Page 57 of The Flirt

"All right, unless you have any questions, this is the end of the tour," Esther said.

Usually, I was the most obnoxious person with a hundred questions and asking for a lot of recommendations too. But right now, I simply tipped Esther generously, then darted toward the entrance.

Chad stopped pacing when he saw me coming toward him and just stood with his legs wide apart, one hand in his pocket and the other one at his shoulder, holding his suit jacket with two fingers. He watched me intently, and I felt my body temperature rise with every step.

"You didn't have to leave early on my behalf," he said.

"Oh no, the tour is over. Everyone else is just asking questions."

He glanced down at my dress. "You look fucking stunning."

His words simply took my breath away. We’re starting the day by already using fucking, huh? I had a hunch that things were going to come to a head today, one way or another.

"I wasn't expecting to see you in a suit," I said. “Maybe jeans and a shirt...”

"This is New Orleans. When in doubt, wear a suit. Although, I won’t put on the jacket. It's too hot." He swallowed hard and looked at me so intently that I suspected he was fighting the impulse to check me out again. Then again, I didn't look half bad with my dress and my—

Oh my God, I'd forgotten to put on my heels.

I looked down at my feet and then back up at him and laughed nervously. "Would you mind turning around?"

He frowned. "Why?"

"I forgot to change into my heels. I planned to do that before meeting you."

He stared at me. "I don't get it."

"I walked a lot today and needed to wear flats, but in order for the outfit to be complete, it requires heels."

"Why do I have to turn around?" His frown deepened. He even tilted slightly toward me.

"I don't know. It feels weird for you to watch me change my shoes. I feel like I'm changing my clothes in front of you."

"Scarlett."

Belatedly I realized just how inappropriate that was. His eyes darkened while my entire body tightened up.

"Let me get one thing out of the way. If I ever had the privilege of you taking off your clothes in front of me, I'd like to watch and worship your body."

I couldn’t even breathe. His words, the way he looked at me... God, he was intense. I’d never had a guy act this way around me. No one had ever wanted me so deeply, making me feel so needed. It made me wonder why I was holding myself back from enjoying Chad. Just because my last relationship was so crappy didn’t mean that’s what this could turn out to be.

Oh my, what am I thinking?

He broke eye contact, glancing at my feet. "I'll help you change. What do you need me to do?"

"Just hold my hand, I guess, while I put on the shoes."

There was a magnolia tree a few feet away that I could lean up against. But between a tree and a hot man, I preferred the support of a hot man, since he’d offered and all. It still felt a bit weird taking off my flats and putting on my heels in front of him, but what the heck?

I stretched out my left hand and he grabbed it, interlacing our fingers. The gesture felt very intimate. I quickly put on my heels, and when I straightened up, he squeezed my fingers even tighter and then drew his thumb over my palm. Sparks of heat shot throughout my entire body. I was so surprised that I wobbled a bit. Only slightly at first, but then my heel got stuck in something, and the next thing I knew, I was falling backward.

Chad disappeared from my field of vision, but then I felt his strong hands around me, and my back hit his chest.

"I've got you," he murmured in my ear.

I looked down at my feet. My heel had gotten caught in some tree roots poking through the asphalt of the sidewalk. I straightened up immediately.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

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