The realization bolted through Owen. He wanted all of Carly, her body, soul, and heart.
He glanced at her beautiful face, trying to memorize every detail. The way her blue eyes changed from summer Texas-sky blue to the dark blue on the bottom of bluebonnets as her passion rose. He wanted to remember how she chewed on her lower lip when she pondered something, and if he lived to be a hundred, he’d never forget how his name sounded when she cried it out in passion.
“You get me wound up enough for a lifetime, and my body’s calling me an idiot, but being your secret plaything isn’t what I had in mind.”
“That isn’t what I meant.”
“Sure sounded like it.” Resentment tinged his voice. He swallowed hard. “How ’bout we slow this down, and start where most folks do, with going on a date?”
“What?”
When she chewed on her lower lip telling him something concerned her enough to put off answering, he said, “Still worried about what everyone, especially the board will say? Even after so many folks said they were happy for us when they thought we’d gotten back together?”
More lip chewing, and all he could think was how desperately he wanted to be nibbling on her lips and a dozen other places.
“It’s just complicated.”
“You think you might be the only one who thinks that?”
“What if—”
He placed his index finger on her swollen lips, halting whatever else she’d meant to say. “Think it over. I’ll call you tomorrow to formally ask you out.” Then Owen kissed her lightly on the lips and walked away.
*
Monday as Carlysat at her desk trying to work on the board fundraising proposal with Holly, her mind kept turning to Owen. Sure enough, he’d called her Saturday afternoon and asked her out to a movie on Friday. She’d accepted.
Who would’ve thought when she threw herself at him, he’d turn her down? Most guys would have done the touchdown dance when she’d said she’d wanted them to stay casual, but not Owen. While she’d viewed her comment as being progressive and honest, he’d interpreted it as she wanted him to be her booty call. And of course, he’d countered with a suggestion.
“Earth to Carly,” Holly said pulling her back from her thoughts. “I don’t know where you were, but it wasn’t here. Not that I blame you considering how the brainstorming is going. What’re we going to do when our ideas are either overused, too small to bring in the major funds, or too long term?”
Refocusing on the task, Carly stared at her notes, cringed, and shrugged. “We’ve done our best, and that’s all we can do. Maybe when I make our presentation, something will trigger a better idea from the board. If not, I’ll say we’ll do further research and keep working on it.”
Holly stared as if Carly had said she’d fly to Mars, pick up a couple little green men, and bring them back to put on display as a fundraiser. “Okay, what’s up? Normally when you’re presenting to the board, I’ve had to scrape you off the ceiling at least twice by now.”
Knowing she only had to hold on until Ryder graduated helped, but she couldn’t say that. “I’ve decided doing the best we can has to be enough, and if it isn’t, that’s the board’s problem.”
“Good. I’ve been worried about how stressed you’ve been since you became director.”
Uh-oh. Had she given Holly that impression? Not good. Her assistant wouldn’t consider the director position when Carly resigned if she suspected she couldn’t have a personal life and the job.
“This job wouldn’t be like this for everyone else because I struggle with fundraising and public speaking. I’ve also had pressures living up to the family legacy that no one else would. It’s made it hard to find a good work-personal life balance. It would be easier for someone like you because you’re accustomed to balancing work and a marriage.”
She hoped that sounded better and put the idea of Holly taking over out there.
“Speaking of that,” Holly began, but the creak of the front door opening cut her off.
A wave of humid, sticky Texas air rushed in along with Owen. Sunlight shone behind him, his flushed face, and his maroon Aggie T-shirt damp with sweat, clinging to his broad chest. Her body remembering what it had felt like pressed up against him, made her heart go pitter-patter. “I finished physical therapy and thought I’d see if you have time to go over my ideas for getting y’all new office space.”
“Fundraising ideas? For new office space?” Carly sputtered.
She’d mentioned her and Holly’s struggles with the proposal in passing at dinner the other night but hadn’t expected anything to come of it. Not only had Owen remembered, he’d spent time developing ideas?
A tiny bubble of excitement darted through her. Out of politeness, people often said things like they’d see if they could come up with something when someone mentioned a problem. But he’d cared enough to actually follow through.
She cautioned herself not to think the gesture more than it was. Could be he’d only worked on the plan out of boredom. “You did? Isn’t that wonderful, Carly?” Holly said, and when Carly nodded, her assistant continued, “We’re saved. So far we haven’t come up with anything that will impress the board with our stellar abilities.”
“I wouldn’t go that far,” Carly said. “But Owen, you might as well pull up a chair and tell us your ideas since you’re here.”
