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  “How old is she?” Vanessa asked giving her best shot at a snooty look. “She looks about as old as you, Sam.”

  She smirked and Delilah’s eyes narrowed. The bitch was actually insulting her age.

  “I have years of experience at being a bitch, honey. You can’t even begin to measure up.”

  “Delilah—”

  “Are you calling me a bitch?” Vanessa interrupted. Her eyes flashed hate.

  “No,” Sam said quickly. A little too quickly for Delilah. “She’s not. Are you, Delilah?” He had a warning tone.

  “I guess that’s debatable.” She pinned the girl with a hard stare.

  “I’ve seen her in here before,” she accused. “Is she an old girlfriend or something?”

  “She’s an old friend who likes to stir up trouble,” Sam said.

  “Me?” Delilah couldn’t believe this. “I’m trouble? Maybe you need to look in a mirror, buddy.”

  Sam hadn’t changed. She’d been an idiot to think he had. She cursed Marion for making her come here and try to talk to him.

  “I think you should leave.” Vanessa gave her best haughty look but it didn’t come close to Delilah’s.

  Delilah waited to see if Sam would object but he didn’t. He stood there, not saying a damn word. And Delilah hated to lose. Simply hated it. Instead of turning and leaving, she leaned her elbow on the counter and smiled sweetly.

  “I don’t think so. Not until Sam and I talk.”

  “Go in the back, Nessa,” he said.

  There. That was the man Delilah remembered.

  “But—”

  “Go. Now. We have some unfinished personal business.” He pinned her with a hard stare.

  “No.” She crossed her arms over her fake breasts.

  “This doesn’t concern you,” he said. “Go to the back and wait for me.”

  Vanessa stood there a long, awkward moment, glancing between the two of them and probably wondering what was up. If their roles were switched, Delilah would be suspicious, too. She was right to be suspicious. Finally Vanessa complied, looking like a dog with its tail between its legs as she walked away, defeated.

  When she was out of earshot, he turned to her. “What are you doing here?”

  “I came to talk to you but clearly that was a mistake.” She stood straight, pulled her keys out of her bag. “You never mentioned her.”

  “What did you expect me to say, Delilah?”

  “I expected you to tell me you had a girlfriend before you stuck your dick in me.”

  “Is that hardly fair? I’m sure you have someone else.”

  “He’s not my boyfriend,” Delilah said. “He’s a guy Marion introduced me to, that’s it. And why I’m standing here explaining my behavior to you really baffles me.”

  “I think we both know the answer to that.”

  Delilah really hated Sam knew that. “I haven’t slept with him, not that it’s any of your business. We haven’t even kissed. In fact, I told him we couldn’t see each other.”

  “And you won’t be doing any of that with him,” he said, giving her a smug smile.

  “Ha. You’re still self-absorbed and egotistical I see.”

  “It’s part of my charm.” He winked.

  She rolled her eyes. “My point, Casanova, is that you’re sleeping with her. Which means you’re cheating on her with me and you know how I totally love that. You should have told me you had a girlfriend.”

  “She’s not my girlfriend. We’re just dating.”

  “You mean fucking.”

  He huffed out a breath. “All right, let’s say I told you. Then what, Delilah? What would you have done?”

  “Told you to get away from me.”

  Sam growled a guttural sound deep in his throat. He came around the counter, grabbed her upper arm, his fingers digging into her flesh, and walked her toward the front of the store. Putting more distance between them and Vanessa.

  “You and I both know it would have gone down the exact same way. You wanted it, you got it. You even enjoyed yourself but you’re too much of a bitch to admit it.”

  She jerked her arm free. “You’re the one sneaking around behind her back. You haven’t changed, have you? You’re still the same deceitful man I remember.”

  “I never cheated on you, Delilah, when we were married.”

  “No, you were a lazy pothead.”

  Fire flashed in his eyes, turning the normally mellow blue to arcing with fire. “You can’t stand there and tell me you didn’t want to fuck me.”

