“No problem.”
“You sure?”
“Don’t I look like I’m sure?”
Zack studied her frosty stare then shook out his towel and hair went flying. Damn it.
It was his experience that women liked to talk, which didn’t always translate into them meaning what was said. He got the distinct impression Trinity wanted to tell him something that, through no fault of his own, he couldn’t grasp and might not want to particularly hear anyway.
Without being asked, the dog rolled over onto his back, legs in the air. Zack quickly smothered a grin. “Just don’t get too comfortable.”
This was only temporary. This was all only temporary.
Trinity sat on the arm of the nearest recliner. “Looks like a great family dog.”
“Did you have a dog growing up?”
“No. But I always wanted one.”
“We had one.” He rubbed the dog’s belly and one hind leg began to kick.
“Did you take him to puppy school and for lots of walks?”
“I was too busy, shooting hoops, kicking balls or studying.”
“You’ve always been competitive.”
“I was motivated.”
“Ever thought about sitting back on your laurels rather than pushing all the time?”
He looked over. There was that tone again and those gorgeous eyes were sparkling like she was angry. Upset. At him? Wondering, he kept drying.
“You mean take a backseat with my father’s company?” He nudged the dog’s ribs and he rolled back over. “Too much to learn. At some stage someone has to take over the reins.”
“The reins of Harrison Hotels. And that’s you. Mr. Ruthless.”
Zack set his teeth. Now he was upset. “I’m not interested in labels.”
“Yeah. I got that. What do your brothers and sister say about you taking possession of the crown?”
“Sienna has her own life. Off backpacking around Europe.”
“Backpacking? With the Harrison money and connections, why not five stars all the way?”
“She’s the rebel. Wants to do things her way, in her own time?”
Her head slanted and she smiled. “I think I’d like her.”
Everyone did. “The guys have their families.”
“And dogs, I suppose.”
His stomach muscles tightened. Enough. He set down the towel and pushed to his feet. “Have I missed something? You’re edgy and not because I thought twice about letting King Kong here into my house.”
She shrugged. “He’s obviously harmless.”
“Don’t avoid the question.”
“There’s nothing wrong.”
Her exasperated get off my back expression didn’t impress. He dropped the towel and sauntered over. “What happened during that phone call to New York?”
“I told you—”
“Not everything.”
“I told Kate the story. She was surprised but understood. We talked about the weather, about you—”
“What about me?”
“That you have…a reputation.”
“We established that. What else?”
Her slim nostrils flared then she released a breath. “That she needed to hear from me later in the day.”
“Or no job?”
“Something like that.”
He studied her wide, glistening eyes. What are you hiding?
He took another step closer. An instant later, the dog knocked the back of Zack’s leg on his way to plunking himself down between them both. When the dog looked up at him, Zack arched a brow and squared his shoulders. Those big brown eyes weren’t merry anymore. They were telling him to be smart and button up. Mrs. D had said he was protective.
As he took the dog back over to the fire to towel dry his rump, Zack reminded himself that normally when a member of the fairer sex started to push his buttons, he said goodbye. Easy. Cut off in a remote location by a freak snowstorm, not so easy this time.
But even if they weren’t snowed in, he wouldn’t walk away. Not yet. Because like it or not, Trinity had gotten under his skin in a way no one else had ever managed, and clearly he’d gotten under hers.
A text on Zack’s cell flashed five minutes after the power flickered back on around noon. Trinity studied his thoughtful expression as Zack read the message while she rocked the baby, who was drifting off for a postlunch nap.
“Cressida Cassidy from Child Services,” he said. “Roads are still blocked. Tomorrow’s the soonest they can get out. Still no word on leads about the baby’s situation. The media hasn’t gotten the story yet.”
Trinity dropped a soft kiss on the baby’s brow. Where had this little darling come from? It was as if she hadn’t existed before she and Zack had happened upon her. Hard to believe that no one was out looking. That she wasn’t missed. Trinity had always found comfort knowing that, for as long as she’d been able, her own mother had tried to find her.
But, whatever this baby’s situation, for the time being at least, Bonnie was here, safe and warm. And if the price was sharing time with a man who stooped to any level to win and dominate, she’d see her way through.
She wouldn’t mention what Kate had told her about his unscrupulous dealings with James Dirkins. It would only make her angry and she didn’t want to raise her voice and upset the baby. She’d like to give him the benefit of the doubt but didn’t Kate’s latest gossip surrounding Zack fit? Making Dirkins feel responsible for his son’s death for leverage…It made her sick to think about it.
Zack was glaring at the screen. “Wonder what the paparazzi will dig up and spin when they get a hold of the story.”
Trinity bristled. She was part of the paparazzi. Or that’s how he’d consider her, anyway.
“Tell Ms. Cassidy the baby’s fine,” Trinity managed to mumble. “I’ll take care of her.”
He frowned then slowly nodded.
Brows knitted and a pulse beating in his cheek, Zack texted back. He’d never complained about the baby, or her, being here. After his initial gripe, he hadn’t said a word about Cruiser joining them, either; Zack had found his name on the tag buried beneath all that hair.
But she’d noticed Zack repeatedly catching the time on his wristwatch. He’d peer out those windows, rocking back on his heels, scanning the scene as if willing the sun to break through and the snow to melt clean away. He was edgy. Feeling crowded. These confined conditions were obviously a challenge. A drag.
For her own part…
Trinity tucked the wrap under Bonnie’s chin.
Well, she was feeling remarkably comfortable—with the baby at least. Whenever Zack was close, it was exactly the opposite. Her endorphin levels surged over the bar to a point where she felt giddy. Earlier today she’d toyed with the idea that he might have felt something similar when he was around her. But with her blinkers off, Trinity could see that last night’s