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“Let’s just say not all students hold me in such high regard as the GRITS team does.”
That got a deep laugh out of Donovan. “Hard to believe it, but I’ll let you tell the story over dinner, if you’ll share it with me.”
Cocking her head to the side, British stroked her chin. “Have you had a tour of Southwood?”
“I’ve been meaning to, especially now,” he said.
British narrowed her eyes at him. “I’m afraid to ask.”
“Had you showed up for the wonderful lunch Chef prepared for us,” he teased with a wink, “you would have heard the girls talking about the snatched—”
“Snatched?” Tears began to form in the corners of her eyes at Donovan’s accurate lingo. This man ran a billion-dollar company and spoke fluent Teen.
“Yes,” Donovan boasted with a pat on his broad chest. “I’m cool. I know the haps.”
“Okay, Mr. Cool.” British dabbed the corner of her right eye with her finger.
“Anyway, the girls were telling me about original gifts I can get my nieces here, other than shipping them cupcakes, which I am still contemplating since I’m stanning them.”
“Dear Lord,” she giggled, “please stop.”
“What? You don’t like my Eminem reference?” Proud of himself, Donovan nodded his chin at her for emphasis of his coolness.
As a teacher, she’d heard all the latest slang. “Stanning,” derived from an Eminem song, now referred to someone obsessed with something. At last year’s fleek, as in being on point, British had stopped trying to keep up with today’s youth.
“Did you learn these terms from your young girlfriends?”
Licking his lips, Donovan cocked his head to the side. “We’ve established our age differences and you might be the youngest woman I’ve seriously been interested in.”
Breath caught in her throat for a moment, then she remembered that he wanted her to work for his company as a spokesmodel. For years British wanted to be more than a pretty face. How would it look if she were to suddenly become the face of a popular cosmetics line? Donovan barked up the wrong tree with this proposal. British responded with an eye-roll and changed the subject. “I pegged you as an internet shopper.”
“I can be,” he answered, moving to sit on the arm of the couch, “but as CFO of a major company, I don’t mind shopping around for a deal, especially if it’s a one of a kind.”
“Wouldn’t it be easier if you got all the ladies the same gift, that way you don’t have to keep track of them?”
“One of these days I’m going to surprise you,” Donovan declared.
British studied his face and ignored the way he made her heart beat—all erratic like a schoolgirl’s. He rose to his feet and stretched. A sliver of washboard ab peeked when his shirt rose and British unapologetically stared. What? The man was good-looking, she argued with herself. Her friends—hell, even her in-laws—were ready for her to move on. And British knew she too missed the comfort of a man.
“So what’s going on outside of Magnolia Palace? Anything good?”
The realization that this playboy was the perfect man for her to get her groove on hit her. No family in town. Only here for a while. Everything about his body said he was a fantastic lover. Near fainting, British grabbed hold of the wall. “Dear Lord, you’re in for a treat. I happen to know the best view in town. Want to come with me?”
Donovan raised his left brow and pondered her question.
Embarrassed, British closed her eyes and shook her head, admitting to herself that his blatant flirting had intrigued her. Maybe it was time to start delving into her desires for another man. Now nervous for admitting she wanted him, British wrung her hands together. The rock Christian had placed on her finger scraped against her hand. Vonna was right. He would not want her living like a nun. He might not be gung ho on her choice in a playboy like Donovan, but he was a start...and, more important, he was temporary. “I’ll be right back,” she told him.
When she went upstairs to her room, British hoped she’d played it cool. Something about the way he’d flirted with her made her...dance...the same way she did when she bit into something delicious. Giggling, British took a long look at herself in the mirror and shook her head, wondering what Christian would think of her now.
She twisted off her ring to set it on a lace doily. Donovan was the complete opposite of Christian. Christian had wanted nothing more than to be in a m
onogamous relationship for as long a time as he was permitted on earth. Donovan, however, was the type of person to get with as many women as possible while he lived on earth. Maybe that’s what she needed. A no-strings fling. Perfect. Going out to the festival with Donovan was sure to cause people to gossip. So what? The grandfather clock downstairs chimed six. Satisfied with herself, British headed to the door, then turned back around to snatch her ring off the dresser. Baby steps, British. Baby steps.
* * *
“You promise you’re not leading me to this roadkill diner you mentioned the other day?” Donovan asked British, within less than a half hour of leaving Magnolia Palace.
Even with his eyes focused on the long, dark road ahead of them, Donovan felt the burning sensation of the side-eye daggers British shot him from the passenger seat. Under one of the lone streetlights, he turned and winked.
