Forever in Love Read Online Free PDF Page B

bowls of food in front of each one. “Yes. Just like old times.”
     
    ***
     
    The next afternoon when Bonnie pushed open the trailer door of Cal’s Construction, she stopped short. On her desk were two large vases of flowers and several packages. A couple appeared business related, but a few were definitely candy boxes.
    “Cal?” She walked farther into the triple wide, the door slamming close behind her. Several files were stacked on the bank of file cabinets to her left a few loose papers fluttered to the floor in the breeze created.
    Chair springs creaked and a moment later a stout man with a thinning combover appeared in the office door way to her right. He held a half-eaten sub in one hand while a dollop of mayonnaise clung to the corner of his mouth.
    “What?”
    She waved a hand toward her desk. “This.”
    “Delivery. After you went to lunch. Guy seemed pretty disappointed you weren’t here.” Cal gnawed a bite from his sandwich. “He suff em beff.”
    “Huh?”
    He swallowed. “He said he’d be back.” Cal moved back into his office.
    “Oh.” She removed her jacket and draped it over the back of a chair. She buried her nose in the first bouquet, a collection of pretty pink carnations and roses and plucked the card from its holder.
    ‘Sorry I missed you.’
    Puzzled, she moved to the next arrangement. This one was a mixture of daisies and lilies. ‘You take my breath away.’
    Warm fuzzies stole through her at the sentiment.Then her gaze fell on a smaller singular orchid. Panic blossomed and bloomed. It wasn’t so much the flower, but what was wrapped around the stem. A packet of cherry flavored unsweetened drink mix. This was the second one she’d received since returning to work. Something about her attacker. That damp spring night niggled at her brain, just out of reach. Dread, cold and uncomfortable lodged in the pit of her stomach. “Cal, did you recognize...” She turned around and stared at the man standing in the doorway. He looked even better with the light at his back. His wavy chocolate brown hair touched the collar of his black leather jacket. That wayward lock of hair tempted her to brush back into place, but it suited him and softened the angular set of his features. Beneath the jacket was a dark tee. The cotton stretched across wide shoulders to perfect pecs before tapering down to washboard abs into the waistband of his jeans. She wanted to yank the material free and run her fingertips along the hard muscle, she knew was lurking beneath his shirt. A wide buckle heralded a 12 point buck and seemed appropriate.
    She drifted her gaze downward. Powerful thighs were encased in faded denim the cuff of the pants rested on the tops of black cowboy boots. Somehow she managed not to drool on her shoes and returned her attention to his face. Amusement stared at her, but she was lost in his cerulean depths. Never had a pair of eyes held her so captive or had she seen such intelligence and strength.
    “I’m glad you’re here,” Buck said.
    “I —uh—yeah.” She knew she was staring, but couldn’t stop.
    “Did you like the gifts I sent?”
    “You sent them?” Pleasure rushed through her. She had to get a hold of herself and stop acting like some lovestruck teenager. She was a grown woman and dang if she didn’t find the man in front of her sexy as hell.
    He nodded. “I wanted to take you to lunch, but you’d already left.” He moved a little closer.
    She stepped back. After last night she didn’t want to get too close. He had a way of muddling her thoughts and she needed a clear head. The desk brought her up short and she leaned against it, grateful for the extra support. Buck wanted to take her to lunch.
    “And you never gave me an answer about dinner.”
    Her hand slipped and she knocked a box of candy to the floor. They bent to retrieve it at the same time. Their fingers touched. A jolt of awareness zipped up her arm. She wondered if he felt it too, by the flare of desire