Chapter 11
VAL
On Monday morning, I barely found a place to sit at Walter’s.
I sat on one of the chairs at a small, round table in one corner of the room, sipping my cappuccino and people-watching.
My neck was oddly stiff, because I’d foregone my morning yoga session for some extra sleep, but hey, cheating was good for the soul now and again.
I hadn’t bought a pancake though. Nature punished too much cheating by bestowing extra pounds.
I was midway through my coffee when I smelled the familiar whiff of mint and ocean. At first I thought I was imagining it, because Carter had been on my mind almost constantly since Saturday. But then his voice reached me too.
That sexy voice that went with the rest of the package, exactly like caramel completed my cappuccino.
“See you found a seat.” He was holding a to-go cup.
“Early bird gets the worm,” I said on a wink. “Or in this case, the table. It’s crazy here on Mondays, so I always come earlier.”
He was carrying the jacket of his suit over his arm, and his shirt stretched over his taut skin and muscles, almost as if daring every woman around to look at him… which they did.
“You’re not eating a pancake.”
“Nope. Not this morning.”
“I see. So Mondays are for denying yourself things you want?” His tone was playful, and I wondered if he included himself in those things.
“It’s healthy to exercise self-restraint now and then.”
“Might be healthy, but it’s no fun.”
He looked around for a free chair, but there wasn’t one in sight.
“Looks like you’re out of luck today,” I said. He returned his attention to me, resting his gaze on my shoulders and neck for a beat longer than polite. I lit up everywhere he looked.
“You seem amused by my shit luck.”
“Not at all.” So why was I teasing him? Erm…
well, because he looked teasable, with that impeccable suit and ruffled hair.
Also, I didn’t know what else to do. I could still feel his lips on mine.
Even his taste was fresh in my mind. But my latest dating fiasco was still looming over my head, and I wasn’t ready to take the step from flirty messages to anything else.
I was saved from the need to make more conversation by his phone. It rang, and he looked at the screen with a frown.
“Got to take this. Have a nice day.”
For a Monday, it turned out to be excellent.
I’d figured out a new perfume formula with my head chemist, which always gave me a sense of satisfaction.
I relied a lot on my colleagues, because while I was great at formulas and mixes, I wasn’t a “nose,” as perfumers were often called.
My sense of smell wasn’t refined enough for me to make a perfume on my own, though once we decided on the base notes, I loved playing with middle and top notes.
I was also happy that I hadn’t heard from Beauty SkinEssence.
Granted, it had only been a few weeks, but from experience I knew that the more time passed, the higher was the chance of them dropping this.
“You’re out already, boss?” Anne asked when I passed her desk late in the afternoon.
“Yep. See you tomorrow.”
I was getting real good at this work-life balance thing. I even had time to do the yoga routine I’d skipped in the morning... but I decided to go shopping instead.
As I sipped my coffee the next morning at Walter’s, my gaze was glued to my Kindle.
I sat at the same table as yesterday, which had three empty seats around it.
I was holding my Kindle for everyone to see, which I hoped would send busy vibes to everyone.
Soon, I was lost in the pages, and wished I was drinking ice-cold water instead of a hot coffee.
Okay, so maybe reading a sexy romance first thing in the morning was not the best idea, because now I was all hot and bothered.
But I’d reached a really great part last night and couldn’t wait to pick it up again this morning.
“Is this chair free?”
I looked up to my left. Carter was standing next to me, his hand on the backrest of the chair in question.
“Sure.”
“I just got a few minutes. My partner, Zachary, and I are meeting a new client this morning.”
He motioned to a guy in a suit who was standing in line.
I made the mistake of laying my Kindle on the table.
The movement caught Carter’s eye, and then his gaze locked on the tiny screen.
Belatedly I remembered that I used an extra-large font and that I hadn’t turned off the device.
I rectified my mistake the very next second.
Carter was still standing, as if he’d forgotten what he was about to do.
“What are you reading?”
“Just a book.”
“I saw the word clitoris. It’s what caught my attention.”
“Of course it did,” I muttered, feeling my cheeks heat up.
Ugh. One thing I loved about a Kindle was that no one could know what I was reading.
Not that I was ashamed, but I’d never cared for the judgy looks my book covers had gotten.
I was a huge fan of sexy guys on covers.
The fewer clothes they had on, the better.
Carter finally sat down, looking at me as if this was the first time he’d seen me. “So, what’s the book about?”
“It’s a romance. A sexy romance.”
His lip curled in a half smile. “I got the sexy part, all right. So this is how you spend your mornings?”
“No, I usually read before going to sleep, but I’d gotten to a good part and couldn’t help myself.”
“I see. What other genres do you read?”
“You really want to talk about my reading habits?”
“Yes. I like talking to you. I find you to be a fascinating woman. This is an unexpected angle, that’s all.”
Unexpected angle. Uh-huh. I bet he thought I was some kind of nympho.
“I read almost everything, from thrillers to mysteries. Even the occasional horror. But romance is my favorite. Nothing like some sweetness and sexy times to make me happy. Dreaming about a swoon-worthy hero is a great way to pass the time.”
“Raises the bar for real-life dating, doesn’t it?”
“Not really. I know it’s a fantasy.”
Carter set one forearm on the table, watching me with an undecipherable frown. “Do you still have feelings for that Ethan guy?”
