Tumult (TSS Series Book 1) by Lea Hart (7)

CHAPTER SEVEN

Friday, October 13^th

Audrey sat across from Kelly and wished she could enjoy the casual elegance of Brasserie Ruhlmann. The beautiful French Art Deco interior was bathed in golden light and instead of appreciating the ambiance, she was fuming. “Did I do the right thing?”

Folding her hands on the table, Kelly nodded. “Absolutely. They were adding more restrictions the longer we were in the room, and that tells us both that they were trying to sabotage the trip.”

“Which makes no sense, considering they want to publish the book.”

Kelly leaned to the side and looked down the center of the restaurant. “Before Carrick comes back, tell me what the hell is going on between you two?”

Making sure her cutlery was aligned correctly, Audrey then looked up at her friend. “Nothing is going on.”

Kelly picked up her phone and put it to her ear. “Hold on I need to make a call.”

“To whom?”

“I’m calling bullshit.”

Feeling some of the tension slide off her shoulders, Audrey let out a small laugh. “Girl Scout honor, nothing is ‘going on’ between Carrick and me. We had dinner last night and discussed the itinerary and that’s it.”

Tapping her finger to her mouth, Kelly raised an eyebrow and then said, “Bullshit is holding, so there’s no way you’re going to get away with telling me a fib. Especially since you invoked the whole Girl Scout honor thing. The man was touching you from the moment you all stepped off the elevator and only stopped when he excused himself to take a call.”

“I know it’s weird and, if I had an explanation, believe me, I’d share it with you. But I don’t.” She smoothed out the tablecloth and then looked around the room again and admired the red velvet chairs and crisp white linens. “I’m going to Syria.”

“I know,” Kelly replied glumly. “When you hadn’t signed the contract, I knew you had reservations.”

“Once I read it thoroughly, I realized they were not comfortable with the liability the trip could potentially present, but we had to go through the motions before I could be sure.” Lifting her shoulders, she frowned. “Now I know and I can move on. If Carrick backs out, then I’ll go to Dyna Corp and be in Syria by next Friday at the latest.”

“I don’t think Carrick is going to pull out because he’s got a little lusty crush on you and the idea of you being with someone else would probably be unacceptable to him.”

“And how is a lusty crush different than a regular crush?”

“A lusty crush is a regular crush on steroids. You know…like when all you can think about is tearing the person’s clothes off and running your mouth and hands over every inch of their skin until you know them better than you know yourself. When all you want is to be so deeply buried within one another’s bodies that you’re breathing the same air, mixing blood and bone. The kind of feelings that make you forget why rational thought and smart decisions were ever something you considered.” Lifting her glass of iced tea, she took a sip and then set it down. “I’m surprised you don’t know the difference.”

“I’ve never gotten close to having one, so it shouldn’t be a surprise.” She squared up the flowers and sugar bowl and then laid her hands on the table. “Which is actually kind of depressing, considering I’m thirty.” Watching Kelly smile made her wonder what was going on. “Why do you look so happy?”

“Because there’s a big brutal man who I think is going to change all of that. Maybe you two can get twisted up in the sheets when you’re traveling and see if whatever is simmering is as hot as I think it’s going to be.”

Carrick came up to the table and looked at them. “What’s hot?”

“The soup,” Audrey replied. “Always piping hot when they serve it.”

Kelly snorted and then lifted her menu in front of her face. “Absolutely scorching,” she said quietly.

Audrey watched Carrick fold his big frame into the chair and then give her a questioning glance. Deciding she didn’t want to answer any questions, she mimicked her friend, picked up the menu, and studied it carefully. “So many delicious options.”

“I know I’m missing something,” Carrick said as he dropped his arm on the back of Audrey’s chair.

As she studied the entrée selections, she felt Carrick’s calloused finger rub up and down her arm. Looking sideways, she saw he was looking out the window of the restaurant and appeared to be lost in thought. Which made the absentminded affection all the more potent.

She set down her menu and saw that Kelly had done the same. Seeing her amused expression, she knew she was watching Carrick. “What are you having?”

“What I always have when I come here, the shrimp and lobster roll.”

“I’m going to have the Maine lobster cobb salad.”

“Of course, you are,” Kelly replied with a laugh. “You haven’t been home since August, so I know you’re experiencing withdrawals.”

