One Reckless Night (4 page)

thing she wanted to do was ruin her friendship with Dane. It was something she valued greatly. She

looked down at her food and ate a few bites. The food was good but she barely tasted it. What was

the point in eating if she couldn’t enjoy it?

“What’s wrong?” Dane asked.

Bayleigh gave a slight shake of her head. He’d just dropped a bombshell and her first instinct

was to run from the table screaming. She couldn’t believe Dane had been attracted to her and she

hadn’t even noticed. What was wrong with her?

Any rational woman…any normal woman…would have known. Bayleigh wasn’t ready for

this. Wasn’t sure how she felt about it. Yes, Dane was attractive, but date him? That was a serious

step. She also knew it was one she wasn’t prepared for. Her past relationships had been disasters and

she wasn’t ready for another one.

“Bayleigh?” She jumped in surprise, pressing a hand to her chest. “Look at me, Bayleigh.”

It was difficult, but she managed to drag her eyes upward. His expression of concern

touched her. He was such a good friend and she didn’t want to lose that.

“I know this is a lot to think about. I also don’t expect an answer tonight, but I had to tell

you.”

She gave him a brief nod, not sure how she should respond. It was times like these she

wished she could switch places with Tasha. Her younger sister was the outgoing one, the one who

always knew what to in a social situation.

“I don’t know what I’m supposed to say Dane. I never thought about us as anything other

than friends.”

“Is it because I’m white?”

Bayleigh gasped. “
No,
Dane! You know me better than that.

Race doesn’t matter to me. It never has and you know it.”

Dane sat down his fork. “Then what is it?”

The corners of her mouth curled up into a small smile. “You’re my friend, Dane. I’ve never

thought about you in any other way.”

Bayleigh forced the small lie out, relieved when Dane gave her a look of understanding. He

reached across the table and took her hand in his. She felt a jolt that had never been there before. It

was the same sensation she felt last night when his lips touched hers for the first time.

“I understand Bayleigh. But I hope you’ll at least think about it.”

Bayleigh nodded. After everything that had occurred in the last twenty-four hours she’d be

lucky if she could think about anything else.

“Okay, spill it.”

Dane looked up at Isaac, his best friend, and frowned. “Spill what?”

“Tell me what has you drinking the same beer for an hour and ignoring the last three women

who came on so strong, you could probably have one of them in bed by now.”

Dane shook his head. “Sorry, I’m not good company tonight. My mind is a little

preoccupied.”

Isaac laughed. “You don’t say? The question is, what has you so preoccupied?”

Dane closed his eyes. He didn’t want to get into this. Even with Isaac being his best friend

since elementary school, he didn’t think Isaac would get it.

Things were bad enough as it was. Since his dinner with Bayleigh four nights ago, she had

avoided him. Unless it dealt with work, she wouldn’t talk with him. Even then she was brief,

professional. The warmth she normally showed him was gone and he wasn’t sure he could ever get it

back.

Bayleigh meant a lot to him. It hadn’t been until two years ago that he realized he had fallen

for her. Yet when he thought about why he had, it would be easy for anyone to understand.

She was easy to talk to, sweet, caring, and easy to get along with, but reserved.

There was a lot he knew a lot about her, but he didn’t know everything. She kept parts of

herself hidden from others and he had no idea why. Anytime he tried to talk to her about her secrets

Bayleigh would shut down. She had been hurt in the past. He knew first hand by whom and the jerk

hadn’t been worth her time. Dane sighed. If she were willing to give him a chance he would show

her how she deserved to be treated.

Bayleigh was the woman he had been looking for. The woman he wanted a future and family

with. She intrigued him on every level a woman should intrigue a man. She had him in knots with

trying to figure her out, wondering what his next move should be. How could he convince her that

getting involved with him wouldn’t be a mistake, wouldn’t ruin their friendship, only add to it?

“Dane, are you listening to me?”

He looked up. Isaac’s amused expression stared back at him. “No, I wasn’t. What did you

say?”

