The woman opened her mouth wider and laughed. Benny managed not to roll her eyes and watched as Henry pushed the button for their floor.
"You're Henry Ellison, aren't you?" the woman asked with unbridled interest in her dark, almond-shaped eyes.
"In the flesh."
"I thought so. I was reading about you the other day. Your firm was just nominated for an award in the small agency category. Best digital campaign, wasn't it?"
Henry nodded modestly. "True."
"And if I'm not mistaken, at next week's Salt Lake conference, you're rumored to be finalists for taking the gold for best small agency of the year in the West."
How the heck had the woman known that?
As if anticipating Benny's thoughts, the woman added, "I'm in PR. I follow these things. I'm Lela." She held her hand out to Henry, who took it artfully. The woman, however, had ceased to recognize that Benny was there and drew her hand back, her attention only on Henry. "That's quite an accomplishment."
"I can't take all the credit. It's a team effort."
"Oh, I'm sure it is."
As if suddenly realizing Benny was still there, Henry smiled at her. "Lela, correct? This is Dr. Benny Sorensen."
The woman nodded-barely-and reached inside her purse and pulled out a card to hand to Henry. "Maybe you might be interested in having lunch sometime? Or going for drinks? I would love to bend your ear about how you've accomplished so much. Maybe you can offer me some guidance from a PR standpoint, of course."
Guidance, Benny's ass. The woman was totally hitting on Henry and not even concerned with the possibility that Benny and Henry might be on a date. Or something. But considering she recognized Henry on sight, Benny wouldn't put it past the woman to have done research into Henry's background and to know his reputation as a proverbial playboy.
Henry slipped the card in his back pocket. "Maybe I will," he said. "I haven't seen you before. Are you new to the building?"
"My brother lives here, but he's abroad for the moment, so he's letting me crash at his place until I find my own. I was working for a PR firm in Chicago until recently."
"Ah, yes. The Windy City. How's our little city holding up in comparison?"
"I'm quickly seeing its potential."
Good grief.
The elevator stopped, and the doors opened before any more of the cutting-edge wit could continue.
"This is me," Lela said and reluctantly stepped off. "It was such a pleasure to meet you, Henry. Don't be afraid to stop by sometime. I'm in 907. I'm afraid being new in the city I don't really know anyone or what to do with myself."
"Something that will have to be remedied," Henry said as Lela gave a final smile and the elevator door shut.
Benny didn't try to suppress her groan.
"What?" Henry asked, looking truly baffled.
"Sorry, I'm not used to witnessing such disgusting displays of desperation." Benny paused and gave an imitation of the woman's sultry laugh. "Oh, Henry. You're so wise and smart and little old me is just helpless and lost and I need you to help guide me." She batted her lashes for good measure and licked her lips.
Henry chuckled as the door opened and they headed down the hall to their respective places. "Yes, Benny, there is a certain artifice in all flirting, but it's part of the game. Lela wasn't afraid to go for what she wanted. She showed her interest and left the door open for further communication. If you want a date with Luke, you're going to have to take a page out of that playbook and put yourself out there."
Right. Luke. The reason she was doing all of this in the first place. She nodded. "Okay. I see your point." They reached his door first, and she looked at the time. Nearly nine. "So you think you'll be okay on your own? Your head is doing okay?"
"I know my name, the year, and the name of the current president if that's what you're wondering. You know, Dr. Sorensen, if you're worried about me, there's more than enough room in my bed to fit the two of us. I wouldn't want you to spend a long, sleepless night thinking about me," he said with a smile and gleam in those dark eyes.
"Does that really work on women?"
"You'd be surprised."
"Good night, Henry," she said and walked down the hall.
"'Night, Benny."
She just prayed that Henry hadn't noticed the flush that crept in her cheeks at the prospect of sharing his bed-joke or not. Of lying next to him, watching him sleep, watching him do maybe a few other things
Then she remembered Henry's easy, casual flirting on the elevator. What was she thinking? A night with Henry would be setting herself up for heartache, since he'd just move on to the next woman the next night.
