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She giggles, swaying in and out of my proximity.
“Maybe I can introduce you to some people when we get back to New York?”
Huh. I guess I hadn’t considered how door-opening being around someone like her could be for my business.
“I’d love that. Thank you.” I flash her a smile. “What about you? What are you planning to do with the money from your trust?”
“Can I be honest with you?” she asks, looking around at the hedges, seemingly suspicious of being caught.
“Of course.”
“Well…” She hesitates. “I don’t want to be perceived as just another rich girl who doesn’t make a difference. I want to own a business and make an impact on someone’s life. I want to re-create the way people feel when they come to On Cloud Nine. But on a smaller, more personal scale. Maybe my own inn?”
Molly has a hidden passion for entrepreneurship. That’s news to me. News that makes her even more alluring.
Perhaps I can mentor her. I advise other people all the time. Starting your own business is hard. Terrifying, even.
“That’s really cool, and just so you know, the offer to help goes both ways. If you ever want to brainstorm, I’m your guy.”
“Thank you.” She averts her gaze to the hedges. “I don’t know if I could even handle breaking into hospitality on my own.”
“I’m certain you could do it,” I say.
She stretches her plump lips into a wide smile. Our gazes lock. The tension between us is palpable.
Her pinky glides up the side of my hand. Shivers hurl down my spine. What else could those fingers do to me? Or what could I do with them?
I know I shouldn’t, but I have the urge to kiss Molly Greene.
A demanding urge.
Her laughter. Her smile. The way her touch has been indenting my skin the entire time we’ve been trapped in this maze.
Molly swipes at her hair, but a loose strand remains glued to her round cheek. Instinctively, I reach to brush it away.
A mistake. A huge mistake.
Molly takes a startled step back.What have I done?In a blink, a hedge swallows her whole. Our binds tug me along, and I topple forward, bracing myself above her.
“Ahh!” she screams.
As I regain my balance, the branches dig into my palm. I wrap my free arm around Molly’s waist and pull us away from the hedges. She’s light in my embrace, delicate almost. Once we’re on our feet, she remains pressed up against the vegetation.
The lacy fabric of her bra is only two measly pieces of clothes away from my bare chest. Despite the fact that I’m super dehydrated, my mouth waters.
“I’m such a klutz,” she laughs, collapsing her forehead onto my chest. “Ouch.”
“What’s wrong? Did you get cut?” I fiercely scan her body.
“My hair.” She reaches her bound arm behind her, dragging my hand along with it. “It’s stuck.”
“Hey, I got it; let me help.”
Carefully, I unwind her strands from the tangled mess of ficus leaves. She tenses up beneath me. I can’t ignore her warm breath against my chest. Leaves rustle around us in the stiff breeze. I linger on the soft texture of her curls between the pads of my fingers.
When the last strand is plucked loose, I hesitate, not wanting our closeness to end.
“T-thank you.” Her smile is golden, her lips plush. Molly leans into me, fitting all too perfectly. I’m consumed by her damn smell again.