Isaac shook his head. “You are in sad shape man. What’s going on?”

Dane exhaled. He wasn’t going to be able to get around this. “Bayleigh.”

“Is she okay?”

Dane shrugged. “I don’t know.”

Isaac leaned forward. “What do you mean you don’t know?”

“We slept together.”

Isaac’s stunned expression was so comical that Dane smiled.

“Get the hell outta here. Are you serious?”

Dane gave a curt nod, taking a swig of beer. He grimaced as the warm drink went down.

“Then what are you doing here? Why aren’t you...wait…was she bad in bed?”

Dane glared at Isaac. “Watch your mouth.”

Isaac held his hands up. “Sorry man. I didn’t mean it like that. But what are you doing here?

It’s no secret you’re crazy about Bayleigh.”

Dane closed his eyes. Everyone except Bayleigh had known. Now his secret was out. He

would have thought it would get better not worse.

Dane looked over at Isaac. “To everyone except for Bayleigh. Now that she knows, she

freaked.”

Isaac frowned. “What do you mean she freaked?”

Dane released a pent up breath. “Bayleigh won’t talk to me. She avoids me at work. I can’t

even get her to look at me.”

Isaac gave him a sympathetic look. “Doesn’t sound good.”

“I know.” Dane closed his eyes. “What am I supposed to do? She isn’t like other women.”

Isaac chuckled. “You got that right.”

Dane opened his eyes, giving his friend a warning look. Isaac laughed. “Calm down. I meant

it in a good way. Bayleigh is perfect for you.”

Isaac was right. She was perfect for him. Bayleigh was smart, beautiful and funny. He never

felt pressured to be something he wasn’t when he was with her.

“The question now is what are you going to do to get her to talk to you?”

Dane groaned. “How did I get myself into this mess?”

Isaac smirked. “I assumed it started with a kiss or two, then you—”

“Isaac, you
aren’t
helping.”

Isaac stared at him for another moment. “What do you want me to do? In case you have

forgotten, I’m not the relationship sort.”

Dane laughed. Isaac did have a point. He didn’t stay with the same woman for more than a

month or two. Still he knew his friend was selective in who he shared himself with intimately.

However, it made him the least likely person to have sound relationship advice. Dane muffled a

groan. How the hell had he gotten himself into this mess? He had to find a way to get her to talk to

him. It was the only way he could convince her that a relationship between the two of them could

work.

He’d had a thing for her from the first time they met. The moment he stepped into her

office, he had forgotten how to breathe. Her toffee-brown face—dominated by high cheekbones, a

pert nose, and full-lips that he wanted to kiss—lips that he had kissed, now. She wore glasses on

occasion but they didn’t distract from her mesmerizing brown eyes.

It amazed him that a woman with her beauty wasn’t aware of it. He quickly found out

Bayleigh was shy. When they were at work she could become assertive. Not afraid to ask—demand

what she needed. She had also been the same way the night they slept together. All she needed was

someone to push her, to bring her out of her reclusive corner.

It all proved his theory of there being more to her than what was visible. When he first met

her, he had been unwilling to act upon his attraction. They were co-workers, she was new to the job

and her no nonsense persona gave him the impression she wouldn’t be open to it. Instead, he settled

for the role of friend. Bayleigh made it easy. After the night of intense pleasure they shared, it would

be impossible for him to deny his feelings for her. He had to come up with a plan to convince her to

give him a chance.

Bayleigh was a detail-oriented person, in both her professional and personal lives. His plan

had to be as well. It was a good thing he was stubborn and persistent. It was the only way he would

get through to her.

“So what are you going to do?”

Dane looked over at Isaac. He almost forgot his friend was sitting next to him. “I have to

come up with a plan she can’t resist.”

Isaac chuckled. “The two of you have IQ levels I can only dream of so I won’t be of any

help, but I wish you luck.”

“IQ has nothing to do with this. It’s about emotions. The one thing I know Bayleigh fears

the most.” Dane sighed with exhaustion.

