Oh, hell. He was scratching his wrists and hadn’t even realized it.

  “Fine.” He frowned. The hives were spreading, jumping from one hand to the other like a game of tag. “I have it under control.”

  She huffed out a breath. “If you say so.”

  Damn. Maybe he should at least take his shirt off, then wash his hands…somewhere. Maybe there was a water fountain at the dog park. But with his luck, Fifi would jump all over him again. Better to try to find the dog’s owner first.

  The dog park was at the end of the next block, a huge expanse of grass with sagebrush and a smattering of trees. As they neared it, Fifi danced on all four paws, her tail wagging almost violently. Looked like they were on the right track.

  Aidan pulled back, and his heels dug into the dirt at the gate.

  “Fifi, sit,” Delaney said in a firm voice.

  The Great Dane dutifully sat, her tail still twitching from side to side. Apparently, the woman had a wide range of skills, too.

  “Good girl.” She reached down to stroke the dog’s head.

  Fifi stared at Aidan adoringly instead.

  Delaney rolled her eyes. “And people say you’re unapproachable. Fifi didn’t get that memo.” There was a hint of laughter in her tone. “You always have that effect on females?”

  Most of them, yeah.

  He shrugged. “I tend to keep things simple.”

  She tilted her head to one side, and for a brief moment he wondered how sensitive her neck might be, how she’d respond if he bent down and—

  “Simple? Now I’m intrigued.”

  He automatically stepped back. “Simple. No more than two dates.”

  “That’s hardly enough time to know someone.”

  That was the point. Anything more and he ran the risk of saying the wrong thing and screwing it up. Sometimes, he sensed there was something they needed him to say, something he couldn’t quite figure out. Which made it worse when he realized he disappointed them.

  God damn his neck itched.

  At this point, he was pretty sure he wouldn’t be good enough for any woman. He’d thought he’d done right by Elizabeth. He worked hard, provided for her. Hell, he’d even gotten her a dog when she’d asked, allergies be damned.

  That hadn’t mattered. None of it mattered. Elizabeth couldn’t live the rest of her life without a deep emotional connection, and Aidan hadn’t been able to give that to her. Not with the long days. Even longer nights. The travel. It’d been too much for her. And her tears had been too much for him. Ending the relationship was the best strategy. It was tough, but in the end, it needed to happen.

  She’d been right about him. He didn’t have what it took to get—and keep—a romantic relationship going. With anyone. Which secretly scared the crap out of him. His inability to connect relegated him to a lifetime of being alone. But better to be alone than to lead another woman down a path that would end miserably—for both of them.

  Chapter Six

  Delaney stood off to the side and watched as Aidan loosened his belt from Fifi’s collar. The splotchy redness on his hands and neck seemed to be spreading, but while he’d been in obvious discomfort on their way to the dog park, he seemed to have momentarily forgotten it.

  Probably because of the young blonde teetering on her high heels beside him.

  “I don’t know how I could thank you enough.” Blondie reached out a hand to touch Aidan’s arm. “One minute I’m at the office preparing legal briefs for a tough case, and the next, my mama’s calling because Fifi’s escaped.” She trilled out a laugh.

  He fidgeted and rubbed the side of his face. “Actually,” he said as he straightened, belt in hand, “it was Delaney’s idea to stop and help.”

  “Is that right?” The blonde’s smile stiffened as she turned her attention to Delaney, flickered her gaze up and down, then flashed a smile at Aidan again. “Well, thank you both.”

  How nice of him to give her credit when her generosity was what got him into this predicament in the first place. She felt like a heel, but at least Fifi was safe. “No thanks necessary. I’d want someone to help my dog if she needed it,” Delaney said.

  “Well, I can’t tell you how much Fifi means to my mama,” the blonde said. “They’re practically inseparable, the two of them. If you want to wait a little bit, she should be here any minute now.” She batted her eyelashes at Aidan.

  Give me a break. Two minutes after meeting and she already wanted to introduce him to her mother?

