Page 43 of The Contractor & the Entrepreneur

Rhett’s surprise lasted less than a fraction of a second before he gladly returned her kiss. He savored her in his arms. This felt just like their interrupted first kiss. They were magnetized together, and the fit was just right.

The joy of Sloan in his arms, her mouth dancing with his, hopeful that she might give him a chance, felt like a billion stars bursting to life in the night sky.

This was right.

No way could she deny that or push him away again.

Chapter

Sixteen

Sloan pushed away allthe reasons she should be running out the door, and she bought Rhett’s plea to be there for her and believed that somehow she’d overcome her fears, this man would stand by her side, and she could fully trust someone besides Kathy and her Savior. Leaning into him and loving him wouldn’t make her a wimp; they’d be stronger together.

She bought it hook, line, and sinker.

Sloan arched up and kissed him and every worry in the world fled. She didn’t have to deal with her dad on her own and wonder when she’d break and give in to the monster. She didn’t have to put on a brave face or fight to be independent and successful alone because Rhett would support her, love her, and they would be even better as a team.

This kiss promised all of that and more.

She was his missing piece. Had any line ever been more tender and deep than that?

She threaded her fingers through his thick curls and kissed him with wild abandon. Rhett lifted her clean off her feet and kissed her as thoroughly and beautifully as she’d ever beenkissed. He pinned her body against the railing, and she was filled with joy and heat as he took their kisses to the next level.

Her mind was in the clouds, her body was on fire, she was surrounded by Rhett’s wood shavings, pine, and vanilla scent and his strong body. Her lips were meant for Rhett Coleville and Rhett Coleville alone. At this moment, if he asked, she’d pledge her heart, and her lips, to him forever.

“Oh, my! I think our timing is something awful,” a female voice said from behind them.

Sloan yanked herself from Rhett’s alluring mouth and looked around. The door was open and a middle-aged couple stood framed in it. Their mouths were slightly ajar and their eyes wide, but they both had a twinkle in their eyes.

Rhett gently set her heels on the floor, releasing her from the intensity of his embrace as she unwound her fingers from his hair and straightened. He kept one arm around her, turning to face the couple. “Sloan … these are my parents.”

No! His parents? Oh, no.

She could easily see the resemblance in his dad’s blue eyes and strong jawline. She should’ve recognized them from the pictures she’d seen online.

Rhett didn’t even shift uncomfortably. He smiled at his parents and then at her as if he couldn’t have orchestrated a better first encounter.

Sloan’s stomach was doing backflips. This was a nightmare of epic proportions. Why oh why hadn’t she been strong enough to walk out that door? She would’ve missed the kiss of the century, but at least she wouldn’t be in this insanely awkward and tense moment, wanting to hide from his parents.

“Mama, Papa, this is Sloan Jensen.”

Sloan waited for his parents to explode. They’d just caught them kissing, very passionately, and maybe they’d heard all about ‘Sloan Jensen’ the developer who wasn’t doing ‘his’ job.

Papa offered her a half smile, most likely feeling as uncomfortable as she did.

Mama looked from Sloan to Rhett and back again and then she did explode.

“Oh, my, goodness! You beautiful lady, you! I changed my prayers for my baby boy a few weeks ago.”

Sloan almost smiled at tough Rhett being called a ‘baby boy’, but this situation was nothing to smile about.

“Instead of praying he would find his right one, I started pleading that you would find my boy, and here you are like the answer to all my heartfelt prayers. Thank you, Lord.”

Mama rushed across the space and hugged her tight.

Sloan lost the ability to breathe or think straight. Praying forherto find Rhett? Mama didn’t even know her. She was no kind of answer to this generous woman’s prayers. What would Mama think if she knew Sloan had pushed Rhett away or cussed him? What would she think if she knew Sloan was only strong because of Jesus and terrified to encounter her own dad?

But Mama’s acceptance proved impossible to resist. She found herself leaning into this incredible motherly hug, returning it despite her embarrassment and misgivings. She clung to Rhett’s mama like a bear cub that had found its lost mother.

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