“I’ve made such a mess.” The woman kicked a chunk of crystal with the toe of her black pumps.
There was something cagey about the lady and Lauren wanted her out of the shop. It wasn’t the first time she’d had breakages, but it was the first one of this size, and the first time someone hadn’t felt any remorse or offered to pay for damages.
“It won’t take me long to clean up,” Lauren remarked.
“I’ll leave you too it then.” Smiling smugly, she wiggled her fingers, then left.
Lauren stood in shock and watched her go. What on earth was her problem? She had a feeling the smashed candlesticks hadn’t been an accident. From the moment the woman had entered the shop, Lauren had felt a wave of hostility roll off her, but why?
She shook herself out of her musings. She needed to clean up before someone walked in and hurt themselves.
Chapter Twenty-Five
After an exhausting two hours of exercise, Jack still couldn’t get Lauren out of his mind. He’d had to think up a lame excuse to call her so he could arrange to see her again. What happened to the days when he’d call a woman and arrange a place and time to meet with no explanation needed? It stopped the day he met Lauren Moore.
When Jack heard a loud crash at Lauren’s shop and the worried sound of her voice right before she hung up, he knew he had to get to her right away. His workout gear was still damp, and it stuck to him as he ran to his car and pulled out onto the busy street. It took him half the time it should have to get to Lauren’s shop, and he wouldn’t be surprised if he received a couple of speeding fines from the speed cameras he’d passed on the way.
Parking in front of Everything Nice, Jack hurried inside. He found Lauren on her hands and knees with glass scattered all around her. “Lauren!”
“Jack, what are you doing here?” Her eyes rounded with surprise.
Squatting, he grabbed hold of her wrists. With so much broken glass around he had expected to find her covered in blood. After a quick inspection, finding no blood in sight, he released a long, held breath. A wave of relief rolled over him but he needed to ask to make sure.
“Are you hurt? Are you bleeding anywhere?” Maybe he’d missed something.
“Yes, I am bleeding,” she answered.
Again, he scanned her exposed skin, looking for blood.
She laughed. Frowning, he met her gaze.
Lauren pointed her index finger. A tiny spec of blood marred her pale skin. “I cut myself sweeping up the glass. Should I call an ambulance?” Her lips twitched.
Looking at the injured finger from different angles, Jack gave it a thorough inspection.
“Hmmm, doesn’t appear to be too deep. Although I do believe it requires medical attention.” “It does?” Lauren’s eyes widened with mock concern.
“Yes, it does,” Jack answered with all seriousness. “Good thing I’m trained for injuries like this.” Pulling the finger to his lips, he placed a soft kiss on the tip. “There, it should feel better now.”
Lauren gazed at her finger like Jack had performed a miracle. “I’m healed! Thank you so
much, kind sir.”
“I don’t work for free. I will require payment.”
She batted her eyelashes. “Payment? How can I pay you?”
The endless erotic ways she could repay him paraded through his mind. He hardened as he envisioned Lauren, naked and glistening from sweat, on his bed as payment pending.
Holding onto her hands, he pulled her up and stepped them away from the glass. “My services are very expensive.”
She touched her locket and bit her bottom lip. It wasn’t hard to see her mind working, trying to decide if she should play along or back off. God, he prayed she wanted to play.
Jack saw the moment when she’d made up her mind and then, to his fucking delight, she slid her arms around his neck and raised her face to him, their lips almost touching. “Name your price.”
Removing her hands from around his neck, he stepped away. Her disappointed expression would have made him laugh if he wasn’t so turned on.
Swinging theclosedsign on the door, he flicked the lock and ambled back to her. “Now, about that payment,” he said right before claiming her lips, backing her into her office, and kicking the door shut.
