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“I can respect that,” he says, but the confusion in his eyes tells me that’s a lie. It’s the reality check I needed because this isn’t how women like me meet men. It’ll never work out between us, so I should just cut ties now.
“It was nice to meet you, Eaton, but?—”
“Don’t go. Or if you do, let me come along.” His charming smile returns, warming the deepest parts of me. Seeing my hesitation, he continues his plea. “Come on. What harm will it do to spend one afternoon with a strange man you met in a bookstore?”
“I have errands to run.”
“I don’t mind. I’m excellent at running errands.” He swings our joined hands. “Besides, you’re starting a business and I own a business. I can answer any questions you have.”
“You do?”
“Yep.” He releases my hand to pull a card from his wallet. “I own Iron Wood Furnishings.”
I inspect the card. Hmm. It would be helpful to have a real-life resource. I have a million questions, and having someone to ask instead of digging up answers in books would save me so much time. Besides, what red-blooded woman would turn down an afternoon with a man who looks like Eaton?
“Okay, but I don’t want to discuss specifics about my business.”
“I promise.” He picks up my basket. “Are you looking for any other books?”
“No. I was on my way out when I got distracted.”
“By the book or by me?”
“Both.”
“Then you should have us both.” He drops my hand and reaches behind me, snagging the paperback.
“No, it’s okay. I usually read on my Kindle, anyway.” Truth is, my finances can’t afford luxuries right now. I’m not struggling or anything; I have some of my own savings, and Daniel, my ex, still wants to invest in my company despite our breakup. However, since I quit my job as a medical coder last week, I have to be careful with my spending.
“Nonsense.”
I sigh, but I’m not about to tell this gorgeous stranger that my bank account is on a diet, so I’ll just have to take the hit. Besides, twenty bucks is nothing compared to what I’ve been doling out to get my company up and running. “Okay.”
As we stand in line, I expect there to be an uncomfortable silence between us, but I don’t think Eaton has ever met a stranger because he dives right into a conversation as if we’ve been dating for years. It’s strange because if I didn’t know any better, I would believe that we have. Despite only just meeting him, I feel oddly at ease and comfortable around him.
“Where to after this?” he asks, placing his hand on my hip.
“Um, the restaurant supply.”
“Remind me why, again? I forgot what you told me earlier.” The hand on my hip slides to my lower back and rubs circles, barely skimming over the top swell of my ass. If this were any other man, I’d shove him off and tell him to take a long walk off a short pier, but it feels so natural with Eaton. Well, natural andseriously arousing. My lady garden is producing some serious nectar, soaking my panties.
I grin. “I have to get some ingredients.”
“Right, right. Ingredients. What are they for again?”
“My business, of course.”
“Of course,” he says as if just remembering. “And after?”
“Pops is expecting us for a visit, but we need to stop by the bakery first and grab him a treat.”
“That’s right! I’ve been looking forward to a visit with Pops all week.”
The line has moved up, so Eaton plants both hands on my hips and turns me away from him. I take a few steps forward as his hands move up and down my sides, the tips of his fingers skimming the sides of my boobs. My nipples pucker, wishing we were somewhere more private so they could get the attention they deserve. They haven’t been played with since before Daniel and I broke up three months ago.
His arms wrap around me from behind before he leans over, his warm breath tickling my ear. “After we hang out with Pops, we should grab some take-out and go back to your place.”
My cheeks hurt from smiling, and my heart is full and light, two things I didn’t anticipate today. And it’s all because of Eaton. “We’ll see.”
