

She stepped out and locked her door in way of answer. When she turned from the door I caught her arm, holding it just long enough to get her attention.

“I want to apologize for last night. I shouldn’t have done that.”

“Why?”

“It wasn’t very professional of me.”

“What about me?”

I shrugged. “You didn’t kiss me, I kissed you, and I’m sorry.”

She smiled. “You really don’t have anything to apologize for, but if it makes you feel better, you’re forgiven.”

“Thank you. It won’t happen again.”

“What if I want it to?” she asked, then turned and quick-stepped down the four steps from the porch.

“What?” I asked as I followed.

She smiled at me over the top the car. “You’re right. It wasn’t very professional of either one of us, but to be honest, I didn’t mind. Maybe, when this is over, you can do it again.” Her eyes twinkled with mischief. “If you want to, that is.”

I was totally flummoxed by her comment. Of all the scenarios I’d run through my head on the drive over, this wasn’t one of them. “Maybe I will.”

She disappeared as she dropped into the car. I sat down beside her. “This is a new look for you,” I said as I nodded at her.

“I’m taking the day off to get my car problem sorted out.”

“Well, I like it.”

She smiled as she pulled her aviator sunglasses out of her purse and slipped them on. I’d seen her wearing them before, but with her new, more relaxed look, they fit her better.

“Thanks.” She continued to watch me a moment. “Are we going, or should I get out and push?”

I snickered and started the car. “Where to?”

“The airport. I have a car reserved.”

I nodded and backed down the drive. Tanya lived on the north end of Inglewood, so I took the 405 south to the 105. It was an easy twenty-minute drive, even with the typical LA traffic.

“Want me to go in with you?” I asked as I pulled to a stop at the terminal.

“No, that’s fine.”

“What if there’s a screw up?”

“Then I’ll call.”

She started to close the door. “Tanya! Wait!” She looked back into the car. “Dinner?”

“Why?”

“Because I want to. I want to talk to you about our next step.” She seemed hesitant. “I’ll keep my hands to myself, I promise.”

“Okay. I’ll call in a few hours when I get myself sorted.”

“I’ll pick you up.”

She nodded, stepped back, and shut the door.

I was sitting at home, staring at a computer screen, trying to write my Health Minute segments for next week, but I was having a hard time focusing. I’d write a bit and get stuck when I found myself thinking about how good Tanya’s ass looked in those jeans, or her comment about kissing her again. I wasn’t entirely sure I knew what was happening, but I liked how it made me feel all the same.

I shook off the distraction of her in those ass-hugging jeans and frowned at the screen again. I read what I’d typed, then started pecking at the keyboard again. I didn’t type using the Jesus Christ method—seek and ye shall find—but I was no Jacklyn Sauserly either. That woman could almost type faster than the computer could run.

I’d just finished my third segment and was staring at another blank screen, trying to think of something to say that I hadn’t already said, or at least a new way of saying it, when my phone rang. I glanced at the phone and smiled.

“Have your car?”

“Yeah. My Accord is seriously screwed. It’s going to be at least three weeks before it will be repaired because the rear suspension is knackered. That’s the technical term, according the repair guy. Knackered.”

“Are we still on for dinner?”

“Sure. Are you sure you don’t want me to meet you somewhere?”

“No, I’ll pick you up. A dress, or one of your suits, would be appropriate.”

“Where are we going?”

“It’s a surprise.”

She paused for a moment. “Answer something for me.”

“If I can.”

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why dinner?”

I shrugged even though she wouldn’t see. “I want to. I figure you’ve about burned through my deposit. I want to know our next step.”

“I don’t know if there is one, Neil.”

“Did you see Facebook and Twitter this morning?”

“No, why?”

“Another rumor is going around. This time I groped some woman in one of my fitness centers.”

“Shit.”

“Exactly. I want you to keep digging. I have to know if it’s April, and if it’s not her, who it is.”

“I may not be able to find out. It was a longshot from the beginning.”

“I know. But you found that thing with April. I have confidence if you keep digging, you’ll eventually find something.”

“If you’re sure, but I have other things I need to spend time on, too.”

“I’m not surprised, but that’s what I need to talk to you about.”

“You don’t have to take me out to dinner for that, especially one that I have to dress up for. You could come by the office.”

“I know, but I want to do this. It gets me out of my apartment and I’ve been wanting to try this new place that has been getting great reviews for its seafood, but I didn’t want to go by myself. I’d invite you here and cook for you, but I thought that would be a little too much like a date.”

“I don’t know. I can’t remember the last time anyone cooked for me.”

“You want to come here?” I asked, my heart speeding up at the thought.

She paused. “No, that’s probably not a good idea. At least not right now.”

“Yeah, I didn’t think so either. So dinner at this place I want to try, we’ll figure out our game plan, then I’ll drop you back home. It’s business.”

“What time?”

“I’ll pick you up at six. We have reservations for seven.”

“I’ll be ready.”

“See you then.”

I hung up and placed the phone on the table. I stared at the blank screen, the blinking cursor mocking me. I had an hour before I needed to get in the shower. I should be able to knock out these last two segments in that length of time, easy. I just needed to focus. I stared at the screen, waiting for the words to come, the cursor mocking me.

