“I’m starting to realize I’ve grossly underestimated you,” Mara said with a note of respect in her voice.

Kay turned to Ridley. “This is crazy. What would I say when I got there? I’ve only spoken to Matt a handful of times. Wouldn’t it be weird if I just showed up?”

Ridley pursed her lips. “Mara, have you been collecting Matt’s mail while he’s gone?”

“Yeah, I usually pick it up every other day so it doesn’t pile up,” Mara said.

“Why didn’t he just forward his mail?” Ridley asked.

Kay rolled her eyes. “He probably got the same lecture about security Eli gave me. If you forward your mail, then your name goes on a list somewhere and potential thieves will know your house is empty. Also, anyone observing will notice that you’re suddenly not getting any mail.”

“Well, that’s the perfect excuse for you to stop by. Surely something has come in the mail that’s important. Right?”

“Not really, but I can pretend I thought it was.” Mara shrugged. “I doubt he’ll question Kay about why she’s there. He’ll just say thank you and to tell everyone hi.”

Ridley clapped her hands together decisively, as if the matter was all but settled. “Excellent. If we’re lucky, Penny will be there when you see him, so he’ll do the polite thing and introduce her. If something’s off when Eli meets her, he won’t be able to resist checking her out. It’s in his nature. When he gets a hunch about something, he can’t let it go. He’s like a dog with a bone.”

“I know,” Kay muttered crossly.

“Cheer up. At least you two will have to stay overnight in a hotel,” Ridley whispered.

Kay placed a hand over her chest, trying to contain her suddenly rapidly beating heart. “What? Why would that cheer me up?”

Ridley gave her a sarcastic look. “Gee, I wonder. Are you really going to pretend you haven’t been panting after my incredibly buff brother-in-law for months now?”

Kay groaned. “Great. I guess that means everyone knows. I’m sure that means he knows. He’s probably gotten a good laugh out of it. God, this is so embarrassing.”

“Calm down. Eli has no idea. I just like to watch people, so I see things. It’s not a big deal. You guys will stay in a hotel and have a nice dinner. All paid for by the record company.”

“Why would we stay in a hotel when Eli has a house there? Won’t he want to go home?”

“Matt’s already staying there. Eli won’t drag you back to his house and inconvenience Matt when the hotel is already paid for.”

“Ridley, I don’t think this is such a good idea.” Kay had never been a rule breaker. In general, if there was something that could go wrong when she was taking a chance and bending the rules, it would. Historically, it had never worked out for her. She had a feeling that if she tried to pull the wool over Eli’s eyes, he’d wrap her in it until she was bound so tightly she couldn’t move. Especially since he didn’t seem to like her much anyway.

“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of everything,” Ridley assured her.

Somehow, Kay didn’t find that all too comforting.

*   *   *   *   *

MATT WATCHED PENNY walk around his bedroom. She picked up the cologne on the dresser and sniffed it. Then she picked up the few items of clothing he’d dropped on the floor and folded them, placing them neatly on top of the dresser.

“This room looks like you. It’s definitely a tough-guy room.” She glanced back at him with a grin.

“I’m just glad to have you here, in my home. Finally.”

“I’m glad I’m here too. I almost didn’t come.”

“Why did you, Penny? Really? You know I want you. I couldn’t deny that even if I wanted to. I’m pretty sure my hard-ons give me away. But I want more than that. So much more. If you don’t feel that way about me, then it’s probably better that we continue to keep our distance. I can’t survive another day of making love only to have you push me out the door as soon as it’s over.”

“I want to tell you something.” Penny stepped away from the dresser and took his hand. She dragged him over to the bed. They sat on the edge, facing each other. After a few moments, she started talking. “Before I met you, I dated a really great guy.”

“The suit?” Matt could barely keep himself from growling and beating his chest.

“Yeah. His name was Scott and he was an assistant district attorney. He was smart, handsome, and a genuinely nice guy.” Penny dropped his hand and stood. She paced back and forth on the carpet a few times before she stood before him.

“So what happened?” It wasn’t like he didn’t already know, sort of. However, he wanted to hear it from her. It wasn’t enough to know they’d broken up. He needed to know how. He needed to know why. Was it because the other guy had moved on? Or was it Penny’s doing?

He hoped it was Penny’s doing.

Penny sighed and held up her hands. “I don’t know. That was the whole problem. On paper we were perfect together. I might have gone on to marry him except something happened.” She turned and looked at him. The look in her eyes was so unbelievably tender that Matt couldn’t believe it was directed at him. “I saw you again. After that I couldn’t even contemplate marrying him. Everything missing in my relationship with Scott was what I felt for you.”