Sweet Heat Read Online Free PDF Page B

see.” He rapped his knuckles lightly on the counter again. “Thanks again for the laugh. I did really need it.”
    He turned to leave, and Suzanne couldn’t think of a single thing to say. She watched as he turned and strolled toward the doorway, his gait rolling and relaxed. And, of course, he had a tight, fantastic ass.
    “Lord have mercy,” breathed Christine in her ear, joining her at the counter.
    He stopped and turned back around. “What’s your last name, busy Suzanne?”
    She blinked at him, speechless. Christine elbowed her, but she just nodded. As if that was a valid response.
    “Headley!” Christine grinned ear-to-ear. “She works upstairs in HR.”
    Brandon shot Christine a thumbs-up. “Thank you again, Christine. Have a good day!”
    And then he was gone. The room seemed suddenly not quite as bright. All the air rushed out Suzanne’s lungs.
    “What was that ?”
    She hadn’t realized she’d spoken out loud until Christine snickered. “That, Suz, was chemistry .”

Oh Mother
     
    The flowers arrived later that afternoon. A gorgeous spray of bright white gerbera daisies mixed with some other bloom she didn’t recognize, with clumps of small purple flowers that smelled of cherry pie. The scent reminded her of her grandmother, and brought a smile to Suzanne’s lips.
    So did the card.
    The handwriting was slashing and masculine. He must have stopped after he left the office. Suzanne’s heart fluttered like a trapped butterfly in her chest.
    I hope these brighten up your day as much as you brightened mine. The flower shop girl says they’re daisies and heliotrope? All I know is they’re pretty and they smell good, so they reminded me of you. In case you find you’ve changed your mind…
    And then he’d written his number, and a B.
    It was an incredibly sweet thing to do. She couldn’t remember the last time a man had sent her flowers. Brought flowers along on a date, maybe. But sent them to her? And all she’d done was make him laugh.
    Despite the fact that he mentioned them going out again, it didn’t feel pushy. She almost wished she’d taken it him up on his offer, or suggestion.
    She tapped the card on her desk.
    All the reasons she’d had for declining earlier seemed ridiculous now, with a little distance. Yes, she’d been knocked off balance by the sheer magnitude of her attraction to him, and his level of attention — she’d never had a man zero in on her like that, not in a creepy way but intense never the less, but hadn’t Christine been right? That’s exactly what she’d just been saying she’d wanted this morning.
    An intense connection. A passionate connection.
    She’d felt both those things with Brandon. And it seemed safe to say he did too, if the lovely, sweetly scented bouquet sitting on her desk was any indication.
    He was not at all her usual type, and not just because he was white. Normally, she dated guys who were in investment banking, or accounting. Slender, bookish… slightly nerdy. Kind of like Antoine, only less condescending. Preferably.
    Brandon was big and fit and jovial and a bit rough around the edges. And utterly captivating. She couldn’t just ignore that.
    Her lungs felt made of crumpled paper and her heart sat on the back of her tongue. With shaking fingers, she reached for her desk phone.
    Just as her hand touched the receiver, it rang, startling her into a squeak. She grabbed it and brought it to her ear, swallowing hard.
    “Hello?” She was so frazzled she didn’t give her normal, professional greeting. Would Brandon be on the other end of the line?
    “Suzanne?” The voice was soft and cultured. Not Brandon. Her mother. “Darling, are you alright?”
    She blew out a breath and tried to slow her galloping heart. “I’m fine, Mother. How are you?”
    “I’m wonderful. We just got in a new shipment of Hermes scarves. You know how I feel about Hermes.” Her mother gave a deep, long sigh of contentment.
    Suzanne chuckled. “Sounds like