AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He laughed and stuck his hand out. “Milo Shaw.” His huge hand closed over hers and held it a beat too long.
“Ori Herd.” She reluctantly pulled her hand away and went behind the counter to pour their coffee. She brought it over to the couch he had commandeered and curled her legs up under her. He was playing with the two dogs, who crawled all over him, trying to lick his face. Lucky dogs, Ori thought, then pushed the thought hurriedly away, worried he could see the naked lust on her face. She felt tiny next to him, his long denim-clad legs stretched out for miles, his broad frame taking up half the couch. Ori rescued him from Hamish, at least, pulling the little dog’s wriggling body onto her lap for moral support. Milo Shaw’s presence made her feel things she hadn’t felt in a long time…
Milo Shaw lived for these afternoons. Three weeks ago, stuck in an interminable meeting with his accountants and his chief advisor Brandt, he wondered how the hell he’d gotten to this point. His media company was drifting farther and farther away from what he’d envisioned when he’d set it up. His love of music had made him eschew the family oil business and set up his first independent record company and his unerring eye for talent sent the business into the stratosphere. Now, sitting on a billion dollar fortune, Milo was bored. Nearing forty, he no longer spent his time at gigs, following tips around the country, discovering new artists. He spent it in strategy meetings or discussing the company’s online presence or, god forbid, discussing gaming with the nerds from I.T. and feeling very, very old.
He’d escaped the meeting and took off into the city, aiming to grab a coffee and chill out in the cold Seattle sunshine. Instead, he’d found himself pushing open the door of the bookstore that was stuck between two coffee shops and changing his life forever.
He’d seen her right away, the tiny, curvy woman with a mass of dark chocolate hair piled up into a messy bun, smooth, unblemished olive skin and the incredible, somehow familiar violet eyes. She’d looked up at his entrance and given him such a lovely smile that he’d wanted to take her in his arms immediately, kiss that deep pink mouth. The spell had been broken by the rude blonde woman but the amused look he and the owner had shared had given him the perfect excuse to start talking to her.
Now, all these weeks later, he studied her – Ori – as she curled herself into the sofa across from him and sipped her coffee. The violet eyes were surrounded by long, thick dark lashes and the way they swept down onto her faintly blushed cheeks made his groin tighten.
“So, how’s your day been?” Really, that’s the best you can come up with?
Ori smiled. “Busy but busy is good.”
Milo sipped his coffee. “Agreed….if it’s something you’re passionate about.”
“What do you do?”
Milo smiled. He liked that she didn’t know who he was, obviously not caring about the social scene in which Milo orbited, the uber-rich eligible bachelor tag which he hated. He could be anyone he wanted. “I work in the music business…well,” he corrected himself, not wanting to lie to her, “the media business. Music is one of our subsidiaries.”
Ori’s eyes had taken on a wary look that he didn’t understand and when she spoke, she didn’t quite meet his eyes. “So, um, what’s your role in the business?”
Milo smiled sheepishly. “I kind of own it.”
Ori almost choked on her drink and then laughed. “Well, okay then, I’m officially embarrassed. What’s a C.E.O. doing ducking out every afternoon to come spend time with me?”
As soon as she’d asked the question, the answer was so obvious that she flushed, her cheeks taking on the deepest rose pink. Milo put his coffee down and slid over to her side, taking her cup from her hand and setting it down on the little table. She was trembling when he cupped his hands around her face but as he pressed his lips to hers, he was gratified that she kissed him back. Her soft lips moved against his and as he pulled her onto his lap, her fingers slid into his hair, the soft stroking making his senses explode.
Breathless, they broke off and stared at the other for a long moment, then burst into laughter.
“That was unexpected,” Ori confessed and he tightened his arms around her waist, trailing his lips along her jawline, kissing the hollow at the base of her throat.
“I’ve been wanting to do that for three weeks now.”
Ori flushed again – damn, that color was glorious – and he kissed her again. “Ori?”
She had her eyes closed as he kissed her. “Yes?” Her voice was breathy and he could tell she felt as excited and bemused as himself.
“I have a craving for pizza. Have dinner with me?”
Ori opened her eyes and grinned at him. “You had me at pizza.”
***
Milo was true to his word and helped her unpack the rest of the delivery. By the time they were finished the sun had gone down and they were both covered in packing dust. Ori grinned as she looked him up and down. He wore standard jeans and tee but closer inspection revealed that the t-shirt had been artfully and no doubt expensively made to look vintage, the jeans were cut beautifully to fit his huge frame. He must be at least six-five, she thought now, then as he caught her eye, she cleared her throat, embarrassed.
“Look, it’s late…”
Milo shook his head. “Nuh-uh, I’m not letting you blow me off. You promised.”
Ori smiled. “You didn’t let me finish, impatient boy. It’s late, but I have some cold beers in the back, shall we just get pizza delivered? Because I don’t know about you, but I’m filthy.’
Milo’s eyebrows shot up suggestively and Ori blushed for the millionth time that day. “I mean, I’m dirty…oh hell, I give up.”
Ori hadn’t laughed so much in one day for a long, long time. While she called Yas to tell her she’d be out late, she watched Milo play with the dogs. For such a big man, he sure was bullied by the two dachshunds, who weaved and skittered around him, play-growling and yapping.
Yas answered on the first ring. “Yo, sis, I’m almost at the shop.”
