A prickle of annoyance made Baz’s back straighten but he kept quiet. Because he agreed. He didn’t want to screw up with Tru.

“So I left. It totally fucking sucked to be away from her, but I knew if I stayed, we’d end up hating each other. We figured out a schedule. Every couple of weeks, I’d meet up with them and stay for a few days. Then I’d leave for a couple weeks. And it helped.”

“But weren’t you worried? I mean, you know what happens when we’re on the road. It all gets so fucking insane.”

“Yeah, I’d be lying if I said I’m not worried about what she’d up to. Is she screwing around? Did she meet someone else? Did she realize I’m a clingy asshole and be glad to get rid of me?”

Yep. Zach knew exactly what Baz was thinking.

“But if you truly care about each other,” Zach continued, “that shit all works itself out.” Then he shrugged. “Or it doesn’t and you go your separate ways. And yeah, that sucks but, man, you’re an ass if you don’t give it the work it needs because that girl out there is the real fucking deal. She’s smart, she’s beautiful, and she actually fucking likes you, which is fucking amazing.”

Zach’s smile took the sting out of those last words but Baz knew his friend was totally right.

Tru was amazing and he didn’t want to fuck up their relationship. But they’d been dating for all of a month and maybe she just didn’t feel the same way about him.

Hell, she hadn’t said she loved him and he’d thrown it out there like he said it all the time to everyone he met. Maybe she just didn’t believe him. Or maybe she didn’t feel the same. Maybe he was just another notch on her bedpost.

Maybe he just needed to fight a little harder for her.

Baz sighed. There was one thing he knew for certain. “She’s definitely amazing.”

“Yep. And you’re not so bad yourself, man.”

Baz couldn’t help himself. “You just wanna do me. I know you’ve got a crush on me. Just admit it.”

Zach’s laugh was a huge sound, which fit the man perfectly. “First off, you ain’t got the right parts. And second, you’re not as pretty as Nik so if I got hard up, he’d be my first choice, dude, not you.”

*   *   *

“Trudeau, Cory Shirk is here to see you. Can I send him back?”

For a second, Tru had no idea how to respond to Jess. She hadn’t been expecting Cory, and she had no idea what he was doing here. Unless it had something to do with the deal he was working on with Greg.

But then she remembered Greg had a meeting with the police department’s public relations deputy secretary.

“Sure, Jess. Send him back.”

Her immediate response was to check herself in a mirror or any reflective surface to make sure she looked okay. Which was ridiculous. She knew she looked decent enough to meet a man who was here on business. Just because they’d had one, unimpressive date didn’t mean she had to freak out.

And she wasn’t. Seriously. The fact that her heart was now pounding a mile a minute didn’t mean a damn thing.

And the fact that, when he walked into her office looking like he’d just stepped off a GQ photo shoot, auburn hair slightly mussed and blue eyes glittering, her lungs maybe did a little hitch, well . . . it didn’t mean a damn thing.

Yeah, it only means you’re one screwed-up chick.

“Hi, Cory. It’s nice to see you again.”

She stood and held out her hand, which he took with a slightly crooked smile. And if he held on a little longer than necessary and she didn’t make a fuss, well, it wasn’t like she was married. Or dead.

“Tru. Thanks for taking a few minutes for me.”

“No problem. What can I do for you?”

“I had a few more questions for Greg but he’s out so I thought I’d say hello.”

“I’m glad you did. I hope you’ve made up your mind to become an investor.”

He laughed, a deep rumble of sound that should’ve made her shiver with desire.

And didn’t. Despite the fact that she still found him one of the most attractive men she’d ever met.

“Greg did say you were dedicated to your job.”

She grimaced, though she tried to make it more of a rueful smile. “Guilty as charged. Sorry, I shouldn’t have jumped on you the minute you walked into my office.”

“No worries, Tru. And truth be told, I’m still hoping someday you might.”

Her cheeks flushed a bright red as he continued.

“I’m not a man who gives up easily, and I realized that about two seconds after I left you that night. So yes, I’m here with an ulterior motive. I did want to speak to Greg but I wanted to see you, as well.”

“And here I am. What did you want to see me about?”

Cory leaned back into the chair on the other side of her desk, looking as confident as a man who’d never had a woman say no to him. He probably wasn’t at all used to women shutting him down.

Which didn’t make him a douche. It simply made him that much more determined.

And when Sebastian leaves . . .

“I’m hoping you’ll consider a second date. Let me take you out again. I can’t help but think we didn’t really get off on the right foot. So I’d like to try again.”

She had to admit, the fact that Cory was here felt like the biggest confidence boost she could imagine. He’d sought her out.

Could she actually be thinking about going out with this man when she planned to go home tonight with another man and sleep with him? If Baz actually showed up. Last night he hadn’t left the studio. That had happened a few other times over the past three weeks.

Which forced her to confront the fact that she needed to make a decision one way or the other. Break up with Sebastian before he left her behind, or make the commitment to stick with him and see where their relationship went.

“I’m sorry, Cory. I’m not free to say yes to you at the moment.”

One eyebrow rose as he leaned forward in his chair. “That sounds like you might be in the near future.”

Just the thought made her stomach roll. “Since I have no idea what’s going to happen in my life in the next few months, I can’t say that. I’m really flattered that you’re here. I just don’t have any idea what my life’s going to look like in a month. Or even two or three months. I just . . . can’t give you the answer you want right now.”

If she thought he’d be angry or huffy, she couldn’t have been more wrong. He smiled, as if she hadn’t just turned him down. Again.

“Nothing ventured, nothing gained.” He rose from the chair, and she stood, too. Which just meant she had to look up at him. Everything about him was appealing. Every damn little thing.

So why couldn’t she want him like she wanted Sebastian?

“I’m a patient guy, Tru. Ask anyone who knows me.” He walked to the door, then stopped to turn and smile at her again. “Tell Greg I’ll come by to see him another time, would you? And it was really nice to see you again. I look forward to the next time.”

*   *   *

Nothing good ever came from eavesdropping.

Baz practically heard his mom’s voice in his head as he stood outside Tru’s office door, listening to Cory fucking Shirk try to pick up Tru.

He’d probably missed a few points of the conversation because of the furious pounding in his ears but he’d heard enough to know the bastard was trying to convince her to go out with him again.

What made his heart hurt was the fact that she didn’t give the other guy a flat-out no.

What the hell did that mean?

Was he the only one with his emotions invested in this relationship? Was he seeing something with Tru that wasn’t really there?

Fuck.

He had to get out of here before Shirk left her office and Tru found him out here listening in to their conversation.

Tonight, he’d find out how she felt about him. He’d ask her if she returned his feelings.

And if she doesn’t?

Shit, he couldn’t even really think about that because it made him want to stomp into her office and kiss her in front of Shirk, hard enough to let the other guy know she was taken.