A Touch of Confidence Read Online Free PDF Page A

he’d pressed against her so enticingly. Her gaze kind of got stuck on it and wouldn’t move on.
    “I pulled you over, Miss Jones. You didn’t fall on me.”
    Flushing even more than before, she darted her gaze back to his. He just said that to make her feel better.
    “And for the record? You’re welcome to land on me any time.” He squeezed his eyes shut and shifted to a sitting position, then groaned and immediately shifted again. “But maybe next time, you won’t be in such a hurry to get up?”
    Speechless, embarrassed and more than a little aroused, Claire fumbled for an appropriate response and found none. She just knew she had to get out of there. Get some space, some air and pull herself together. No way could she conduct herself in any way befitting a professional now. If she wasn’t careful, she’d throw caution to the wind and launch herself at the man now seated on the floor.
    She might break his neck in the process, but at least she’d be back in his arms — an idea she found she craved a great deal. Okay, so she practically drooled at the thought of being held by him again. Touched by him. Kissed. “I er, have to go,” she muttered.
    No, she didn’t. She’d set the morning aside to complete this meeting. Neither Maddie nor Julia were expecting her back at Li’l Books and Bits any time soon. But she couldn’t stand here a second longer. Not if she wanted to preserve her last ounce of pride.
    “Go?” he asked.
    “Back to my shop. Do some work. And, er, you should probably go too. Go visit your grandfather. I suspect you need to see him, for your sake as well as his.”
    “What about your lease?”
    She nodded. Good question What about it? “As I said, I’ll come by your offices tomorrow morning. We can sort it all out then. It’ll give you a chance to cancel the agreement with the man who just signed it.”
    Much easier to talk about the lease than the outrageous kiss they’d just shared. Funny how she could obsess about it internally, reliving every second of it while looking at the G.G., yet not allow a single word to cross her lips that may give him the impression she’d given it another thought. She kind of reckoned she’d be giving it endless thought all the way back to the shop and well into lunch. And dinner. And breakfast the next morning.
    He shook his head with a small, mystified smile. “You’re just going to ignore that kiss? Pretend it didn’t happen?”
    She stared at him, speechless.
    “You’re going to pretend I’m not sitting here, on my ass, with a massive hard-on?”
    She bit her lip, not wanting to answer at all. “That’s exactly what I’m going to do. I’m going to pretend the last five minutes didn’t take place. You’re in shock about your grandfather, I’m furious about the lease, and should our lawyers need to get involved in the situation, a kiss and an uh, erection, are not going to hold either of us in good stead.”
    “Ah, so we keep it professional.” He narrowed his eyes. “Ignore the fact that we both almost climaxed, fully clothed on the floor here. Ignore the chemistry that’s telling me to haul you into my arms once again — despite the fact you’re acting as though it doesn’t exist?”
    She wiped her hands on her pants, aware her palms were damp from nerves. Or from arousal. “We should have kept it professional all along. We didn’t. This is the only way I know to rectify the situation. Pretend it didn’t take place.”
    One half of his mouth creased into a frown. The half that showed off his dimple, and again Claire felt the need to explore it — with her tongue. “I guess I should be grateful you’re not denying the chemistry.”
    How could she possibly deny it? Whatever hummed between them wasn’t just chemical, it was highly explosive. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Mr. Wilson. At your grandfather’s offices.”
    He contemplated her in silence for a long moment before giving a humorless laugh. “You know where the