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Sophie removed her hand. The last thing she needed to be doing was touching him. Wanting him was already an issue; she didn’t need to make things worse. Besides, Zach was under pressure, and the last thing he needed was added stress from personal issues.
“There are grants that we could apply for. They take time, but I can start on the research tonight and we can see what’s available.”
Ideas started spinning around in her head. Too many ideas, ideas that could take up the bulk of her work time, but she couldn’t let Zach or his brothers go through this alone. Chelsea would want Sophie to continue helping, and family came first. Always.
“I can still have your house appraised,” she added. “We can get the ball rolling in two areas so we have a plan B. I won’t put your house on the market or advertise it until you give me the official go-ahead.”
“How much do you know about grant funding?” he asked.
Sophie went to her computer, booted it up, and took a seat. “I researched it before, but not for a small business and not for a home that had so much historical value.”
Her fingers flew across the keys, hesitating when his hand rested on the back of her chair. His other hand came to rest on her desk beside the keyboard. Great, now he was looming over her. How could she concentrate? He smelled so, so good. If she turned just so, she could probably . . .
No. Focus, Sophie. Focus.
She found a few sites that would help them in their search. As she was filling out information for one of them, her cell rang. Both she and Zach glanced at the screen. Her mother.
Sophie waved a hand. “I’ll get it later.”
“She wouldn’t like you helping us.”
Turning slightly, Sophie looked him in the eye. “I slept with you last night. I’m pretty sure my looking up grants is the least of her worries.”
She couldn’t help but smile when Zach’s jaw nearly dropped.
“Besides,” she went on, focusing back on her computer. “What I’m doing is none of her business.”
Suddenly, her chair spun around and she was hauled up against Zach’s hard chest, his hands gripping her arms in that powerful, controlled manner he had.
“I like this Sophie,” he told her, his eyes blazing into hers. “I like the confident, take-charge woman. Maybe I can convince her to come by my house again later.”
He knew all the right words. As if she hadn’t had feelings for him for years, the man knew exactly what to say to cause the most impact on her girly emotions that were all over the place.
“Zach,” she protested, though her body leaned into his further. “You know this would go nowhere. You’ve said it yourself. I would want more, you wouldn’t, and one or both of us would end up hurt.”
Zach rested his forehead against hers. “If I could give myself to anyone, Soph, it would be you.”
Those raw words said on a strangled breath had her nearly choking on those emotions she’d tried so hard to keep hidden. Just as her eyes closed to shield the unshed tears, her phone rang again.
Placing a kiss on her forehead, he murmured, “I’m heading to the house. You take that call.”
He walked out of her office, leaving her alone with her jumbled thoughts and her ringing phone. How could he drop a bomb like that and walk away?
Sophie sank back down into her chair, ignored her phone, and cradled her face in her hands. Whatever haunted Zach’s past was interfering with the progress she’d made with him. Would he open up to her? Would he let her in? Sophie didn’t think he was distancing himself because of the accident; if that were the case, he wouldn’t have taken her to his bed.
Something had damaged Zach so deep, he was afraid to take risks, afraid to let himself go and believe in the possibility of... love? Yes, love.
Sophie patted her damp cheeks and reached for her phone. That was two calls she’d missed from her mother. She’d have to call her back or the woman would have the entire police department on the hunt.
But first Sophie needed to get control of herself, because Zach was right. Her mother wouldn’t like Sophie getting this chummy with the Monroe boys now that Chelsea was gone. Her mother had tolerated, barely, Chelsea’s free-spirited behavior, but the polished woman loathed the Monroe men because they were a rowdy bunch.
Granted, they’d had their days, but they were upstanding citizens now. Of course her mother still saw them as hellions and teens, but Sophie knew the truth. She knew those men were more loyal than anyone she’d ever known. They were damaged on the inside and didn’t get too close to people, and they might bicker and occasionally throw a punch at each other, but they loved each other deeper than any set of siblings she’d ever seen, blood-related or not.
Now Sophie had to figure out how to save Zach’s home, get money for Chelsea’s dream, spend an exorbitant amount of time with him to get this project off the ground, and try to keep her heart out of the mix.
She dropped her head back against the seat on a groan. How could she keep her heart out of the mix when he’d stolen it ten years ago?
Chapter Fifteen