  He swiped at his chin a few times, and Blondie caught the movement, too. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine.” He shrugged. “Just allergic to dogs.”

  “You are?” Blondie’s eyes widened. “And yet you saved Fifi. You’re a hero!”

  Really? Delaney bit her lip to keep the huff of indignation to herself.

  “Now that you mention it, you are looking a little itchy. Do you need anything? Some Benadryl, maybe? I’ve got some in my office if you want to come back with me.”

  “No, that’s okay. I’ve got a prescription in my truck.” Aidan looked at his watch, surreptitiously scratching at a bright red patch of skin in the process. “We’re on a tight schedule, so we have to go.”

  Blondie managed a brave smile. “Ummm…okay.” She fished out a card from her jacket pocket. “Please feel free to call me,” she said, pressing the card into his hand. “Whenever.”

  This time Delaney didn’t bother to hide her eye roll.

  …

  Delaney slammed the passenger door shut and stared at him through the space between the front seats to where he stood. “Amazing. Your face is all blotchy, and yet you still managed to get that girl’s number.”

  “Very funny.” The last thing he needed was her snarky tone. His eyes itched, his chest felt tight, and his nose was runny. Maybe his lungs would close up.

  He pulled out the duffel bag he’d stored behind the driver’s seat and rummaged through it, looking for his medicine.

  “Ohmigod. Are you crying?”

  He huffed out a breath, pulling out the package of antihistamines he always carried in his overnight bag. Dare he take a couple? Granted, it’d been a while since he’d had to, particularly because he’d been pretty careful not to be around dogs, but Fifi had really done a number on him. Popping these meant he wouldn’t be able to drive, though, and they were already on a tight schedule.

  He cursed and tossed the package back into his overnight bag, then unbuttoned his shirt. Maybe getting the dander off of him would slow down the reaction.

  “Aidan?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Now what are you doing?”

  “Taking my shirt off.” Want to help? He rolled the shirt into a ball and placed it on the floorboard. “There’s dog hair all over it.” If he wore it much longer, he’d definitely have to take the pills, and that wasn’t an option. At least his undershirt was clean. He zipped up the duffel and stowed it back behind the seat.

  “Oh,” she said as he got into the driver’s seat and slammed the door shut. Then her eyes widened. “Ummm… You’re really breaking out, you know.”

  “It’s not that bad,” he insisted, scratching just below his chin with one hand, and his shoulder with the other.

  “Aidan.” She pointed at the rearview mirror. “Take a look at your face and then tell me you believe it isn’t bad.”

  He leaned forward just enough to catch his image. The slightly rounded, splotchy, red one that stared back sure as hell looked like his. You know, if he was dying. He groaned.

  “Where’s your medicine?”

  “If I take it, I can’t drive. It makes me too drowsy.”

  “Your point?” she asked, pinning him with a look that clearly told him she thought he was nuts. “I can drive. And I promise not to put a scratch on your precious truck.”

  She just had to say “scratch.” “No way.” The itching intensified, and he pulled at the collar of his shirt so he could reach what felt like an army of ants crawling across his collarbone. “No one drives my truck but me.”

  “Fine.” She crossed her arms underneath her breasts, the movement so damned sexy he could barely stop himself from saying it out loud. “If that’s how you want it, we’ll stay here until you’re ready to drive again. When Joseph, one of my older brothers, takes an antihistamine for his allergies, he’s out for an hour or so.”

  He glanced at the dashboard clock. They couldn’t afford to wait an hour. Not if they were going to make it to Seattle in time to pick up the projector he’d leased before the place closed.

  Were there elephants sitting on his chest? His breathing rattled alarmingly.

  “You’re wheezing. For Pete’s sake, Aidan, be reasonable.” Her tone was as firm as the look she shot him. “I’m still not convinced you’re going to live, but if you do, do you really want to show up in Seattle looking like the puffed out, wheezing, blotchy-skinned CEO of Ross and Associates? Is that the way you want to represent your company?”

