Have Baby, Need Beau

Seth bristled, wondering why she thought he was safe.

“I hope the bar’s open. Maybe we can get a drink and relax. You must be stiff from driving.”

“Um, yeah. I saw a bar in the lobby.” His shoulders were aching from the tense maneuvers down the mountain. And Mimi’s perfume had made him slightly dizzy. And stiff.

“I hope there’s a gift shop, too. I need a toothbrush and something to sleep in. I have to get out of this silly bridesmaid dress.”

Seth stifled the images her comment brought to mind. Helping Mimi out of the dress and her sleeping in his arms…ridiculous. He didn’t even like her. Did he?

“Let’s do it,” Mimi said.

He nearly jumped out of his shoes. “Do it?”

“Yeah, let’s go.” She hiked up her dress, revealing those beautiful legs of hers, and yanked at the neck of the dress, which had slipped lower as the evening had worn on.

He jerked his brain back to reality. She meant for them to take the room, not do it. Obviously Mimi didn’t find him attractive, another stomp on his wounded ego.

She preferred rough types like that jailbird ex-boyfriend of hers, guys with tattoos who probably drove motorcycles and had ungodly piercing of assorted body parts—the exact opposite of him.

Which was perfect. He didn’t want Mimi to be attracted to him. Even if she was the sexiest woman he’d ever laid eyes on. She wanted to be a belly dancer, for God’s sake. And he was a respected psychiatrist. She probably needed to lie on his couch and let him analyze her erratic behavior.

Not lie on his couch and have him analyze her in the physical sense.

He locked the car and followed her, grateful to see the open bar and determined to steer his thoughts back on track. He’d simply reacted to Mimi’s comment. First Hannah had dumped him, then her sister had insulted his male prowess. And Mimi’s exotic perfume, which had driven him crazy for the past half hour, probably had some chemical in it that had affected his brain cells. It was a wonder the pheromones hadn’t asphyxiated him.

Reminding himself he’d felt sorry for Mimi earlier, that he’d planned to offer her a shoulder to lean on if she was still upset over her boyfriend’s deception, he straightened his tie and followed her. Yep, he’d put on his counseling hat and consider the evening with her as a job.

So they’d share a room later as friends—no, acquaintances—it was no big deal. No one but the two of them would ever know they’d been stranded together. And it was for only one night.

What could possibly go wrong?

Chapter Three

Mimi studied the frown on Seth’s face as they settled on stools in the crowded bar. Was he pining for Hannah? Thinking about their lost wedding night? Wishing he was in the honeymoon suite with Hannah, instead of here with her?

Stupid question. Of course he did.

“What would you like?” Seth asked.

“Huh?”

“To drink?”

Mimi noticed the bartender watching her, one elbow propped on the gleaming countertop. Soft music flowed from the speakers, an Eric Clapton tune filling the room. Suddenly self-conscious in the wrinkled dress, Mimi yanked the bodice up a notch. Unfortunately the movement drew attention to the drooping neckline, instead of diverting it.

Seth sent the bartender a dark scowl. Mimi considered ordering a fancy drink, something sophisticated, but she refused to put on airs for Seth Broadhurst or any man. “Give me a light beer. Whatever you have on draft is fine.”

The bartender’s sideways grin irritated her while one of Seth’s dark-blond eyebrows rose.

“And you, sir?”

Seth tapped his fingers on the counter. “Scotch on the rocks.”

His gold-and-black-onyx ring flickered in the overhead light. A class ring from Harvard. “Figures.”

“What?”

She hadn’t realized she’d spoken out loud. “I said it figures you’d drink scotch. Probably the expensive stuff.”

“There’s nothing wrong with having class, Mimi.”

Mimi indicated her beer. “Are you implying I don’t?”

“No. Don’t be so sensitive. You’re analyzing everything I say, turning it into something it’s not.”

Regret pulled at Mimi. She was supposed to cheer him up. After all, he’d been nice to her the day Joey had been arrested. “I’m sorry, Seth. You deserve to drink whatever you want. I know it’s been a bad day.”

He seemed confused. “Why do you say that?”

“Well, er…watching Hannah marry someone else had to be hard.”

The bartender handed him his drink, and he stared soulfully into the dark liquid, as if it held the answers to his problems. “I’m fine.”

Mimi lifted her mug and took a small sip. “You don’t have to pretend with me, Seth. I saw your face the day Hannah called off your wedding. And today…”

He met her gaze. “What about today?”

“Seeing Hannah marry someone else so soon after your breakup, well, you haven’t had time to get over her. After all, you two dated a long time, and she’s so great.”

He nodded. “Yes, Hannah is a great lady. I want her to be happy, Mimi. I told her that.”

“You deserve to be happy, too.” Mimi patted his arm sympathetically. “Don’t worry. You’ll find someone else, Seth. Just don’t let Hannah ruin you for another woman.”

“Is that what you think?”

“I don’t know. Hannah’s a hard act to follow. I love her to death, but I’ve lived in her shadow all my life.”

“Ahh.”

“What does that mean?”

“Sibling rivalry.”

“We’re not rivals, so don’t start that shrink stuff again. We’re best friends.”

Seth sipped his drink. “So you’re not jealous of her?”

“Of course not. I’m proud of Hannah.”