29- The situation

“Suddenly I’m not very hungry,” she said, watching closely for his reaction
to the unspoken implications of that.
“Neither am I,” he said without hesitation, his gaze unwavering. “Do you
want me to cancel the order?”
She shook her head, then chuckled at his obvious disappointment. It gave her
courage. “Get it to go.”
Ten minutes later they had three carry-out orders of salad and a warm loaf of
sourdough bread. Even though she felt almost giddy, Hazel managed to get to
the car without bursting into laughter at the waitress’s knowing expression.
“She knew,” she said, collapsing in the front seat with the stack of take-out
boxes. “She knew exactly what had happened, that we wanted each other more
than food.”
“She did not,” Mr. Lee insisted.
“Oh, yes, she did,” Hazel argued. “She actually gave me a thumbs-up
signalas we left.”
Mr. Lee seemed vaguely startled. “Oh, really? Now what do you suppose
shemeant by that?”
“I hope you’re teasing,” Hazel said.
He reached over and skimmed a finger along her cheek. “Why isthat?”
“Because otherwise I am about to make a huge fool of myself,” she said.
“Oh?”
“I am about to suggest that we take all this food to a hotel room,” she said.
When Mr. Lee remained silent, she swallowed hard. “Well, have I made a fool of
myself?”
“No,” he said, his voice suddenly husky. Though he’d been about to start the
car, he dropped his hand away from the key and faced her. “But I want you to
think about this. Is it really what you want? You don’t strike me as the kind of
woman to engage in casual flings.”
She laughed at that. “If only you knew.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning that I have never engaged in flings of any kind, casual or
otherwise.”
His eyes widened. “You’re not…?”
“You can say the word,” she teased. “And, no, I’m not a virgin, though my
experience is almost as limited. It’s just that it’s been years since I’ve had the
time or the inclination to get involved with anyone. I try my best to forget about
the last time I did.”
“Why now?” he asked. “Why me? As you pointed out earlier, thisisn’t
exactly an uncomplicated situation.

“No,” she agreed.
“Isthat part of the attraction? Because it’s a little dangerous?”
She considered the question, then shook her head. “No. If anything, that
would make me run the other way.”
He regarded her ruefully. “I notice you’re not exactly gushing with a
hundred reasons why you’ve chosen me to break your self-imposed celibacy.”
“Is that what you want? Do you want me to stroke your ego?”
“No, if there’s any stroking to be done, I can think of other partsI’d prefer to
have you touching.”
Heat gathered low in her belly as his words sank in. “Then what isthis
hesitation about?” she asked.
He took her hand in his, turned it over and kissed her palm. “As much as I
would like to take you to a hotel room and spend the rest of the afternoon letting
you seduce me, I’m not going to do it,” he said with obvious regret.
Embarrassment flooded through her. When she would have jerked her hand
away, he held it more tightly.
“One of these days you and I are going to end up in bed together,” he
assured her emphatically. “Make no mistake about that. But when we do, it will
be for the right reasons. It won’t be because you’re looking for a temporary
escape from your problems.”
“That’s a lousy thing to say,” she told him heatedly, but then the truth hit her.
That was exactly what she’d been looking for. She’d wanted a distraction,
something to make her feel alive, and a quick romp with an extraordinarily virile
man would have accomplished that.
She forced herself to meet his gaze. There was nothing condemning in his
expression. If anything, he looked asif he completely understood her actions.
“I’m sorry,” she said in a voice barely above a whisper.
“Don’t be. Having a beautiful woman find me desirable, whatever the
reason, is never a bad thing. I’m just holding out until it’s perfect.”
“That day might never come,” she said.
“It will,” he replied with total confidence. “Sooner than you think.” He
gestured toward the boxesshe was clutching with a white-knuckled grip. “Let’s
go find some idyllic spot and have a picnic.”
“You’re not afraid to be alone with me?” she teased.
“No way,” he assured her.
“I could get carried away.”
He laughed at the suggestion. “Now, that issomething to look forward to.”
Hazel could have suffered from terminal embarrassment for throwing herself
atMr. Lee, but he refused to allow it. By the time they’d shared their picnic, he
hadher laughing unselfconsciously again. Because of that, her feelings—and her
respect—for him deepened a little more. So did the attraction, even though she
couldn’t seem to shut out the fact that their relationship had begun with his
insulting belief that she could be a thief.
But as the days wore on with no more calls from Bobby and little for her to
do in Winding River, Hazel began to feel more restlessthan ever. She couldn’t
goon this way, not with Mr. Lee looking over her shoulder—albeit with less
suspicion.Cooking dinner for her parents and baking for her friends wasn’t
nearly enough to satisfy her urge to be back in the kitchen cooking for a whole
restaurant filled with satisfied customers.
After her outburst in his kitchen, accusing both Tony and Mr. Lee of
conspiring,Tony forgave her and let her fill in from time to time, but it wasn’t
nearly enough. She was drifting and she didn’t like it. She had to do something to
shakethings up, something to get her life back on track.
Maybe it wastime to get some sound legal advice. No, she corrected, the
truth was, it was way past time. She’d been putting it off, pretending to herself
that Bobby would show up and prove that it was all some terrible
misunderstanding, a mistake that could be easily rectified. She had been
deluding herself that he would straighten everything out so that she wouldn’t
have to make any of the tough choices. Despite everything, despite all the
evidence to the contrary, she hadn’t wanted to believe that a man she’d
considered a friend, as well as a business partner, had betrayed her.
Clearly, she admitted with a sigh, she had been wrong. Bobby’s intentions
weren’t honorable. And Deidre’s juggling act with the creditors couldn’t go on
indefinitely. Hazel couldn’t ask her to stand in the line of fire forever. This wasn’t
Deidre’s problem to solve. It was hers.