“Maybe. I mean, I do love that we’re friends. I trust him. He makes me laugh. I don’t feel like I always have to explain or entertain, whatever. Cope’s just easy to be with, exciting, hot. All the best things about a man.”

Elise took a peek at Cope again before asking, “So, um, did he go downtown?”

“I could totally pretend I don’t understand your vulgar implication.” Ella gave a mock-stern face. “But yes. Yes. Oh. My. God. Yes.”

“What are you two hussies talking about?” Erin brought her food over, grabbing the empty chair they’d saved for her. “You’re getting Cope all worked up ’cause he knows you’re talking about him.”

“I’d wager groups of women talk about Cope all day every day all across this fine nation of ours,” Ella murmured and sipped her coffee.

“Spill the sex details.” Erin didn’t bother with any niceties.

“She already did. You’re too late. Ha.” Elise winked at Erin, who snorted.

“I’m totally convinced the details bear repeating. Plus, I’ll pester you nonstop until you spill, so just don’t waste my time. I’m gestating here.”

Laughing, Ella leaned in and repeated some of the stuff she’d just told Elise.

Erin nodded. “This is all very good. He’s all off-balance in the best sort of way. Like Brody was when Elise came around. It’s fun to watch.”

“I don’t know about that. He’s very self-assured.” Whereas she was not.

“Trust me on this. I watched Brody fall and fall hard. I watched Arvin and Maggie fall in love. Hell, I watched Todd fall in love with Ben. All these hypermasculine men love to pull as much pu**y as they can, but once the one comes along, they’re charmingly befuddled and single-minded.” Erin leaned back with a sigh. “That was very good. Thanks for bringing it to me, Ella.”

They chatted for a while, but Ella had to get back to work, and Elise had afternoon classes, so their group disbanded. Ella had been surprised to see Cope still there with his mother. Annalee waved at her, wearing a big smile. Cope spoke to her for a moment and then got up, moving to the door to intercept Ella.

“You leaving? I’m sorry we didn’t get a chance to talk.” He traced a fingertip along her bottom lip, making her achy and tingly. He must have known this because he got the look. Oh that look of his. Turned her to putty every time.

“Gotta get back to work. I have a client intake in half an hour. I’ll see you tonight?”

“I’ll pick you up on the way and drop you home.”

She knew better than to argue. He seemed to like ferrying her all around, so who was she to disagree when she liked being with him?

“Six thirty then?”

“Yep.” He leaned in and kissed her quickly but thoroughly. “See you then, Red.”

Blushing, she was sure she was every bit the red he loved to call her. She rolled her eyes and hurried out, not grinning until she’d pulled away and had turned the corner so no one could see her reaction.

14

He’d been preoccupied the whole time they worked out. Even as he went over various ways to break out of someone’s hold, as he patted her butt or snuck kisses at the back of her neck, his voice held sadness.

She hated to hear it.

“I’d prefer to sneak out tonight,” she said as they packed up. “I just saw Erin earlier today, and I think she’s stressed and not feeling especially well. I don’t want to bother them. Can you just drop me home?”

He took her bag and then her hand. “I can do anything you like, Red. Come on, I think I’d like to just get out of here too. I’m tired today.”

They rode down the elevator in silence, but he stood close, and she was content to simply be with him.

“You’re upset.” She waited until they’d gotten about a mile from Erin’s before speaking.

“I’m relieved to be with you. You do something to me, help me find that calm, quiet place inside where I can hear myself think. Hell, see? I didn’t even mean to say that, but I did. You draw things out that I don’t mean to share. But when I finish, I’m relieved, not sorry.”

Wow. That was some commentary. It made her happy. But he wasn’t happy just then. Not totally.

“Can I buy you a slice of pie?” In for a penny and she did have pie at her house. Pie made everything better. “Well, not buy. I have pie at my apartment. I can guarantee that my mom’s pie is a million times better than store-bought anyway. She had me convinced when I was little that love was the secret ingredient. I nearly got into a fistfight with some other neighborhood kid who denied it. Oh, and I have decaf coffee. Or we can stop at B&O if you’d rather. If you want to talk to me about it, you can.”

He was quiet for a long time as he drove, and self-consciousness crept in.

“You don’t have to. I know you’re tired. We can have a rain check and do it another day.”

He laughed, taking her hand and kissing it quickly before letting go. “I’d love a slice of pie. I just don’t want you to go to any trouble.”

Despite her renewed state of fluster after his casual hand kiss, she managed to keep going. “It’s pie. I can handle it.”

“Of this, I have no doubt. You’re an eminently capable person. I’m always impressed by you. And I want to be with you.”

“Oh. Well, good.” He found street parking a few blocks from her building, and before she could, he reached back to grab her gym bag, carrying it to the doors and then up to her apartment.