  She had a point. On both accounts. He scratched his chin, chased the itch around it until he cornered it behind his left ear.

  “Take the antihistamines. Now.” She reached for her door handle and pulled it open. “And get out of the way, because I’m driving.”

  Holy shit. He was so screwed.

  Aidan bolted into a sitting position. At least, as close to a sitting position as he could get with the truck’s seat belt tightening across his body. “What the hell?”

  Confusion flooded his brain, then quickly drained away as he loosened the seat belt and sat up and looked around, trying to get his bearings.

  The truck was parked in a rest area.

  He was alone.

  Delaney wasn’t anywhere in sight, which meant she was likely in the ladies’ room. Surprise, surprise.

  Aidan dragged himself past the antihistamine-induced drowsiness that threatened to claim him once again and forced himself to sit upright. He grabbed for the door handle. The fresh air would help, right along with the examination he’d make of his truck. He could fight the urge to continue the nap, but there was no way he could fight the need to know she hadn’t put a scratch on his ride.

  By the time she appeared a few minutes later, he’d scoured every square inch. Not a scratch. Just as she’d promised.

  “Hey.” She grinned. “The swelling’s down, and you don’t look red anymore. You’re obviously feeling better.”

  He frowned at her and tried to clear the rest of the cobwebs from his brain. “We have to get going. Make up for some lost time.”

  He climbed into the truck, and once in the driver’s seat, he turned, and a hand smacked him in the face. “Hey.”

  “Sorry.” Delaney turned away from him as she shrugged out of her jacket. She laughed when she couldn’t free her arms. “I probably should have done this outside. Now I’m stuck.”

  She was stuck, all right. Stuck with her chest thrust out, the thin fabric of her lace top barely covering her full breasts.

  Damn.

  She looked like she was trying to shrug the jacket back on, but it didn’t budge much from where it’d lodged on her arms. “Ummm… Do you mind giving me a hand?”

  The smart-ass in him wanted to clap his hands together. The guy in him wanted to strip the offending jacket off of her and explore the curves and valleys of her breasts before teasing her nipples. Neither seemed like a good idea.

  “On or off?” He reached a hand across the cab of the truck that somehow seemed to have shrunk in size and taken the supply of oxygen with it.

  “Off.” Her voice sounded scratchy, throaty, like she was parched or something.

  His gaze captured hers, and her lips parted. For one long heartbeat, they simply stared.

  He should look away, break this weird connection that seemed to tighten its hold around them. He should, but damned if he could. “Off,” he repeated instead, his gaze searching hers. “With pleasure.”

  He caught the curious half smile on her face before she turned slightly, allowing him to pull the jacket down. His hands lightly grazed her bare arms, and he felt, rather than heard, her gasp.

  An answering tremor shot through him. He focused his attention on Delaney’s nearly bare shoulders, on the thin straps holding her top in place. It wouldn’t take much to move them out of the way. Maybe kiss a trail down the side of her neck, too.

  Aidan inhaled deeply. He needed the extra oxygen to help clear his hormone-flooded brain. The one that was so obviously awake now.

  There was a logical process to get what he wanted. He’d known that since he was twelve. Planning was a huge part of that process. Trouble was, right now, slowly peeling the jacket down her arms, he wasn’t sure what he wanted.

  Not. Good. At. All.

  He glanced at her profile. Almost on cue, she licked her lower lip. He’d never envied anyone else’s body part before. “Do you want it in the backseat?” he asked as she freed her hands.

  Eyes wide, she turned to face him, and damned if he didn’t notice her hardened nipples beneath the thin fabric of her top. “Excuse me?”

  “Your jacket.” He held it out to her. “Do you want it in the backseat or with you?”

  Her face turned a deep shade of pink. “Back is fine.” Confusion in her eyes warred with a deeper, more primal emotion, one Aidan had seen countless times on other women. Only now, he wasn’t sure what the hell to do about it.

  “I’m glad I decided to wear a cami and not anything heavier.” She laughed and fanned herself with one hand.

