The Rebound Guy (12 page)

Feeling as if he finally had a grip on his self-control—modest as it was—he returned to the mixer. When he entered the room, he saw several heads turned toward the far left corner and spotted Asia...along with Cortland’s new woman.

“Oh, shit.” Dex groaned.

He strode across the room and sidled up to her. “Sorry that took so long,” he said to Asia. He put his hand out to the other woman. “Good evening, I’m Dexter Bryant.”

“Nina Sims,” she answered in a quiet, refined voice.

“Nina is legal counsel for GPPR,” Asia said.

The tension radiating between the two women was thick enough to choke on. It felt as if the eyes of the entire room were zeroed in on them.

“Uh, Asia, would you mind if we took a breather?” he asked. “It’s pretty crowded in here.”

She turned to him, and the relief that flowed from her was palpable. “Yes. Let’s,” she said, taking his hand and leading him out of the banquet room and into the front area of the bar.

“Do you want to wait it out here for a while?” he asked Asia.

“No, let’s just go. The mixer doesn’t officially end for another half hour, but it’s an unwritten rule that if you put in your two hours, you’re good to go.”

“I’m guessing you’re ready to go?”

“Am I ever,” she said with a tired laugh as they joined the line of people exiting the bar. She looked at him over her shoulder. “Thanks for rescuing me.”

“Looked as if you needed it.”

“You know, it never ceases to amaze me how my business phone will ring as soon as the lights dim at a movie theater, but I get to something like this and there’s not a peep.”

“I hope I was diverting enough to make up for not being called away for some type of work crisis,” he said.

She laughed. “You were a pleasant surprise.”

“You’re surprised that I was pleasant?”

A mild blush appeared on her high cheekbones.
Damn
, it looked good on her.

“I shouldn’t be surprised,” she said. “So far, you have been a true professional and the consummate gentleman.”

Her assessment was proof that she wasn’t a mind reader, because if she knew even half the things that had entered his head as he’d stood next to her tonight, “gentleman” would be the
last
word she would use to describe him. But the fact that she saw him as a professional was encouraging. Dex had been trying to figure out the best way to ask her to help him strengthen his business model. This seemed as good a time as any.

“Asia, I wanted—”

But the doorman cut him off, asking whether they needed a cab.

Asia shook her head. “I don’t live very far from here. I’ll walk home.”

“Alone?” Dex asked.

“I do it all the time,” she said with another laugh.

He was showing his Southern roots again, but Dex couldn’t help what was ingrained in him. He gestured for her to continue on the sidewalk. “I’ll walk with you.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“It’s not a problem.”

She stopped walking and turned to him. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but despite the performance we just put on for Cortland and the rest of my co-workers, I really don’t know you, Dexter. I’d like to keep my home address private.”

“That’s understandable. And smart,” he added. “I can’t fault you for being cautious. However, it’s still early. Maybe I can convince you to join me for a glass of wine at that bistro where we met earlier?”

“But you’ve already fulfilled your obligation for tonight,
and
you don’t drink wine.”

“You’ve got me there.” He grinned. “Well, it looks as if we’re heading the same way. Why don’t you walk me to the subway station?”

She hesitated for a moment before conceding with a shrug. They began walking in the direction of the East River.

“So, how did you end up in a conversation with Nina?” he asked.

“She came to me. She wanted to apologize for everything that’s happened.”

Dex’s brow rose. “Really?”

She nodded. “The thing is I’ve always liked Nina, which makes it hard to hate her all of a sudden. I don’t know if she pursued Cortland, or if it was the other way around.” Asia shook her head. “I don’t know what I should feel right now. I just want to forget about it, put it out of my mind for a while.”

“Are you sure, because I’m here to listen.”

“No. No more talk of Nina and Cortland tonight.”

“Okay, then,” he said. After a pause, Dex continued, “If it’s okay, I’d like to discuss something with you.”

“Okay,” she said cautiously as they continued walking, steam from the underground tunnels seeping through the manhole covers around them.

