Silk on the Skin: A Loveswept Classic Romance Read Online Free PDF Page A

opened the car door and climbed out into hot sunlight. As he walked toward the door of the store, he was grateful to be wearing slacks and a shirt of light cotton. It had to be at leastninety already, he thought, and the cooling sea breezes didn’t quite reach the few miles inland where WinterLand was located.
    He opened the front door, and a bell jangled throughout the empty shop. He stepped into the cool, air-conditioned room just as Cass appeared at the entrance to the storeroom. He completely forgot his lecture on business as he admired the matching print slacks and blouse that skimmed over her slim curves.
    “It’s only Dallas,” she called out to someone in the back as she walked around the counter.
    “Your enthusiasm overwhelms me,” he said, stopping next to a Christmas dinnerware display.
    “Sorry about that,” she said as she passed him. “But I decided to close up for the next several hours. I must have forgotten to lock the door and put up the ‘Closed’ sign.”
    An older woman poked her head around the storeroom door. “Ahem!”
    Still clearly intent on her quest for the front door, Cass didn’t bother to turn around as she said, “Dallas, meet Jean Raswell, my assistant manager. Jean, Dallas Carter.”
    “Hello!” Jean called out, waving her hand.
    Dallas smiled at her. “Hello.”
    After Jean disappeared into the back again, he strode over to Cass, who was just locking up. “You decided to close up?”
    “Yes. I … damn!”
    A car engine outside drew his attention. He looked out the diamond panes of the door’s window to see a car swinging into the slot next to his.
    “So much for a brilliant idea,” she muttered ina disgusted tone, unlocking the door again. She turned toward the back of the store and shouted, “Jean! Don’t put lunch in the pot yet, we’ve got customers!”
    “Too late!” came the reply from the back room. “It’s your own fault for not locking the bloody door!”
    “Hell!”
    “What’s the problem?” Dallas asked, curious.
    “Dallas!” Cass cried, focusing her gaze on him as if she’d just realized he was standing next to her. “Do me a favor and keep an eye on these customers?”
    “But I don’t know anything about Christmas stuff,” he protested.
    “Well, I don’t know anything about selling nighties, but that’s not stopping you from trying to get me to meddle in M & L’s business,” she pointed out, pushing him backward in the direction of the counter. “All you have to do is stand behind the register and look like you know what you’re doing. They’re probably just out for a ride and a browse. I doubt they’ll buy anything. But if they do—”
    “I’m a lost cause,” Dallas quipped.
    “No, you’re not.” When they were behind the counter, she yanked an expandable key ring off her wrist, inserted a key in the cash-register lock, and turned it. “I was going to say that if they buy something, you’ll need to get into the cash drawer. Just hit the ‘No Sale’ key, and it’ll open. There’s a receipt pad under the counter, too, so you can give them a handwritten one at least. I’ll ring it up later.” She patted his arm. “Thanks a lot. Yousaved my lunch, and prevented crab-withdrawal symptoms.”
    “Crabs!” he exclaimed, staring at her. “You’re going to eat crabs? Now?”
    “Of course I’m going to eat them!” she said in exasperation. “I didn’t spend half the morning catching the little suckers for their health!”
    As she walked away, he said, “You’re very trusting, Cass.”
    “No, I’m not. I
want
my crabs!”
    She disappeared into the storeroom at the same moment that two women walked into the shop. Hell, he thought, as he moved toward the end of the counter.
    “Good afternoon, ladies,” he said, forcing a wide smile to his lips. “Can I help you?”
    A short while later he walked into the storeroom, to find Cass seated in an office chair, her sandaled feet atop an old desk, while Jean sat on a