Page 3 of A Little More

“No. You.”

Nash shrugged. “Pride, I suppose.”

She motioned to the boards. “This seems like a lot of money and time to put on the line for pride.”

“Lexi,” he said, her name sounding different with his accent. “When you stand in front of something you’ve created, how do you feel about it?”

It was the moment she enjoyed the best of all. “Pride.”

“Right. Some people in this life see dollar signs. We don’t. Most farmers don’t. They have pride in what they do.”

“Did you just call me a farmer?”

“Despite the social stigma, there are worse things to be called.”

She laughed. A sexy farmer with a sense of humor. The shirtless overalls picture popped into her mind unannounced.

She cleared her throat. “Then I suppose I will need a tour.”

“What are you doing tomorrow?” He sat one hip on the edge of the table with his phone opened to his calendar, mirroring her position. His eyes flicked up to meet hers. “I’m free all day.”

Why did that sound like a dare? She crossed her arms, needing every defense against him. “I guess I’m coming to see how you make cotton.”

His lips twisted into a half-smile that was lethal. “I look forward to it.”

“Lexi?” Charlie poked his head into the conference room. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t realize you still had a client.” He entered the room as though he owned the entire building. “This must be the farmer you mentioned coming in. I’m Charlie Roberts.”

She groaned at the sarcastic way he said, “farmer.” Like it put Nash at a level below him. Setting a hand on Nash’s arm, refusing to let herself squeeze his bicep. It was like Olive Oil holding onto Popeye. “This is—”

“Nash Holloway,” Nash said before she could finish. He reached out to shake Charlie’s hand. At the last second, Lexi dropped her hand instead of holding onto his arm like some Southern belle at a ball. “We were finishing up our meeting.”

That was right. Charlie’s perfect timing reminded her that Nash was a client. Which meant he was off-limits. So were his biceps.

“Great. Lexi and I can get a head start on our lunch date. Squeeze in a full two hours so I can convince her to go to dinner with me.” Charlie set his arm around Lexi’s shoulders. He tugged her close, giving her a full preview of what her skinny accountant lunch date had underneath that suit. “I’ve waited two years for her to say ‘yes’ to a date with me. I don’t think she’ll be disappointed.”

Nash crossed his arms, those biceps straining against his jacket as he appeared either irritated or amused. She managed to extract herself. Pretending to be in a rush, she grimaced toward Charlie. “I didn’t forget but give us a few minutes. Julien had everyone in a meeting this morning, and my schedule’s been rearranged.”

“We can finish tomorrow, Lexi.” Nash ambled to the door, pausing at the exit. His stare held hers longer than necessary. God, that look was one step short of a tractor beam pulling her in. “I think Charlie may need the extra time.”

He left her staring at an empty doorway, her mouth slightly open. He was a cocky man, that was for sure. Why did it make her even more attracted to him?

She needed to get her mind straight before she saw him tomorrow. “Charlie, your tie is crooked.”

Charlie immediately adjusted it, his smile just as lopsided. “That was the first thing you ever said to me on the elevator.”

“I think I say that to you every time we see each other.” How did a man have a perpetually crooked tie? “Let me go back to my office and make some notes about my meeting. I’ll grab my purse and meet you downstairs in the lobby.”

Shaking his head, he walked out of the conference room ahead of her. “You promised me you’d go to lunch three months ago, and something always got in the way. I’m not letting you sneak away. I can wait while you make your notes.”

Since making notes was code for trying to calm her heart rate down after meeting Nash Holloway, the need to stop at her office had disappeared. She’d agreed to go on a date because Charlie was interesting and cute in a nerdy sort of way. She’d analyzed him with her friends, trying to decide. That was before today. Now she knew what being hit with a thunderbolt of lightning felt like.

Charlie deserved more than her mind on shirtless farmers. He was a nice guy and on the “Julien Approved” list of men that wouldn’t get her fired.

“I’ll write my notes later. Let’s go on to lunch.”

Nash rodehis ATV across the dusty field toward his mom’s house. The hot, Georgia wind blew past him but not cooling him off. Working on his dad’s tractor had always settled him since he’d come back home from Jacksonville after his divorce.

After his dad had died.

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