  So was he.

  As far as plans went, today was shot to hell. He hadn’t planned on her, and he was having a hell of a hard time staying focused. Even now there was something about her that was more intoxicating than a couple shots of bourbon on an empty stomach.

  He scrubbed a hand over his chin, cleared his throat, and blew out a hard breath.

  They were late. Off schedule. He hated being off schedule, yet his brain seemed centered on the woman beside him. Specifically, what he’d like to do with her.

  The sound of a crinkling bag followed by a crunching sound pulled him back to the moment.

  Reality check number one: they’d barely left Milestone. Number two: at this rate they wouldn’t make Seattle by midafternoon.

  Number three: Delaney worked for him.

  There. That should be enough to douse whatever the hell was going on in his pants.

  Determination fueled his movements as he fastened his seat belt and checked for oncoming traffic. “Let’s get going.”

  Aidan turned in time to see her lick chemical-laden salt off the tips of her fingers. What would those sweet lips feel like wrapped around his shaft? Stroking and licking and…

  Jesus.

  Chapter Seven

  It’d been more than half an hour since he’d taken over the driving again. A half an hour since Delaney had inadvertently awakened his southernmost brain with her innocent striptease. And while a hard-on was something he was normally proud of as long as he could put it to good use, the fact that he still sported one now was just a nuisance.

  He’d been working too damned long and too damned hard the past few months. Months? Had it been months since he’d gone on a date? There it was. He’d identified the problem. And that’s what he needed to change. After the conference. With someone other than his employee.

  She shifted and crossed her legs, the edge of her skirt moving higher up her thigh. Not a lot was revealed, but the thought of what else might be under the navy fabric had his head taking off at full speed. Man-style.

  He gritted his teeth.

  Was there anything she did that wouldn’t make his dick grow hard? Yeah, there was. Talking. She didn’t seem to give a damn he was the boss. Frankly, it was refreshing.

  “What made you sign on with Ross and Associates?”

  “I like the idea of helping a smaller company make a name for itself in the industry.”

  “You’re pretty confident for someone who’s still relatively new to the field.”

  “I’ve lived and breathed engineering my whole life.” She reached into the bag for another chip. “My grandfather was an engineer, my dad’s an engineer, and so are my older brothers. I did internship programs with some of the largest contractors in the area before moving to Milestone. I kinda know a little bit about it.”

  “Humble much?”

  “Please. I don’t go around advertising myself, Aidan.” She bit into a chip. Hard. “Tell me, would you have questioned me if I were a guy?”

  “Sorry.” He glanced her direction. “And for the record, yeah, I’d question any new, young employee’s confidence.” While he’d never question Harold’s hiring decision, that didn’t mean he couldn’t ask a few questions himself. This was his company they were talking about.

  She studied him with an intensity he found strangely intriguing. A river of awareness seemed to stretch between them, inviting him to explore its depths.

  Tempting. Definitely tempting.

  If only she didn’t work for him.

  “Okay. I guess that makes sense.” Her shoulders slumped slightly, and some of the fight faded from her as she positioned herself so she partially leaned against the passenger side door. “You know why else I took this job?”

  “Tell me.”

  “You, Aidan Ross.” She pointed a corn chip in his direction. “You have a reputation for being one of the best geospatial engineers in the business. I figured Ross and Associates was the next logical step in my career.”

  Yeah, he was good. He knew it. His stint in the army mapping out enemy terrain had kept men alive and earned him more than enough prestige. Transferring that skill to private industry was one of the best moves he’d ever made.

  Delaney crushed the empty bag of corn chips into a ball and shoved it in her purse. Then she pulled out another one. The woman was an eating machine. “So that’s why I’m in Milestone, and why I’m working for you.” She ripped into the package. “What about you? Why’d you move your business from Portland? I’d think you’d have a better chance gaining clients there.”

  Ah. She’d done her research well. Not too many people knew where he’d first started his business. But he’d give her the press release version.

 

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