Dex sucked in a deep breath and went for it. “I wanted to talk to you about possibly providing some PR advice.” Asia’s inquiring expression invited him to continue. “I want to turn this...umm...service I provide,” he said, for lack of a better word, “into a legitimate business.”

“The rebound guy thing or the dog walking?”

“The dog walking
is
a legitimate business.” Dexter’s lips twitched with amusement. “I have a Website and everything. I’m talking about being a relationship advisor. I’m having a hard time convincing people what I do is different from your run-of-the-mill escort service. It really is more than that, Asia.”

“You don’t have to convince me anymore. I saw it in action tonight,” she said. “If I had gone the Rent-A-Date route, as Cortland assumed, I doubt my date would have put in the effort you did to make me feel at ease.” She stopped walking and turned to face him. “I meant it when I said that you made tonight much easier to bear, Dexter.”

He stared into her deep brown eyes and all his rules about ignoring how she affected him went out the window.

“Are you sure you’re ready to go home?” he asked. “You know, the point of a rebound relationship is to allow yourself to have fun without the pressure of wondering if it should lead to something else. Why don’t you fully embrace it?” He stroked a strand of hair that fell along her shoulder. “I think you could use a bit of fun in your life, Asia.”

Dex’s lungs filled with the breath he held as he awaited her answer, but his chest quickly deflated with her softly spoken, “Not tonight.”

She took a step back, putting some distance between them as they resumed their walk. “I appreciate the offer, but really, I just want to go home. It’s been a long week.”

His mouth twisted in a resigned smile. “I understand.”

“I am willing to help you, though,” she said. “With the public relations aspect of your business? We can talk more about it the next time we meet.”

“When will that be?” he asked. “Are we not getting together again until the wedding in Connecticut?” If so, he would have to rethink accepting the second portion of the ten thousand dollars she was paying him. Dexter already felt as if he was taking advantage of her, given that it was so much more than his normal fee.

“Actually, I’ll need you again this coming Sunday,” she said. “Rodney and Elizabeth, my friends who are getting married, are having a dinner party. It’s actually for acquaintances that they were not able to invite to the wedding because of the guest-lists limitations, but a few of us wedding invitees will be there, too.”

“Is this still a part of Operation: Make Cortland Jealous?”

She rolled her eyes. “Whether he’s jealous or not is still up for debate, but he will be there. Rodney and Cortland were college roommates. He’s the best man at the wedding.”

Dex’s eyes widened. “Really? That should make for some interesting times in Connecticut.”

“Please, don’t remind me,” she said. “So, can you make it on Sunday?”

He nodded.

“Great,” she said with a sigh of relief, as if she wasn’t paying him an obscene amount of money to be at her beck and call. It was yet another way she challenged his initial impression of her. He’d expected her to be demanding and unyielding, not giving a thought to his schedule, but she’d been more than accommodating.

They came to the subway station entrance.

“Do you think we can meet up tomorrow?” she asked. “The dinner party will be more social than tonight’s mixer, so there will be many more questions about our relationship. We’ll need to brainstorm the various subjects that are likely to come up and figure out answers.”

“Are you always like this?” he asked. She gave him a perplexed look. “So organized and ready with a game plan?”

“I guess it’s a side effect of my job,” she said. “I like to have contingency plans in place just in case things don’t go as expected. I’ve been told it’s annoying, but I can’t help it. Sorry.”

“No apology necessary. And I wouldn’t call it annoying. Endearing is a better word.”

She glanced up at him and Dex was pretty sure that he spotted a blush blossoming on her cheeks. It hit him right in the middle of his chest, knocking the wind from him.

She
had
to stop affecting him this way.

“Are you free tomorrow?” she asked.

“Is it okay if it’s sometime in the afternoon? I’ll be tied up for a while tomorrow morning—literally. I’ve got three groupings of dogs to walk. I’ll probably be wrapped up in dog leashes.”

She laughed, and Dex had a feeling he’d carry that sound with him all the way home.

“I’m not a fan of dogs, so I’ll wait until you’re done.”

He put a hand to his chest. “You don’t love dogs?”

