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“Liam will not be giving an opinion on pirate booty of any sort, thank you very much!” Annie appears at the door in a soft cloud of her signature sweet scent. She shoots me an apologetic look, then glares at her mom. “Sorry about my mother. Boundaries were never her strong suit.”
Like mother, like daughter.
Only, not quite. Because said daughter is, well…wow.
I’m staring again. I should stop, but my brain is drinking in everything about Annie like she’s an oasis in the driest desert. I want to mentally log the way her emerald-green dress hugs her curves, moving like water as she brushes past her mother in the doorway. The way her hair falls in waves to her shoulders, shiny and bright. The way her big eyes keep glancing at me too, taking me in just as hungrily.
Ho-ly.I think I need to sit down.
Instead of collapsing unceremoniously in the Jacobs’ entryway, I rip my eyes away. Give Edel a close-lipped smile. “Apologies, I’d love to come in, but Annie and I can’t be late for our reservation.”
“Of course.” She finally untangles her hand from mine, but not before giving it one last squeeze. “Another time, then?”
“Absolutely.” I nod, entertained by Annie’s grim expression.
She looks like hell might freeze over before she lets me attend her mother’s book club.
“Ready?” I ask her. Then, because I’m a gentleman, I offer Annie my arm.
She peers at my elbow for a long moment before threading her fingers through the space. Her hand spreads across my bicep, and I feel the heat of her palm through my jacket.
Annie’s mother runs an approving eye over us, then winks. “You kids have fun.”
“We will.” We step outside and Annie waits for the door to close before saying, “sorry about her.”
“She’s funny.”
“She makes me revert to behaving like a hormonal teenager.” She laughs suddenly. “But it’s nice, in a way. Being home.”
I look down at her pretty face. “I’m glad.”
“Where’s Luke, by the way?” she asks as we make our way to my car.
I open the passenger door. “Something came up,” I lie.
“So, it’s just you and me?” Annie’s voice falters a touch.
“Just you and me,” I confirm, trying to keep my voice casual.
What I don’t say is that Luke bailed on us. He’s meddling where he’s not welcome. And while one part of me thinks that what I really need from Annie right now is distance, another (ever growing) part of me is delighted to have her to myself for the evening, sitting two feet away, smelling warm and sweet and tempting.
This is ridiculous. Forget Annie acting like a regressed teen,I’mthe one who’s acting like he can’t control his hormones.
She’s just a woman, Liam. Just a woman you work with.
Just a woman you work with in a very, very nice dress.
I swallow. Plenty of women are attractive, so how has Annoying (But Cute) Annie From the Plane become Annie Who I’m Thinking About Way Too Much and Also Workplace-Inappropriately?
“Excited for softball on Saturday?” I toss out, coughing over the words as I pull onto the highway.
Small talk. I’m literally initiating small talk.
Annie gives me an easy smile. “I’m going to stink the place up. I suck at sports.”
“I doubt that,” I reply quickly, once again impressed by her ability to make fun of herself while wearing a huge grin. She seems ready and eager to joke about everything except work, which she takes remarkably seriously.
Yes, work is safe. Turn the conversation to pastures that aren’t packed with alpha predators waiting to strike.