I blinked, completely taken by surprise. “Ethan? Not really. We’d only been dating for two months. It’s just that… well, I’m still a bit wary. I haven’t had the best luck in the dating world, so I’m taking it easy.” I shrugged, hoping he’d let it go. Of course he had other intentions.
“I happen to be just as unlucky.”
I squinted, because, well… that seemed unlikely.
“You don’t believe me?” He sounded amused.
“I can’t quite picture it, no.”
“Well, that’s the honest truth.”
He drew his chair nearer to mine, whispering again. “I’m looking for someone smart and with a sense of humor.”
We were interrupted just then as Zachary came back, informing Carter they had to go and introducing himself to me.
Carter stood up as I shook hands with Zachary, still looking at me. “Know anyone interested?”
The heat in his gaze had reached lethal levels. He winked as Zachary pulled him away, and I took in a shaky breath.
I sensed that our morning meetings were going to become a thing, and Carter proved me correct the next morning.
When I arrived at the coffee shop, he was already there, sitting at my usual table. There were two coffee cups on the table, and a pancake. When he motioned me to join him, my feet carried me that way almost of their own volition.
“Got here early and got both of our favorites,” he informed me.
I sat down next to him. A corner of my Kindle peeked out from my bag.
“Interrupting your reading time again?” he asked with a twinkle in his eye.
“Well, now that you mention it… I was going to read.”
I took one bite of the pancake and sipped my cappuccino. Carter’s cup was half-full, but he didn’t seem interested in it at the moment. His attention was on me.
“Let me guess, yet again you got to a really good part last night, and you couldn’t wait to read this morning?”
“Guilty.”
“What did the good part say? Please, don’t leave out any detail.”
I clenched my thighs together. “You want me to… what? Tell you about the characters?”
Carter was even closer now. If he came any closer, he could practically kiss me.
“They are clearly getting more action than we do, so why not hear all about it? Live vicariously through them. I’m all ears. What I glimpsed was pretty hot. Was that all, or does it get hotter?”
Holy shit, I was burning up. Was he for real? How did this conversation already get out of hand?
“You’re blushing, so I guess the answer is a hell of a lot steamier.”
I cleared my throat. “I’ll give you the title. Then you can read it yourself. What do you think about that?”
He considered that for a moment, then flashed me a Cheshire cat grin. Oh, boy. That couldn’t be good.
“Only if we can exchange notes and impressions. Critique details, things like that.”
We were both laughing now, but there was something of a challenge in his tone. He was baiting me. I wanted to play right into it because this was too much fun.
“I’ll be happy to.” I was flirting. I knew it. Still, I couldn’t stop. It felt good. When I told him the title, he raised his eyebrows so high, they nearly disappeared into his hairline.
“Stumped, are we, Mr. Reader? If you can’t handle the title, wait until you read the book.”
“Will I regret this?”
“Probably. How are the girls?” I asked, eager to change the subject.
“April’s birthday is coming up. I rented a yacht for it. Not sure it was my smartest idea. I can think of a thing or two that can go wrong. But April has just started at a new school, and I know she is nervous about making friends. Parties always help.”
“You want to make her happy,” I stated.
“Why so surprised?’
“Not surprised, just… I guess I wasn’t expecting you to be so sympathetic.”
“I moved away from home when I was fourteen to go to high school. I know how difficult it can be. City kids also tend to be mean to those coming in from small towns, bully them. If I can make things easier for her, I will.”
I couldn’t imagine anyone bullying Carter. His commanding presence demanded respect, but maybe things hadn’t always been that way. In any case, the man was endearing. I sympathized with him. A teenage party wasn’t for the faint of heart.
“How many of your friends are going to be there?”
“Zero.”
“You’re kidding.”
“I figured I’ll take the opportunity to get to know April’s classmates, mingle with them….”
This poor, clueless man. He had no idea what he was getting into. I felt it was my duty to ease him into it.
“Fair warning: they might not want to mingle with you. The word old might also come up. Don’t take it personally.”
“I’m beginning to think you’re right. April already dropped hints that she hopes I won’t stick around too much.”
I felt completely disarmed because I was fairly certain not many got to see this side of him: a little unsure, a lot out of his depth. As if knowing this was the right moment to strike (he probably did know; he was a great lawyer after all), he said, “Join me.”
“Hmm?”
“Come with me.”
“To a party full of fifteen-year-olds? Sounds terrifying.”
“It will be, which is why I’m hoping you won’t be heartless enough to turn me down.”
A day out on the ocean? Why should I say no? Okay, so I could think of one or two reasons but chose to ignore them.
“What would the world say if they knew you’re so afraid of a bunch of teenagers?” I teased.
“Probably the same thing they’d say about you if they knew about your reading habits.”
The air between us seemed to thicken. We were sitting so close now that I could feel the warmth of his body. I didn’t want to pull away, even though his proximity was making me even more hot and bothered than any sexy scene had lately.
Oh, to hell with everything. I wanted fun, to have an adventure. And here was a man who looked like a Greek god offering me exactly that.
“Okay.”
“That’s a yes?”
“Yes. It’s always great to have company when you’re chaperoning.”
“We won’t be chaperoning, Val. The boat has a nice separate deck where we can lie in the sun.”
His meaning was clear: we’d be alone. His eyes twinkled.
“Should I bring anything?”
“A bikini and a towel. I’ve got everything else covered. I’ll take excellent care of you, Val.”