Chapter 15
“Iwas thinking the same thing,” he said, following her into the office.
Facing Shomari, Lizette asked, “What d’you mean?”
He held up the phone. “That we needed to talk about yesterday.”
She scanned him from head to feet, noting that today he wore gray.
Matching pants to pair with the polo she’d provided for him, even if it turned out he wouldn’t be with them for long.
There was something to having the staffers being easily identifiable.
In her head, she heard the twins teasing her about her OCD tendencies, but there was method to her madness.
“Well, that’s one thing we agree on.” She sat, realizing he still loomed over the desk. “You can sit.”
“I don’t feel comfortable discussing something this personal with a desk between us.”
Laughter took her by surprise and escaped before she said, “Don’t you think it might be safer, seeing as how …?”
You were sitting next to me when we kissed.
She didn’t have to say the words.
He shrugged. “It feels impersonal with you over there and me over here as if it’s business, as usual.”
“Since we’re in the office, it’s safer.”
“Okay, you’re right about that.”
She studied him, while he eyed her as though this would be the last time he’d see her for a while. Finally, he inhaled deeply and checked his watch.
Her gaze slid to the clock. They had fifteen minutes before anyone else arrived. Since she’d come to her senses and slid off his lap yesterday, Lizette wondered what had gotten into her. That was the most impulsive encounter she’d had in her life.
Shomari didn’t act without thinking, or so she’d felt before his lips landed on hers. She couldn’t deny she’d been a willing participant, meeting him halfway if memory served her right. And all of that came from sitting too close and observing him.
He pulled one hand down his jaw, then crossed his arms. “I don’t know what Zack or Eli told you.”
“Nothing.” She sank further into the seat. “They told me nothing.”
He didn’t look at her when he said, “I don’t know where to start, but I have some financial issues.”
Opening both hands, she said, “Which is why you took this job.”
“Yes. Don’t get me wrong. I like it here, but …”
“A daycare is not where you saw yourself, say six months ago,” she supplied.
“Yes, exactly.” He walked to the seat and sat on the edge. “So, that kiss complicated an already bad situation.”
“So, you’re saying kissing me made a terrible thing even worse?”
“Yes.” He massaged his forehead with one hand, then pulled it away as shock lit his eyes. “No.”
“Shomari, whatever you intend to say, you aren’t saying it well.” She smiled, amazed that having thought about him all of yesterday and again this morning, he was in a worse state than she and didn’t seem to know his head from his feet. This, after stepping into her office so confidently.
“Why don’t you start wherever you’re comfortable?”
He turned a pained gaze on her, then tapped the floor with his feet. “I’m not comfortable with any of this. I’m a very private person, so …”
“I understand. It’s like pulling teeth to say whatever it is you want me to know.”
“Exactly.” He sneaked another look at his watch. “I’m interested in you. Too much to have met you only recently. Working together will be hard … and I don’t want to create any problems for you, or additional ones for myself.”
“Shomari …”
He held up one hand. “I had to take this job because I lost most of my money.”
With her head angled toward him, she said, “I hope it’s not from gambling.”
Chuckling, he explained, “No, more like a bad bet on the wrong, um, person.”
“What, like a bad investment?”
“Sort of, but not exactly.”
“Shomari.”
The exasperation in her tone was apparent, and he held up both hands in a silent plea. “I’m sorry. I can’t say more now. The time isn’t right.”
“There won’t be a better time, but I respect your privacy and I have my own reservations.” Frowning, she said, “Wait a minute, aside from the fact that you lost your money, what else did you want to tell me?”
“I want you.”
The short, direct sentence sucked away her ability to reason. For a couple of seconds, she didn’t know how to respond, then a mischievous grin curved her lips. “When God was distributing finesse, it must have run out on you.”
His smile was sheepish. “I’m sorry, that came out wrong. I do want you, but what I meant was, I’m interested in you.”
Eyebrow raised, she teased, “That’s not a whole lot better. You make me sound like a project, you know, like building an app or something.”
His skin flushed, and he made a sound in his throat. “Let me reassure you, no app can compare with you. Not now, or ever.”
He reached across the desk, and she placed her hand in his.
While searching her eyes, his thumb gently stroked her skin, which sucked away her breath.
She licked her bottom lip, thankful for the block of wood that separated them.
When he stroked her palm and his eyes darkened, a soft smile broke over her lips.
He wanted to kiss her. Since she was determined it wouldn’t happen again in the office, she leaned back in her seat, separating their hands.
“That’s really not helping anything,” he said, his voice husky.
“Speak for yourself. I’m not about to have someone walk in here and find us doing things that will make people look at us funny.”
“I’d never do anything to put your reputation at risk.”
“I hear you, but after yesterday, I prefer caution over carelessness.”
He relaxed in the chair as he studied her. “I’d say you’re a coward, but you wouldn’t take it kindly.”
“And I might think you’re inclined to be reckless, but that wouldn’t be true.”
He nodded. “But sometimes, I wonder with the way things turned out for me.”
While he focused on the silver queen plant in the corner, a range of expressions crossed his face.
The moment his attention returned to her, Lizette guessed he was struggling.
If she read him correctly, he didn’t know whether he’d just made a move that could positively change his life, or plunge him further into disaster.
She truly understood because Wintertime was her life, her reason for being. Looking away from it might lead to consequences she couldn’t reconcile, if things went sideways. Moving from the seat to stand next to him, she said, “Why don’t we do this?”