I kick off the gray duvet and stand up, cracking my neck. My watch lights up when I move my arm, and I realize exactly how late it is. Damn. I definitely don’t have time for a workout this morning. I could get that shower, but then I’d wash her scent off me.
No way I’m doing that, not now that I finally got it on me.
So instead, I grab trousers, a shirt that isn’t too wrinkled, and the nearest vest. I make a quick bowl of plain oatmeal, brush my teeth, and hurry downstairs. I know I’m more rumpled than usual. In my excitement to get to work, I didn’t even comb my hair.
The woman who has become the center of my world is at the counter adjusting her display, which has consistently gotten more popular each month. As usual, Agnes is in her spot, reading.
Juliet glances up when she hears me, and as soon as we make eye contact, we shoot each other goofy grins.
“Good morning,” she says, winking at me.
“Morning,” I say, voice rough.
“Hey, boss,” Agnes says without looking up. “Rough night? You seem a little rumpled.”
How does she do that? The woman didn’t even glance at me.
“Um, no, my night was good.” Thank the moon I can’t blush. “Just overslept is all.”
“Sure,” Agnes says. From her tone, I can’t tell if she’s agreeing with me or challenging me.
I clear my throat. “Juliet, could you give me a hand over here?”
“Of course.” She abandons her display and walks over to me, just a little too quickly.
“I wanted to get your opinion on something,” I say, strictly for Agnes’s benefit. Juliet knows it, knows I’m just trying to get her alone.
“You could just say you need to speak to me in the office,” she whispers.
“That would have been a better idea. Oh, well,” I shrug. As soon as we round the corner into science fiction and I’m sure the aisle is empty, I plant a smacking kiss on her.
“We have to talk about this,” she says. “It’s important to me that we find a way to keep things professional at work.”
“I have it on good authority that your boss doesn’t mind if you kiss your boyfriend at work,” I tell her with a grin.
She shoves lightly at my shoulder. “No, seriously. We have to figure out ground rules or boundaries or whatever. Otherwise, Agnes is totally going to catch us.”
“Unlikely. She’s way too engrossed in her book. The way she’s oblivious, she couldn’t even catch a bus.”
Juliet snorts. “Don’t underestimate her. That woman is as sharp as a nail and twice as tough.”
“I’ll take my chances,” I say, kissing her again. I get lost in the softness of her lips and the sweet taste of her mouth.
She moans quietly, kissing me back. Our tongues tangle together and I crowd closer to her, needing the physical connection. I’m considering getting my hands under her shirt, when, from the front of the store, I hear a wolf whistle. Juliet pulls back with a gasp. I rest my forehead against hers and we both dissolve into laughter.
That whistle could only have come from one person.
“Well, the bad news is that she knows,” I say. “But the good news is that the whistle means Agnes approves.”
“Well, then. As long as Agnes is okay with it, I guess we’re golden.”
I shake my head. “I hope you didn’t want to keep us a secret.”
She grins. “Nah. Let’s tell everybody. After all, we’re in love.”
JULIET
It’s a good thing I left most of my items in storage when I came to Harmony Glen, because it makes packing up the apartment over the hardware store much easier. Maggie and Gabe are helping, although there isn’t that much to do. She folds my clothes so they’ll fit neatly in the suitcase, and Gabe brought a cooler from Mack’s to unload the fridge.