“I just don’t know why.”

Isaac gave him a reassuring pat on the back. “Well, you better come up with a good plan—

the quicker the better. I can’t stand too many more Friday nights like this. You’re depressing me.”

“I’m depressing myself,” Dane sighed. “I can’t figure out what it is about her that draws me

to her.”

Isaac shook his head. “Bayleigh is a good woman, even I know that. She’s also smart, which

means you’re going to have to use more than your good looks.”

Dane smiled. “If you weren’t my friend, I’d be tempted to hit you over the head with this

bottle.”

Isaac laughed. “You aren’t fast enough.”

Dane didn’t bother arguing. While he could hold his own, Isaac was twice as athletic.

His friendship with Isaac was solid. They had shared a lot of good times and a few bad ones.

Still, he had a feeling that Isaac wouldn’t be an expert in helping him to break down those damn

walls Bayleigh had retreated behind.

“I have to find a way to get her to talk to me.”

Isaac nodded. “You’re right.”

“The question is how. She is so skittish right now.”

Isaac motioned for another beer. When the bartender looked at Dane he shook his head. He

wasn’t in a drinking mood. Wasting money on one beer was enough for him. The bartender

delivered Isaac’s beer and he took a drink before looking at Dane.

“First, you have to catch her off guard. But in a place where she feels unthreatened, so work

is out.”

Dane looked over at Isaac, curious about what his friend was getting at. “What do you

mean?”

Isaac smiled. “Let’s talk football.”

Dane chuckled. Isaac related everything to football. But he was willing to play along if it

meant he could come up with a plan to help him. “I’m listening.”

Isaac nodded. “First, you need to stop playing defense and play offense.”

“What do you mean?”

Isaac leaned back in his chair. “Right now Bayleigh is calling all the shots and she knows it.

She’s in her comfort zone. You have to get her out of it.”

“How am I supposed to that if she won’t talk to me?”

Isaac shrugged. “Simple. You catch her in the one place she has to talk to you.”

“How do I do that?”

Isaac smiled. “Bayleigh expects for you to corner her at work so she’s prepared to do battle

there. You have to find a place where she doesn’t expect you.”

Dane stared at Isaac for a moment not quite sure what he was getting at. But the more Dane

thought about it he began to understand. A plan started to formulate in his mind. Isaac had a good

point. She was in complete control. Bayleigh wouldn’t talk to him at the office unless it dealt with

work.

Bayleigh had become expert at dodging him. Either she came into work early, left before he

could catch her, or she stayed late. He had a feeling she had years of experience at perfecting the art

of avoidance. It was one of the quirks he didn’t like about Bayleigh. Right now the trait was driving

him to the brink of insanity. Dane had to figure out what he was going to do and soon.

* * * *

“Bayleigh, are you okay?”

Bayleigh jumped, dropping her chopsticks. She sighed in relief when they landed on the table

away from her soy sauce. Bayleigh looked up at Maylea and smiled. “Sorry. What did you say?”

Deidre arched a dark brow in her direction. “It doesn’t matter. We have our answer.”

“At least to one question,” Giselle murmured.

Bayleigh frowned. “What do you mean?”

Maylea shook her head. “You’ve eaten one, maybe two pieces of sushi at the most. Now

you’re gazing off into space. You have been for twenty minutes now.”

Bayleigh glanced down at her plate. Lea was right. She hadn’t eaten much at all. Boy, she was

in worse shape than she thought. Dane had thrown off her well-planned, well-balanced life. She

looked up at her friends, the corners of her mouth curving upward. “I’m fine. I just have a lot on my

mind.”

Deidre rolled her eyes. “You don’t say.”

Even Giselle laughed. Bayleigh sighed. She wasn’t ready to discuss this with her friends yet.

It was Friday night. Bayleigh wanted to enjoy her sushi with her friends like she did every Friday.

Dane was ruining her plan. Why did she sleep with him? Why did it have to be
so
good?