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“I face a gauntlet of them every time I leave my house. It’s become a problem.”
“I bet. Do you want coffee?”
“Sure,” he said.
“Let me just grab my mug.”
He looked over his shoulder toward the living room. “I got it.” He walked over and picked it up, his gaze falling on my legal pad. I watched him carefully, waiting for him to be like Banner and turn into the antiresort Hulk, but the only reaction was a slight tightening of his jaw.
Talk about the elephant in the room. I wasn’t deluded enough to think that one night with me would change his mind about the resort, not that I wanted that to happen. I was all about doing what it took to get the job done but only without crossing any ethical lines.
A little late for that.I forced the thought out of my mind. I hadn’t slept with Bennett for professional gain. I’d slept with him because I was ridiculously attracted to him.
When he returned to the kitchen, he set the mug on the counter. “Are you working today?” he asked lightly.
I nodded. “Is breakfast blend okay?”
“Sure.”
He drummed his fingers on the counter while I fussed with the coffee machine. The seconds ticked by with only the sound of the Keurig spitting out the hot liquid.
“I still don’t want the resort,” he said abruptly. “I appreciate that it’s helping the Zooks, but I don’t want it here.”
“I understand,” I said slowly, not really sure I did.Why is he telling me this?
“But I’ve come to the conclusion that I need to trust my fellow commission members to make the right decision.”
I frowned. “What’s the right decision? No to the rezoning for the resort?”
“Claire, I’m going to vote against the resort. That hasn’t changed.”
“Okay.”
“You said you wanted me to think of you separately from your job, so that’s what I’m trying to do.”
I considered for a moment. “Thank you. That’s all I can ask.”
“But all this running around we’ve both been doing? It’s stupid. It’s a waste of time for both of us.”
“Mayor Stoltz said there weren’t any board meetings. She only set a deadline for the vote,” I reminded him.A deadline that’s quickly approaching.I’d thought I’d have more than enough time to approach each board member, but some of them were difficult to pin down.
He scratched his chin. “I can put together an informal meeting. This way, we can both state our cases, and people can make an informed decision. That’s the best I can do for you.”
I studied him. Bennett had always been a straight shooter, but even so, I wondered if there was more to his words. “I didn’t ask for anything, and I don’t expect it just because we’ve slept together.”
“I know. If you did, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”
“Thank you,” I said, knowing this was a big deal for him but also realizing it made him uncomfortable to talk about it.
“I do have one selfish motive.” He looped his arm around my waist and pulled me against him. “Does this mean you’re free this afternoon?”
“Maybe.” That was one ulterior motive I could get on board with. I wrapped my arms around his neck. “What do you have in mind?”
***
“FOR THE RECORD,this wasn’t what I had in mind.” Carrying a plastic container, Bennett followed Sadie around the grass outside the vet’s office, ready to catch her pee the moment she squatted.
I chuckled. “At least it’s entertaining.” And weirdly, it was sexy, though I would never in a million years say that out loud. There was something attractive about a man willing to go to such lengths for a family pet. It helped that his bending over gave me the perfect view of his perfect ass.
