A Fare To Remember_ Just Whistle_Driven - Vicki Lewis Thompson [18]
“You mean after thirty-six hours with no sleep, you’re tired?” He grinned at her. “What a wimp.”
“Embarrassing, isn’t it? But I think we’d better start making that trek back to my hotel or you might have to carry me.”
That didn’t sound so bad, although from a practical standpoint he probably couldn’t make it, which wouldn’t play well.
But he had a better idea. “Hang on a minute.” Unclipping his phone from his belt, he dialed Mario’s cell. “You available?” he asked. Having Mario drive them to the hotel would keep the lid on Zach’s libido.
He also didn’t want to be accused of taking advantage of a jet-lagged woman. As an added advantage, after they dropped Hannah off at the Pearson, Zach could have a chat with Mario about Hannah’s views on his current job situation. Mario would understand that a guy couldn’t just up and quit a steady job, especially after being promoted to vice president.
“Yeah, I’m available,” Mario said. “I just delivered Barbra Streisand to the Plaza.”
“You did not.”
“I did so. Ask anybody. She was supposed to meet James Brolin there for some shindig. You need a ride?”
“Yep. I’m in Times Square.”
“Alone?”
Zach glanced over at Hannah. “Nope.”
“Who?”
“Mario, I’m gonna make you wait in suspense.”
“I’ll be right there.”
Zach clipped the phone to his belt. “Mario’s on his way.”
“But that’ll cost money. I can walk.”
“It’s not that much, and I’m sure Mario would love to hear how your first day went.”
She relented with a smile. “It would be nice to see him again. I—” She was interrupted by an earsplitting whistle about ten feet away.
A cab swung over to the curb and the whistler jumped in.
Hannah watched the process and turned to Zach. “Can you whistle like that?”
“If I need to.”
“I would love to learn how. I don’t expect to be taking cabs much, but if I could whistle like that I’d feel like a real New Yorker.”
“Then I’ll teach you. I don’t take cabs a lot, myself, but—”
“Aha!” She pointed a finger at him. “Because they’re expensive, right?”
“Because a bus or the subway can serve the same purpose and I’m promoting mass transit, okay?”
She nodded. “I buy that argument, but I’ll also bet that once you live here full-time, you consider your pocketbook and learn to do without taxis except in emergencies.”
“Which this is. You’re exhausted.”
“A little.” In fact, her legs trembled from the effort of holding herself upright.
“I don’t think you can be a little exhausted. It’s like saying you’re a little pregnant.”
“Then I’m a lot exhausted.”
He couldn’t help himself. He put his arm around her and tucked her against his side. “Lean on me.”
“Okay.” She nestled close and laid her head on his shoulder. “This would be the cue for your boss to happen along.”
“Not unless he’s stalking me. I’ve been eating on Restaurant Row for years and I’ve never once seen him there.”
“I think it was meant to happen that way.”
“Why is that?” He gazed into her tired but contented eyes and wondered if this was how she’d look after a round of excellent sex. Highly inappropriate thoughts. He was taking her home so she could get some sleep. He hoped to God they’d already switched her to a dry room.
“I think I was supposed to meet your boss,” she said.
Her reasoning was pretty transparent. “So that you could point out to me that he’s the devil incarnate and if I value my soul, I will leave that firm before I’m damned forever?”
She gazed at him dreamily. “Something like that.”
“I’m not quitting my job, Hannah.”
“You should.” She covered a yawn. “You’re a fantastic kisser.”
CHAPTER FIVE
HANNAH KNEW SHE NEEDED sleep when she started babbling things that were better left unsaid. Fortunately, before Zach could ask her what she meant about quitting his job because of the way he kissed, which must have made her sound like a lunatic, a horn bleated right beside them.
“That would be Mario.” Zach kept his arm around her as he guided her over to the waiting cab. “Time to get you to bed.”
“Sounds wonderful.” She was tired, but not that tired. She wanted a bed, all