  She slapped him. “Don’t talk to me like that. I’m not your whore.”

  “Funny, you embraced it last night.”

  She balled her fist but instead pushed past him. He’s not worth it. He wasn’t. He never would be and she was an idiot for thinking they even had a shot at another relationship.

  “I hope you get a good look at my ass when I walk out of here,” she said, “because it’s the last time you’ll ever see it.”

  As she stalked away toward the door, she could feel Sam’s eyes on her.

  “You want to bet on that, sweetheart?”

  At the door, she turned, glared at him over her shoulder. “No, because I’ll win.”

  Sam came around the corner, moving with stealth-like steps toward her. Her heart immediately went into her throat. “I bet you crack before I do.”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “I bet you come crawling back to me before the week is out.”

  “Crawling back for what? Sex?”

  “That’s what we’re good at, sweetheart.” He flashed a wolf grin. “Why not up the ante? I bet you’ll come back to me professing your undying love for me.”

  “Ha. You really are egotistical.”

  “It’s what I’m good at.”

  Actually, he was quite good at other things. Things that involved his hot tongue and fantastic cock.

  Delilah knew crawling back to him before Saturday was out of the question because Marion’s wedding was on Saturday and she would be doing wedding things on Friday. She had a pretty good feeling she would win this bet. She could hold out. She was not going to crack first.

  She tipped her head back, looking down her nose at him. She raised an eyebrow. “And if I don’t, what do I win?”

  “If you win, I give you one thing—whatever you want—from this shop.” He waved his hands to encompass the inventory. “And you get the added bonus of me saying those three coveted words first.”

  Enticing. She’d always wanted to try the swing. She wanted him to admit he loved her, too. “And if you win?”

  “You do my bidding for twelve solid hours. And profess your undying love for me with all your heart. Deal?”

  Oh, what a deal indeed. How could she refuse such a bet? There would be stipulations, though. “On the condition you break up with her and never see her again.” She pointed toward the back of the store.

  “Agreed.”

  Delilah was sure she would win this one. Sam wouldn’t break up with the girl and why should he? He had no guarantee Delilah would come back to him and he could keep Vanessa around. It was that old cake and eat it too thing.

  “Deal.”

  “You sure?”

  “I’m sure. You’re going down. And don’t bother coming over tonight because I won’t be there.”

  Delilah walked out, thinking how the entire conversation didn’t go remotely as planned. And the fact Sam cheated on his girlfriend with her really steamed her. But no matter. She would hold out. She would win and she would get whatever she wanted in that shop.

  Including Sam.

  Chapter Ten

  Delilah had a horrible night. She tossed and turned most of it. Love and hate warred within her. She hated Sam had done this to her again. At four in the morning, she got out of bed, showered and dressed. She put on her favorite faded blue jeans, sneakers and one of her favorite soft T-shirts.

  Staring at her face in the mirror, she wondered what it was she really wa
nted. It wasn’t another man. She’d contemplated calling Marion and asking for a fix-up with Dirk to take the sting away from her feelings for Sam. But that wouldn’t solve anything. And she really wasn’t interested in the pretty art guy.

  “I really want Sam. Damn him.”

  She said it aloud to no one in particular. That was the truth of it. She really wanted Sam. She wanted to run to him, tell him she was still in love with him, tell him he was the only man for her. Forever.

  But then there was Vanessa to consider. Delilah wasn’t a home wrecker. Then again, she didn’t know any of the details of their relationship.

  In need of coffee and sustenance, she drove to her favorite coffee house, the Bitter End. Being an early morning, she found a parking spot in a nearby lot that hadn’t been overrun with tourists or the downtown workers.

  Rounding the corner of the building in which the coffee house was located, Delilah stopped short. Speak of the devil. There was Sam and his girl-du-jour shouting at each other. Stepping back so they wouldn’t spot her, she peered around the corner to watch the drama unfold.

  “You son of a bitch,” she said. “You lying cheat!”

  “We had no promises between us,” Sam said, sounding calm and casual. As if he discussed the morning weather. “You knew that going in, Nessa.”

