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She stared at him, her lips parting but no sound escaping them. A lump lodged in her throat, pulsing with anticipation. The idea wasn’t that bad… he’d probably only need her temporarily, maybe just until the same time the movement picked up again at the store. And she could use the money to pay for the conference she’d been dying to attend. When he yanked her from her thoughts to announce her hourly rate, she almost fainted. “That’s a lot,” she said. She didn’t know how much assistants charged these days, but the number he gave her was more than double what she made at the store.
He winked at her, and her insides melted like snow under the hot sun. “I’m a demanding boss.”
She bit back a smile. “All right. Thank you for the opportunity, I’ll take it.”
“You’re welcome.” He clinked his beer bottle on hers, then lifted it to his mouth and took a swig.
She watched him, her glance turning into a lingering gaze. His long fingers held the bottle, and the way he drank… she mentally pinched herself. What the hell, girl? The guy just gave you a good chance to get back on your feet. Why did she always screw these moments up with inappropriate thoughts?
She lifted her bottle to her lips and sipped. The taste, less acidic and more embodied than the other one, rolled down her throat. Much better.
Women probably threw themselves at his feet, but she hadn’t seen him go on a date or mention anyone. Was he still hung-up on Violet? He didn’t act like it, but at the same time, tonight was the only time they sat and chatted. Usually, their conversations were brief and about the kids.
“I like this one.”
“Good.”
She smiled. “How was your meeting?”
“Good, but I didn’t nail the deal yet.”
“I’m impressed you find time for meetings outside of work. It seems like you’re always coming and going.”
He sighed. “Yes. You can say that again.”
“Can I be honest? Your profession is kind of intimidating.”
“How so?”
“I don’t know… because you probably deal with people who are always seeking improvement. Makes the rest of us look bad.”
He chuckled. “A lot of my patients are cancer and burning victims. They want to reclaim their bodies and feel more comfortable.”
His tone made her uncomfortable. She shifted in the seat, leaning closer. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to diminish what you do.”
“No, I was just explaining.”
“Of course. I guess it’d be worse for women in general if you were an OBGYN. I wouldn’t date someone who knew my vagina better than me.”
He glanced down at his bottle. “Why not? They can have all kinds of tricks up their sleeve.”
Her gaze strayed to his strong forearms. “That’s a valid point.”
“Who are you dating these days?”
She gulped down a good amount of the beer, then sat it on the coffee table. “Myself.”
A slow smile curled at the corner of his lips. “That’s quite a catch.”
A chuckle floated up her throat and she made no effort to suppress it. “Sure. An underpaid makeup artist, single mom who drives a car that makes it impossible for her to make it to the gym consistently.” Hmm… Maybe I should revise my dating app profile. No wonder she didn’t get many hits.
“Let’s try this again… a caring, funny woman who’s the best mom I’ve ever met.”
“Thanks for the pep talk, but still not super sexy.”
“I wasn’t done,” he said, his voice dropping an octave.
The energy around her shifted, and she sucked in a breath, deep and long like all the air had been sucked from the room. Flecks of green flickered in the rich irises of his hazel eyes, his gaze carrying a message she didn’t dare interpret. Suddenly, her throat felt thick and dry, and when she drew in another breath, her breasts rose up her chest.