I rolled to a stop in Tanya’s driveway. I told myself I couldn’t go to dinner until I finished the last two segments. Properly motivated, I knocked them out in record time. One was on selecting the proper clothing for your type of workout, the other was about hydration. After I’d finished I’d taken a quick shower, dressed, and hit the road.

I rang the bell again, smiling as it buzzed inside. It sounded just like a small school bell, the buzzing ring reminding me of the bells in school back home in Iowa. I’d dressed up, even adding a tie, which I despised, but I wanted to make a good impression. Besides, where we were going, a tie was mandatory.

She opened the door and stepped back. “Come in. I’ll be ready in two minutes.”

She was dressed in a black, sleeveless dress that hugged her curves perfectly. The dress stopped at her knee, and the angled pleats from the belted waist drew the eye to the sensuous curve of her hips. The neck line was high and arced gracefully around her throat, but there was a small, diamond-shaped plunge in the center that hinted at the V of her breasts. The top of the diamond was clasped with a small silver band that matched the silver of the wide buckle that attached the belt and pleats.

She was stunning in her dress, and I was severely outclassed in my navy blazer, tan pants, white shirt, and bright red tie for a splash of color. James Bond himself would be outclassed by Tanya in that dress.

“You look great!” I said as she swayed back to her bedroom.

She looked over her shoulder at me and smiled, and I wondered if she caught me staring at her lovely ass. “And you look nice. I like the tie,” she said before she disappeared. “Want to come back?” she called.

I paused in the door to her bedroom. Like the rest of her house, it was small but didn’t feel cramped. I smiled at the queen-size bed that dominated the room. She seemed to prefer muted, pastel colors, the bed covered with a taupe comforter and celery green pillows and accents. Like the rest of her house, it was feminine without going overboard with ruffles and frills. I wondered what it would be like to destroy it in our passion.

“Snap?” she asked, handing me a silver necklace and turning her back to me. “Thanks.” She slipped into some heels and smiled at me. “How do I look?”

“Stunning.”

Her smile widened. “This is by far the most dressed up for a business meeting I’ve ever been.”

“You dress like that, you can charge whatever you want, and your clients will pay it.” She gave me a teasing smile and patted my chest as she passed.

We arrived at Fins and were seated immediately. I’d heard the place was upscale, and it was. The tables gleamed with thick, white tablecloths, accented by black cloth napkins folded so they stood like crowns at each place. The chairs were heavy, covered in thickly padded, dark grey fabric, and their thick wooden frames matched the richly polished wood on the walls. The lighting was low, the music soft and soothing, and the conversation of the diners hushed.

“Wow!” Tanya whispered as we sat down. “This is some place.” The waiter placed menus in front of us, then stepped back. “Holy shit, Neil,” she hissed. “Are sure about this?”

I was shocked by the prices. I could easily afford it, but at between $185 and $325 a plate, this wasn’t a place I was willing to just pop into for a quick bite. In for a penny, in for a pound. We’d dressed up, we were here, and I did want to try the food.

“Sure,” I said as if I knew how expensive the place was all along.

The meal was fantastic. It was one of those typically overpriced places where the portions were tiny and the presentation was everything, but I couldn’t fault the quality of the food, the wine, or the companionship.

As we enjoyed our courses, we talked softly about her next step. She wanted to call it quits, at least for a while. She’d tried to get someone at April’s company to comment on the case they’d won against HSU Effects, but everyone was completely closed-lipped. Because she had no clear path forward, she wanted to wait until she had something more to work with. I finally convinced her, over a delicious whole pear that had been soaked in spiced red wine and apple juice, to give me another forty hours, though I had to agree that she would work the case between other, more pressing, commitments.

I drove her home and walked her to her door. I hated to see the evening end. She unlocked her door and turned to face me.

“You’re not coming in, but give me a good night kiss?”

I smiled. “You sure? What about our mutual professionalism?”

Her lips twisted into that sideways grin she had that I found so appealing. “Screw it. It’s just a good night kiss, and after a meal like that, you deserve one.”

“Then forget it. You don’t owe me anything.”

Her grin spread. “Okay, how about because I want one?”

“Better.”

I stepped in, took her face softly in my hands, and kissed her as I had last night, a slow, gentle taking of her lips. I could feel my desire spooling up, but the kiss was intentionally innocent. I slowly pulled back and smiled.

“Nice,” she whispered.

“Very nice,” I agreed as I released her face.

“I’ll keep you updated on what I find, if I find anything. Are you sure you want to waste your money on this?”

“It’s mine to waste. At least if you’re working on it, I’ll feel like I’m doing something and not just sitting around twiddling my thumbs.”

She held my gaze a moment. I wanted to kiss her again. I wanted to kiss her badly, but I kept my distance.

“Good night. I had a lovely evening. Thank you.”

I smiled and nodded. “So did I.”

She didn’t move, and neither did I. She slowly licked her lips then smiled. “I’m still not inviting you in, but one more kiss like that last one, then you have to go.”

My smile joined hers as I took her face in my hands again and kissed her. It was a little more heated than the first one, and I held it until I felt her start to pull away.

“That’s enough,” she whispered, “or I’ll change my mind.”

“I understand. Good night,” I said before I turned walked back to my car.

She was still standing on her tiny porch as I dropped into my car, so I gave her a small wave as I shut the door. I acted like I wasn’t bothered, but I was. I wanted her, wanted her like I hadn’t wanted a woman in a long, long time.