“Hey, you don’t like wine. I’d say we’re even.”

He shook his head. “What type of person doesn’t love a furry little dog?”

“The kind who got bit as a kid,” she said. “Why don’t you call me once you’re done? Maybe we can meet for dinner.”

“Sounds good. What kind of food do you like to eat? I want to make sure you actually
eat
dinner this time.”

Her eyes filled with gratitude, and something else Dex couldn’t describe. Whatever it was, he liked seeing it there.

“I love Italian,” she said.

“Italian it is. I’ll see you tomorrow. Be safe walking home.”

“You, too,” she said. Then she turned and continued walking.

Dex stood at the entry to the subway station, looking at her until she turned the corner. It was killing him not to follow to make sure she got home okay, but she’d made it home on her own thousands of times before she’d met him.

“It’s not your place to walk her home,” he said.

He would have to figure out a way to concentrate on the job he’d been hired to do and stop thinking of Asia as anything more than a client.

Yeah, and maybe he’d scale the side of the Brooklyn Bridge while he was at it. Of the two, the latter was probably the easier to accomplish.

Chapter Eight

Asia slipped out of her heels the minute she walked through the door. Holding both by the straps in one hand, she climbed up to her bedroom loft and stripped out of her dress.

God, she was glad that was over.

She had been dreading facing Cortland for the first time after that debacle in front of Rodney’s apartment building. She hated to admit it, even to herself, but a part of her had been afraid she would break down in tears when she saw him and Nina together. Thank goodness
that
hadn’t happened, but it had made for some intense, uncomfortable moments.

Her conversation with the other woman did not help to make sense of her confused emotions. Asia wanted to hate her; felt it was her
right
to hate her. She’d been poised to throw Nina’s heartfelt apology in her face, even though she knew it would make her feel small and petty.

“Thank God for Dexter,” she said with a sigh.

If he hadn’t come to her rescue, Asia knew she would have walked out of that mixer with regrets.

After tonight, she had no doubts that hiring Dexter had been the best thing she could have done. With a hint of a smile tilting her lips, she recalled the look on Cortland’s face when he’d first sidled up to them. She wouldn’t call it jealousy. Surprise, maybe? Whatever it was, it had been satisfying to see him knocked off his game, even for a moment.

Dexter had been brilliant, and not just with Cortland, but with her co-workers and GPPR’s clients as well. He was more up-to-date on current world events than she was and had given insightful opinions. Asia wondered how married he was to his dog-walking job; she was sure Global Partners could use someone like him.

She rolled her eyes. The man didn’t need her to find him a job. He already had several, including being her absolutely perfect date.

Yet again she wondered whether it would be such a bad thing if she took advantage of him in his full capacity as a rebound guy. She
was
on the rebound, after all, and she could certainly use some time to let her hair down and unwind.

Most importantly—and most interestingly—Asia had discovered that she actually enjoyed Dexter’s company. Not only was he extraordinarily easy on the eyes, but he was smart and witty. Several times tonight she’d found herself laughing at some remark he’d made. It had occurred to her that, other than when she was with India, she hardly laughed anymore.

The small clutch she’d brought with her to the mixer started buzzing.

Asia’s head fell forward. She knew the reprieve from work wouldn’t last. She retrieved the phone from her bag and answered. It was Helena.

“The first video of Noah Rochester’s little party at the Mandarin just surfaced on YouTube,” Helena said.

Her eyes slid shut. “Where are we holding the strategy session? Your place or mine?”

“Yours,” Helena said. “I’m still in the area.”

“Come on over. I’ll order pizza.”

An hour later, Asia was dressed in yoga pants and a fitted NYU t-shirt. She stood before several sheets of paper that she’d tacked to the wall, jotting down notes as she, Helena, and Lance Stevens, another member of her crisis-management team, brainstormed the best way to bury this latest incident.

“The most effective remedy would be for the Rochester Group to distance itself from Noah the Second, but I could not get his father to agree to that,” Asia said.

“I guess a parent’s love is stronger than anything,” Helena said.