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Goldie froze. A package of chicken in one hand and a crown of broccoli in the other and her eyes wide. “Me? But, but I haven’t even been with the company quite a year yet. I’m sure Tanner or Lisa would be a better fit?”
Interesting reaction. I thought for sure she’d jump at the opportunity. “Well, they each have a full client load. Besides, don’t sell yourself short. You’ve really shined since we hired you.”
Goldie began moving again, gathering up baking dishes and other ingredients. It was an unexpected pleasure watching her prep dinner without consulting a recipe as she continued to talk, or rather argue with me.
“Thank you. I appreciate that. I do, but I don’t want to take this account away from someone who’s been there longer than me.”
Walking around the counter, I stopped next to her, placed a hand on her arm and waited until she stopped mixing and looked up at me. “You’re not taking anything from anyone else. I appreciate your concern, but you’ve earned this, Goldie.” The urge to dip my head and kiss her was strong, but I didn’t want her to think she was being given this opportunity because I wanted her. That wasn’t the point of today.
“Moooom, I’m hungry. Oh, hi again. Did you change your mind? Are you going to stay for dinner?” Lily bounced into the kitchen, stood next to her mother, and gave me an impish grin.
“That’s very nice of you Lily, maybe another time, okay? In fact, if it’s okay with your mom, maybe the three of us could go out for pizza next week?”
A strangled sound came from Goldie. And reluctantly I removed my hand and stepped back.
Okay, so maybe I may have overstepped, but really seeing Goldie in her home with her daughter made me want to be a part of life more than ever. If I had to be a bit sneaky where this gorgeous was concerned, then so be it.
“Can we, Mom? Oh, that would be so fun. I’m still on break from school, so I get to stay up later, too.”
I saw the struggle in her eyes, and I almost caved. There was a way out of this, I think, but I held firm.
“Sure. But tonight, it’s chicken and broccoli, and I need to get it started. Say goodbye to Mr. Carter.”
“Yes!” Lily Ann twirled on her toes and hugged her mom. “It was nice to meet you, Mr. Carter. Thanks again for taking us out for pizza next week.”
Clearing my throat, I turned to Goldie and said, “That’s quite the little person you created.”
“Yeah, she’s pretty special. So, thanks for the ride home. I, um… I’ll call a ride share in the morning and be at work on time and I’ll go call that towing company now.”
“No need. It’s already at a friend’s shop. He’s going to call me as soon as he figures out what’s up with it.” Not waiting to see her reaction to that bit of news, I made my way to her front door.
“Oh, and you still haven’t accepted the new account yet. If you’re thinking that I’m expecting anything from you, personally, for the opportunity, make no doubt that is not the case. But I’m putting this out there, because I think after today there’s no denying our mutual attraction and it has nothing to do with the offer. Take it or don’t. It won’t change how I feel about you professionally. But personally? I’m going to do my absolute best to get you to agree to see me outside of work.”
“Ford—”
“No, I know. Now is not the time to talk about what I really want to talk about with your daughter in the house. So, say yes to the account, Goldie. You deserve it.”
She’d snuck up on me as I made my way to the door. “Ford. Look at me, please?”
How could I turn down that offer? Almost to the door, I turned to see her closer than I thought. Too close, because if given any hint from her, my hands were eager to touch her, wrap her up and not let her go until she said yes to all the wicked things I wanted to do to her.
She let out another strangled noise, which made my dick twitch. Flushed, she looked over her shoulder before answering. In a low tone, she said, “I’ll take the account, and as far as the other…thing, I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”
“Great, sounds good. I’ll let Zak know and I’ll be here say, seven-thirty tomorrow to pick you up.” Seeing a flash of defiance in her eyes, I made for the door. I wasn’t giving her a chance to turn me down.
“I’ll see you in the morning.” I almost made it to the front door. She blocked me and our positions couldn’t have been better had I planned it.
Heart racing, my nerve endings on high alert. This woman had no idea what she did to me, but maybe it was time to show her. “You don’t want me to leave, I get it. If I were a woman, I’d want to spend more time with me, too.”
Goldie’s expression went from defiant to confused with a flash of desire and awareness before settling back into defiant with the tilt of her chin. She was so damned pretty, and I couldn’t hold back anymore. Snaking a hand around her waist, I pulled her into my chest and captured her lips in a hard kiss, leaving no doubt how I really felt about her.
I expected her to resist, put me in my place. Succumbing to months of wanting her, this wasn’t my typical move. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever forgotten myself around a woman, taking what I wanted without asking. Unexpectedly, after a moment of having gone stiff in my arms, she wound her arms around my neck, molded her body around mine, and kissed me back.
Someone let out a moan. It may have been me, might have been both of us, but it signaled a shift, a huge change. Tunneling my hands through her hair, I gentled my kiss, feathering my lips against hers, then slipped my tongue inside, slowly driving us both mad with need.
“Mom! Can Maggie come over after dinner?”
Lily Ann’s shout was the ultimate bucket of cold water. Springing apart, we stood staring at each other as we gulped in air. Air filled with enough electrical current to light up Pineville. Recovering as best I could, considering my erection now strained against the fly of my slacks, begging me to finish what I started. Shifting for relief, it didn’t work. So, I did what any guy would do on the verge of being caught ravaging an impressionable girl’s mother—I kissed Goldie on the forehead, stepped around her and opened the front door.