No. Henry didn't want any of the same things she did. Didn't want forever, just for now.
Good thing they were totally incompatible.
Henry watched as Benny Sorensen headed into her place. He'd be lying if for a brief moment he hadn't entertained the idea of feigning some confusion or a sudden pounding headache that would obligate the good doctor to stay by his side. But then reality set in and he realized he was nuts.
Benny Sorensen was feisty, opinionated, and surly. Definitely not his type.
But hell, she could really make him laugh.
He headed into his place and walked over to the stereo, in the mood for a little Frank Sinatra. He poured a splash of bourbon into a glass and took a seat in his leather recliner that looked over the city.
Today had not gone at all like he'd planned. But he didn't know the last time he'd ever enjoyed himself more, starting the moment Benny Sorensen opened her front door, tired and grumpy about the early hour but still a refreshing change from all the women who'd practically flip handsprings to please him.
She was intriguing.
And despite her spastic interactions with Luke Seeley, she'd handled his buddies at the club with aplomb, had them eating out of her hand. Something that had kind of irked him, the banter that flowed between them, the easy way she'd flirted with them. Fast learner, he supposed.
If Luke Seeley knew what was good for him, he wouldn't take no for an answer from Benny Sorensen the next time, diving in there before some other lucky guy usurped his place in Benny's heart.
Henry had meant what he'd said earlier about liking her family. Even the brothers who hadn't just slugged him in the head but had sabotaged him the entire game. Something he knew and was well aware they knew he knew. He took it as a sort of hazing ritual. What brothers and sisters did to protect each other.
Speaking of sisters, it had been too long since he and Morgan had shared space, let alone a meal. And he missed his niece.
Pulling his cell phone from his pocket, he dialed the number and waited for her answer. "Morgan? Hey, it's me."
"Oh, no. You've called to lecture me. What have I done wrong now? Did I forget your birthday?" But he heard the smile in her voice.
"I was thinking that maybe if you're in town, we might all have dinner together next week. Just the three of us."
There was silence. "Sorry, Henry-you're asking me to have dinner with you? Are you sick? Is there something I should know?"
"Very funny. It's just that having Ella with me last weekend made me realize how much I miss you guys and like hanging out with you. Something we haven't done a lot of lately. So I thought I'd try and fix that. How about it?"
"Okay. I-I'd like that. And Ella would, too. In fact she mentioned something interesting to me the other day. Something about Skittles and the nice lady doctor who pulled one out of her nose-"
"Wow. Look at the time, I should let you go. I'll call you later this week to finalize the details."
She laughed. "Okay, I'll let it go this time. Good night, Henry."
"'Night, Morgan."
He hung up and returned the phone to his pocket, finding the card of the beautiful woman from earlier. Lela, was it?
He stared at the card, remembering the interaction on the elevator. Yes, she was beautiful, but it wasn't Lela he was thinking of. He smiled as he recalled the look of disgust Benny had shot the two of them, particularly Lela.
Any other time, he'd probably have accepted Lela's offer for company right then, having a long night of solitude ahead for himself anyhow. But for some reason, hanging out with the woman, no matter how beautiful she was, had no appeal. She would inevitably ply him with questions, lay the compliments on thick, and probably have him in her bed before they could finish the first bottle of wine.
It was predictable.
Something that he certainly couldn't say about spending time with Benny Sorensen.
With panache, he tossed the card like a Frisbee, scoring a point as it hit and fell into the wastebasket. He felt lighter already, although why wasn't something he was ready to analyze.
Instead, he savored his bourbon, the music, the view before him, and the memory of someone's unbridled and joyful laugh as the wind whipped her hair while they'd cruised down the interstate.
Chapter Twelve
"That's the fourth case of hand, foot, and mouth I've seen this week," Benny said to Roz the following morning, watching two twin boys sucking on Popsicles follow their mother out of the office. "Once it takes hold at a place like a day care or summer camp, it just spreads like crazy."
"You have an ear infection in exam room four and well checks and vaccinations with the three Johnson kids in two."