Page 5 of Cementing Her Love

And Shayla was easy to focus on. Beautiful and funny, but as the minutes ticked by when the business stuff was done, she was doing her best to avoid anything personal. But I persevered.

“So, I bet you're happy to be back and able to spend more time with your family. And now you're like the fun uncle, huh?” Shayla tucked a shiny lock of hair behind her ear. The move drew my gaze to her delicate hands marred by scratches in various states of healing.

I took her hand in mine before she could hide it back in her lap, and rubbed the longest mark. “Hazards of the job?” I asked.

She tried to tug her hand free, however when I gently tugged back, she relaxed and left her hand in mine. I loved the sweet, sexy sounds she probably had no idea she was making as I massaged her tender flesh.

“Yes. I forgot to weak my gloves today.” Her breathy answer went straight to my dick and visions of her beneath me, begging me to take her, filled my thoughts. When she licked her lips, I almost lost it. And it was all I could do not to drag her across the table onto my lap.

“Colton, you need to stop looking like you want to gobble me up.” Shayla pulled her hand back and scanned the room. “I think I might have given you the wrong impression, but this,” she waved a hand between us, “needs to be business focused. Business friendly if you’d like. But I work with your sister.” She took a long pause then said, “And this,” again with the waving fingers, “isn’t going to happen.”

Uh, uh. Not letting her use that excuse. The fact that she was close to my sister I saw as a bonus. Probably part of the reason I’d never introduced a woman to my family had more to do with what they would think of the person I wanted in my life versus how serious I actually was about a relationship. And that all changed from the first time I saw Shayla.

Shayla was already beloved by my family, and I couldn’t imagine myself without her in my life.

“I can see your viewpoint. However, we’re not in high school or in our twenties when neither of us were ready to settle down. But the way I see things, we’re mature enough to put our own happiness first. And if that’s with your best friend’s brother, then all the better, right? I couldn’t be happier that the woman I want in my life is already a part of my sister’s life. So, win-win. And now we can focus on us and what we want.”

Her gorgeous eyes went wide at my comment, and I saw her drawing back, attempting to formulate some type of response that would warn me off. But I wasn’t so easily discouraged. When I saw what I wanted, I went after it full force. And I wanted Shayla Morales. I’d prepped myself, listing every obstacle she might think of against us being together. I was ready.

And I also wasn’t above using our intense physical connection to my advantage.

“Confident, aren’t you?” Her expression was unreadable.

“Well, I’ve been accused of worse. But yeah. Especially when it comes to how I feel about you. I’m just a guy asking the beautiful woman in front of him to give him, them, a chance.” My words might be corny, but my feelings weren’t.

Shayla released a groan. But then her face split into a grin, and the pink flush on her face was all the encouragement I needed. “Say no. Tell me you don’t feel the same, or never will. But I can’t stop thinking about what those soft, full lips will feel like under mine.”

Her lips formed into a sweet O, and all amusement vanished. Her gaze locked on my lips, her tongue dipped out with a quick swipe across her top lip, and that was all I needed.

I didn’t care how many people saw us, I needed to brand this woman as mine.

5

SHAYLA

This was crazy times ten. I heard his words, welcomed his kiss and was rocked, literally almost off my chair. The first touch of his lips sent a flood of warmth as it wound its way through me, igniting a fire that had been on slow burn since this morning.

But I had to stop this. It took me another thirty seconds or so for my lips to listen to my brain, but I found the strength to break the best kiss of my life.

“I, uh. That can’t mean anything Colt.” With shaky hands, I fixed my hair, then gathered my purse and the folder of flower patterns.

“Oh, that meant everything. I think we’re old enough not to pretend it didn’t. I want to see you again. Outside of the project. What are you doing tomorrow night?”

Nothing came to mind other than another Friday movie night with Aria watching her favorite

Disney movie for the dozenth time. “Um….my daughter….” I felt like my head was swimming in molasses, and I couldn’t come up with an excuse he might believe. “This isn’t a good idea.”

Colton stood and he gently placed his hands on my shoulders. I had no choice but to look up. The desire I saw in his eyes, however, told me it could be.

“Listen, how about I take you two out? I’ll pick you up after you get off and we can go out for pizza or burgers, or?—”

Stepping back, I had to get his hands off me. Because I so wanted to say yes. To the date, and more. And the longer he touched me, the more I wanted to dive into the deep end of the pool with him. “No, that’s nice of you, but I don’t introduce Aria to men I date. That’s a hard and fast rule I never break.”

He looked a little hurt, and that was the last thing I wanted, but I’d held firm. “Look, a long time ago, I made a promise to myself that I wouldn’t confuse my little girl by meeting someone I wasn’t serious about. It’s hard enough raising her alone without getting her attached to a guy that wouldn’t be around in a few months.”

“Wow, so you’d go into a new relationship already expecting it to end? That’s kind of sad, don’t you think?”

“No, it’s realistic and smart. I don’t expect you to understand since you’re not a parent. If we were to date or…whatever, Aria is not going to be part of the equation.”

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