“And while you two are working on getting your worlds in order, I have a date with Sean and Mica, and I’m late.” Ava left Leslie’s office, grabbed her purse from her desk drawer and hurried toward the exit. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” she called out and stopped in the doorway. “Strike that. Do something I wouldn’t do. Life’s an adventure. Live it!” And she was gone.
Leslie realized Tag still held her hands in his. She pulled hers free, heat climbing up her neck into her cheeks. Tag was her friend. Why was she suddenly shy around him?
“What exactly is BODS doing?” he asked, his eyebrows rising.
“Nothing. I can’t get it to come up. I’ve had several calls already from some of my remote clients. They can’t get in online.” She moved to her desk. “I can’t get in at all. It’s pretty much dead in the water.”
“Let me take a look at it,” Tag said. “I bet I can get it up and running in fifteen minutes.”
“If you do, I’ll take you to dinner.”
“You’re on.”
“And if you don’t?” She fisted her hands on her hips.
He winked. “I’ll take you to dinner.”
“Deal.” Leslie glanced at her watch. “It’s seven-fifteen.”
“I guess I’d better get on it.” Tag nodded to her computer. “Log on and enter your password.”
She did and stepped aside, brushing against him since he was standing so close. A rush of heat washed over her from the point their bodies connected. What was wrong with her?
“I’ll just work at Ava’s desk.” Leslie beat a hasty retreat to the outer office. “Let me know if there’s anything you need.”
“Will do. Fourteen minutes and counting,” he said and settled in at her desk, his fingers already flying across the keyboard.
Leslie was torn. On the one hand, she wanted him to get the BODS system up and running. On the other hand, that meant she’d have to enter her data and join the dating scene again.
Her insides quaked at the thought.
And the idea of Tag doing the same should have made her feel better in a misery-loves-company way.
But it didn’t. Not at all.
Chapter 2
Tag found the issue with the BODS system in less than a minute, because he’d installed the glitch and set it up on a timer to shut down when it did. The timing couldn’t have been better. With his friends ganging up on him and issuing their ultimatum, the call from Leslie’s assistant, Ava, had come exactly when he’d needed an excuse to get away.
Actually, everything couldn’t have worked out better. Even Ava making the call had been better than Leslie doing it. Having Ava at the office when he got there helped goad Leslie into trying her own system, making Ava look pushy, not him.
He was gleefully aware of everything falling into place. Now, all he had to do was look busy for fifteen minutes, push the button that brought BODS back to life, take Leslie out to dinner and begin his campaign to win her over.
He’d waited four years for Leslie to work her way through the grieving process after the loss of her husband and Tag’s friend, Randy. Tag had been in love with Leslie since they’d met at Chance Montgomery’s cocktail party six years ago. Only he hadn’t been at a place in his life to make the commitment she’d needed. Randy had been there and made his move before Tag could. Because he’d loved them both, he’d stepped back, allowing Randy and Leslie the happiness they both deserved, all the while kicking himself for not letting her know how he felt.
After Randy had been diagnosed with cancer, Tag had realized that fate had played the right hand. Randy had needed Leslie to see him through to the end. Tag had been there as well, but Randy had died in Leslie’s arms. A life cut short by a horrible disease. How could Tag resent his friend for the time he’d had with Leslie? He couldn’t…and he couldn’t bring himself to move in on the widow as soon as Randy’s body was laid to rest.
No, Tag had been there for Leslie as her friend. A close friend. For four years.
Now that Leslie’s matchmaking business was up, running and successful, Tag hoped she’d remember that she still had a lot of good years left in her, and she deserved a little happiness in her life.
He hoped and prayed she’d find that happiness with him. Tag just had to show her the possibilities.
At exactly sixteen minutes from the moment they’d started the clock, Tag hit the button to reboot the BODS system. The Billionaire Online Dating System came right up, working exactly as Leslie had programed. “It’s up,” he called out.
Leslie came in and stood behind him, her hands on the back of her chair. “Oh, thank God,” she said and sagged against the chair. “I owe you, Tag. You’ve saved my butt more times than I care to count.”
“You don’t owe me anything,” he said. “In fact,” he glanced at his watch, “I owe you dinner. It’s been sixteen minutes.”
“One minute is no big deal. I’m still buying your dinner.”
He stood, shaking his head. “No way. A deal is a deal.”
“But I don’t feel right about you buying dinner when I’m sure your time is worth so much more than a meal. And I took you away from your friends.” She frowned. “Is it too late to rejoin them?”
Worst thought ever. “Way too late. I’m sure they’re back home with their significant others by now. Which leaves me on my own for dinner.” He tilted his head. “Are you trying to stand me up?”
Leslie laughed. “Not at all. I just don’t want to take up too much of your time.”
“Being with you is never taking up my time.” He hugged her shoulders like a good friend would when he’d rather take her into his arms and kiss her until they ran out of air in their lungs. Hopefully, that would come with time. He had a plan, and he’d stick to it. “What are friends for, if not to have someone to eat dinner with?”
She nodded. “Right.” Her frown returned. “I guess it is about time we both took BODS seriously for ourselves. When was the last time you had a date?”
Tag shrugged. “I don’t know.” He’d tried a couple of times. A shudder rippled through him. Those dates were disastrous. The primary problem was that the women weren’t Leslie.
“You work too much. And then you spend too much time helping me.” She clapped her hands together. “Well, that’s all going to stop now.”
“What do you mean?” He wasn’t sure where she was going with this, and he wasn’t happy about her train of thought.
“I mean, you and Ava were right. It’s not a bad idea to have a second set of eyes on the candidates. It’s been a long time since either one of us had a date. Screening could be a nightmare. I’ll help you, and you can help me. Maybe we will come up with the perfect match for each other. Ready to test that theory now?”
Tag shook his head. “I’d rather wait until tomorrow. I’m starving. I’m sure you haven’t had anything to eat since breakfast. Am I right?”
She reached into her desk for her purse. “I had a handful of almonds. Does that count?”