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He shrugs one shoulder. “Sometimes. Been a while, though.”
Not sure I believe him, I just say, “Oh, okay. Well, I can’t wait to see your house. I bet it’s big and fancy, huh? You already said you had a swimmin’ pool. Don’t see those very much ’round Colorado. Too cold, huh?”
“It’s warm enough in summer months, but mostly I use it every morning, regardless of the weather. I do a three-minute cold plunge to wake up and reset my body’s systems. It helps with stress, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels.”
“What? You just like, wake up in the mornin’, put on your swimmin’ suit, and jump in an icy-ass-cold pool and hang out in there for three minutes? Before coffee?”
He chuckles. “Yes, that’s exactly what I do. Sometimes naked, though.”
“You must not have very close neighbors.”
“Eh, they’re far enough away. I wouldn’t care if anyone saw me, anyway.”
I rake my gaze down his body. “Oh, I’m sure you’d make every man jealous and every lady panting with desire.”
“Is that a line from one of your smutty novels?”
I laugh. “Oh, God, I almost died twice when you walked in and heard that!”
“I thought it was hot,” he admits. “I went home and had to resist pleasuring myself, thinking about doing to you what that man was doing to that woman in the story.”
I gasp. “You did?”
He nods. “Sure did.” He sets the remote down and pulls me to stand from the table we’d sat at for dinner. “Quinn, I’ve been attracted to you since the day I laid eyes on you. Like you mentioned earlier, I didn’t think it was appropriate to pursue you due to you being my employee and all. Plus, I didn’t seem like your type. When we met privately to discuss the employee homebuyer program, you were married so I knew you were off-limits. When I found out what that prick had been doing to you, I got irrationally angry. I knew I had no claim on you, but I also knew you deserved better. That’s why I told you to leave him before I’d help you. Maybe that was a dick move on my part, but I don’t regret it. And I’m glad you listened. Because now I can actually have you instead of fantasizing about you.”
I can’t believe this man, who I thought was so cold and closed off, is opening up to me like this. It makes warmth bloom in my heart and I can’t help but smile. “I’m glad you did, too. I’d have eventually left him, but that helped.”
“Okay. Let’s pick out a movie, and I want you to stay the night with me, okay?” he says.
“No sex, just sleeping?” I confirm.
“Yes, I’ll even cuddle with you. I’m out of practice, so you’ll have to show me.”
I chuckle and shake my head. “You really do just have sex to have sex, don’t you?”
“Hopefully, not anymore.” He kisses my forehead again, picks up the remote, and pops the TV on.
***
With day two of the conference over, I excitedly grab Lincoln’s hand in the elevator. “Can we do something tonight?” I ask. “It’s Saturday and I bet the Stockyards will be packed!”
He looks down at me. “I’d honestly forgotten about that. Sure, that sounds fun.”
“You don’t look like you think it’ll be fun,” I reply.
“Country music and dancing really aren’t my cup of tea, but I’ll go because you want to go. Who knows, maybe I’ll discover something new I like.”
“That’s the winnin’ attitude!” I say, squealing with excitement.
We exit the elevator and head to our rooms. “Jeans and a tee, no fancy stuff,” I instruct him as I pull my key card out.
He chuckles. “I’ll see what I can do.”
I rush into my room and choose a hot-pink Fleetwood Mac tank top with rhinestones on it, my favorite jeans, and my cowboy boots. I’d been secretly hoping we could visit the Stockyards and had thrown them into my suitcase last minute.
After combing my hair into a high ponytail, I pull a few pieces out to frame my face, touch up my makeup, spritz on a couple squirts of perfume, and grab my wallet from my purse. I glance at the sling I’d taken off and decide to again leave it off. I pop three Advil instead. I’m about to open my door when there’s a knock.
I open it to see Lincoln in jeans, black leather ankle boots, and a button-down black shirt, sleeves rolled to the elbows. He’s not wearing his fancy gold watch, but one that is black and understated.