  “Fuck you.” She paced the sidewalk in front of him, running her hands through her hair and making it stand up on top. “You led me on. You made me believe we were a couple.”

  “We were dating. That’s it.” He leaned against the wall, propped up one foot behind him. “You knew that, too.”

  “But I thought—”

  “You thought wrong,” he said. “You thought we were more than a couple dating and having sex because that’s what you wanted. We’re not, Nessa. And we haven’t been together that long.”

  Tears ran down her face now. “You lied to me.” She pointed at him, as though that would make her statement more succinct. “I thought you loved me.”

  “I love Delilah.”

  Stop the presses. What the hell? Seriously? It sent a jolt through Delilah, her heart picking up the pace. Her stomach knotted and bottomed out, dropping to her feet. Was he telling the truth?

  “How can you love her? You don’t even know her!”

  “Oh, I know her. Probably better than any other man on the planet. I’ve always loved her.”

  That was true. He knew her innermost desires, wants, needs. Fulfilled them quite nicely. Their night together was a testament to that.

  “What do you mean ‘always’?” Her eyes narrowed to a suspicious slant.

  “That’s something I never told you, Nessa. Delilah and I were married once. We divorced ten years ago. I never thought I’d see her again. The marriage was short, so I never mentioned it. Then she walked into the shop…”

  His voice trailed off as he remembered that fateful day. Delilah remembered it, too. The sparks were still there the moment she’d laid eyes on him. He was still hot and she still wanted him. He still wanted her. Their lust was still there and, apparently, so was their love. She had never realized it until then.

  “But I love you, Sam.” Vanessa flung herself at him and he had no choice but to catch her. She sobbed now, gripping a fistful of his shirt. “Doesn’t that mean anything to you? What about me?”

  He patted her head and looked thoughtful. Like he really hated breaking it off with her. “You’re young,” he said finally. “I’m nothing but a dirty old man and you deserve better. Go find yourself a handsome young thing.”

  “But—” She looked at up at him.

  “No buts.” Sam took her chin in his hand. “I mean it. And under the circumstances, I don’t think you should continue to work for me.”

  “You’re firing me?” Vanessa took a step back, her eyes wide and rimmed with tears. “You’re breaking up with me and firing me?”

  “I’ve taken the liberty to ask Jodi, the owner of the coffee shop here, if she’d consider hiring you,” he said. “And, really, it’s more of an appropriate workplace for you. Not the shop surrounded by sex and horny people.”

  Vanessa stared at him, her lip quivering and her eyes watering. Sam plowed on.

  “You have an interview tomorrow morning at nine. Odds are she’ll hire you on the spot.”

  Ah, Sam. He’d pulled some strings and got the girl a job. She never dreamed he would break up with Vanessa like he said he would. He’d turned from the irresponsible hot young thing of her past into the responsible do-the-right-thing man of her present. Maybe future. He realized, maybe, he couldn’t have his cake and eat it, too.

  Vanessa sniffed. “What about Delilah?”

  “Delilah.” He said her name, letting it roll across his tongue. He’d said her name that way before and she knew it meant trouble. “I’m going to get her back. If she’ll have me. This time for good.”

  Delilah leaned against the cold wall, pressed a hand against her racing heart. A giddy laugh escaped her as she thought of Sam coming after her. To get her. Would she have him? Hell, yes. She’d forgotten the worst of times and only remembered the best of times. She shoved away the bad memories and embraced the good ones. She thought of all the laughter they’d shared, the fondness for old movies and popcorn in front of the television late at night. Their mutual addiction to chocolate and the way they both liked to make love in a candlelit room. When they were making love. And when they weren’t, it was a good hard pounding they both enjoyed.

  She had been wrong about Sam. She could admit that now. She had judged him on their lives of the past. Ten years was a long time to live without someone she loved and she knew that. So did Sam.

  She’d let him catch her again. She’d make him work for it. Because it’d still be a cold day in hell before she lost their deal. She wanted to win and she was willing to pull out all her feminine wiles.