“I was so sick of lobster when I was in high school that I swore I’d never eat it once I left the state.”

“That didn’t last long because I think you were craving it only one month into school.”

Carrick turned away from the window and looked at them. “Is that where you two met?”

“Boston University, freshman year—we were assigned as roommates and have been together ever since,” Audrey replied as she shifted in her seat. Carrick was smooshed up along her side with his big leg resting against hers and she didn’t know what to do with the heat. “Kelly was just as glam at eighteen as she is now and took pity on her geeky, preppy roommate from Maine.”

“When she unpacked her bags, and I saw nothing but J Crew, I knew I had to intervene.”

“It was a valiant effort, but it never really took,” Audrey said as the waiter came up.

After they were done placing their orders, Carrick took her hand under the table and held it. Not wanting to make a scene, she tried to move it away and felt him tighten his grip. “Carrick…”

“I feel responsible for the publisher pulling out all those additional restrictions at the meeting,” he said as he held her gaze. “I thought I gave them a balanced view of what we were going to encounter and thought that stressing the assets we had in-country would alleviate any concerns.”

“I had a feeling they were going to try something and that’s why I never signed the contract.”

“You could’ve given me a heads up, Audrey.” He shifted his weight and then picked up his glass of water and drained it. “I’ve been feeling like crap for the last hour.”

“I’m sorry, Carrick, but there was no way I was going to voice my suspicions before we walked in.”

Kelly stood and placed her napkin on the table. “I’m going to use the ladies.”

Audrey nodded and watched Kelly walk toward the back. “I’m still going and if Titan doesn’t want the contract, then I need to know today so I can make other arrangements.”

“How the hell are you going to pay the tab, Audrey? We’re talking about a forty-thousand-dollar check you’re going to need to write to Titan.”

“I’m well aware of those facts and was prepared for this eventuality, so don’t be sticking your nose into my financial life.”

“I’m not sticking my nose into anything—all I’m trying to do is process what the hell is going on.”

“I’m taking the trip and writing the book. I need to be back in New York City by November 1^st, so I can prep for the case I’m taking. Which means I’ll be in Kobane one week from today, come hell or high water.”

“What case?”

Sighing loudly, she moved her hand away from his and frowned. “I’m of-council with Sullivan and Cromwell and that means they give me cases from time to time if it doesn’t make sense for the firm to take it. I have one starting in November that will likely keep me busy through the end of the year.”

“I’m not letting anyone else go, so forget about other options because there aren’t any. It’s me or you stay home.”

“That is a load of steaming hot cow…”

“I get the picture,” he replied as the busboy came by to refill their water glasses.

Turning toward him, she studied his hardened features and let out a small laugh. “I hope you just enjoyed that little fit of dominance because if you ever try anything like that again, I will…”

Carrick leaned forward and pressed their mouths together so all she could do was swallow her words.

Shock.

Pleasure.

Heat and desire.

All of it was happening in the middle of a busy Manhattan restaurant and she had no idea what to do, so she merely enjoyed it.

“Enough with the tonsil hockey,” Kelly said loudly as she took her seat.

Pulling away, Audrey pressed her fingers to her mouth and looked around. “There was no tongue—so no hockey.”

Hearing a booming laugh, she turned and saw Carrick with his head thrown back. “Glad you’re enjoying my mortification.”

“Nothing to be mortified about,” Kelly commented. “All I see is a bunch of people eating their meals and talking; no one’s interested in the two of you locking lips.”

Their food was delivered and Audrey stared at her salad blindly. She felt Carrick’s hand land on her leg and she pushed it away. “We will talk about this later.”

“Looking forward to it,” he replied with a smile.

“Wipe that satisfied smile off your face if you plan on making it through the meal unharmed.”

Kelly lifted her fork and pointed it at Audrey. “You tell him, sista. If you let him get away with any nonsense now, then you’ll never get him under control.”

Carrick snorted and picked up his burger and took a bite.

“We are not talking about this now!” she repeated firmly. Lifting her fork, she speared a beautiful piece of lobster and put it in her mouth. Enjoying the sweet taste, she decided that Friday the thirteenth had lived up to its potential. Not only did she not have a contract for her book, she had a bodyguard who was acting crazy.

Lord, let this day have no more surprises.