  By Saturday, she’d have him in his nicest clothes escorting her to Marion’s wedding.

  Taking a deep breath, she peered around the corner again. Sam was gone and Vanessa walked down the sidewalk away from the coffee house. Assuming the coast was clear, she headed into the coffee house, ordered her favorite latte and some coffee cake and then found an oversized chair in the corner washed by the summer sun.

  “Hello, Delilah.”

  Glancing up, she saw Sam standing there with his hands shoved deep into his pockets looking forlorn and maybe a little lovesick.

  “Scumbag,” she replied.

  He laughed. “May I join you?”

  She shrugged with one shoulder. “It’s a free country.” As he sat, she noticed he hadn’t shaved. His cologne drifted to tickle her nose and entice her. Beckoning her toward him. She refused to let it overcome her. “What are you doing hanging around here?”

  “Waiting for you.”

  She cut him a look. “You really need to get a life. Anyway, shouldn’t you be watching your shop?”

  “I’m the owner,” he said. “And I have workers who do that sort of thing for me. My assistant manager is quite capable.”

  “Oh, you mean the girl you’re fucking isn’t your assistant manager? I figured she’d get it by default.”

  “Now, now. Let’s play nice in the sandbox,” he said. “Besides, Vanessa is young and inexperienced.”

  She held the cup to her lips to hide her knowing smile. “I’ll bet.”

  “Have dinner with me tonight.” He said it suddenly, like he couldn’t hold it in another moment.

  “Sorry. Can’t. I have plans with Marion already.” She didn’t. But she didn’t want to seem overly aggressive. “And since you bring it up, you lose.”

  “I do not,” he said.

  “Yes, you do. You’re here asking me to dinner. You lose the bet.”

  “Au contraire, mon amour.” He gave her a wolf grin. “If you recall, the deal was for confessions of the heart. I’m merely asking you to dinner.”

  “So you’re saying the invitation to dinner doesn’t count?”


  “Yes, I am.”

  She scowled. “Is this an effort to get into my pants?”

  “No. It’s an effort to get into your heart. You have a soft side, Delilah, whether you admit it or not.”

  She scowled.

  Sam had shifted toward her and it was only then she realized he was a breath away from her. Only a hairs width separated the two of them. If she leaned in a centimeter, their lips would meet. She smiled.

  “I’m not sleeping with you.” What Sam didn’t understand was she was a master of the rules. “Again.”

  “Oh, but you will. You’ll crack first. And you’ll say the words.”

  Those three coveted words each of them wanted to hear from the other so desperately.

  Bastard. “You think so?” She tilted her head to one side, giving him a nice view of her neck, puckering her lips ever so slightly to tease him.

  His tongue flicked over his dry lips. “I know so.”

  “We’ll see, won’t we?” She purred the words, letting them roll over him, through him, and continued to smile as she sat back, crossed her jean-clad legs.

  “Is that a yes?”

  “Yes. That’s a yes.”

  “Okay, then. I’ll pick you up.”

  That worked perfectly since she had some last-minute Marion-Bridal things to do. “Okay.”

  He flashed his winning smile as he stood and left. Delilah couldn’t help but admire his backside the entire way until he’d disappeared out the door.

  * * *

  “I’m going to dinner with Sam.” Delilah announced it to Marion, interrupting their bridal talk for a moment. Marion still hadn’t found shoes she wanted for the big day and she’d dragged Delilah along with her. Okay, not exactly dragged since shoe shopping was a favorite of hers.

  “Great. So you two worked it out?”

  “Sort of.”

  Marion clutched a bright yellow BCBG shoe. “What do you mean sort of?”

  Delilah relayed meeting Vanessa and then seeing the two of them on the street mid-breakup.

  “Wow. So he broke up with her. For you. That’s incredibly sweet.” Marion practically swooned.

  “I don’t know. Maybe.”

  “You’re changing your mind again?”

  “He lied to me. What’s to stop him from doing it again?”