Page 51 of Breaking the Ice

Her eyes drifted shut and Nick knew she was out for the count.

Great, just his luck that the woman he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about had made him a promise she was never going to remember…

17

“Do you think it’s inappropriate to have erotic daydreams about your boss when he’s talking to you?”

“No. I think it’s inappropriate to have them and do nothing about it.”

“I can hardly jump him in the middle of the shop, Bec.”

“Of course not, there’s a back room isn’t there?”

Samantha laughed. “And what do we do about the customers?”

“Put a back-in-five-minutes sign on the door.”

“Gee, thanks, but I was kinda hoping it might last longer than five minutes.”

“Hey, never underestimate the complete and total sexual high you can get from a quickie. I think they’re underrated.”

“Forget it, Bec.” Samantha sighed. “I’m not going there when I know any relationship would have a short shelf life. Anyway, it’s just my eggs talking. I don’t really want Nick.”

“Careful Sam, I can hear your nose growing.”

“Okay, I do but… it’s not as easy as all that. I like our friendship. If we cross that line for good then it’ll never be the same again. We’ve already kissed and I’m pretty sure I mayhave propositioned him under the influence of vodka recently and there’s this increasingly weird vibe between us. And Ray should be stuffing up right about now so it won’t be long until I’m gone, and he’s a freaking hockey god who’ll be out of here come September.”

“Okay, fine. But couldn’t you both just have a bit of fun together in the meantime?”

“But what if I miss the guy who wants to have babies with me becauseI’m too busy having fun with Nick?”

“Then maybe it wasn’t meant to be.”

“Oh God, Bec. You sound like Nick now. I’m getting a little sick of the whole it’ll-happen-when-it’s-meant-to-happen philosophy.”

“Maybe he has a point?”

“Or maybe he’s a guy who’s worked out the perfect way to avoid any kind of commitment and will probably end up old and alone.”

“Alone doesn’t have to be bad, Sam. I have four kids, five if you count their father who can be extraordinarily childlike from time to time, and alone sounds divine.”

“Well I don’t want to do alone, Bec. I want a baby.”

“Hey, you’ll always have us. Which reminds me, I popped a gift in the mail for you from Jess. She made you something in art class.”

“Aww, how sweet.”

“Don’t get too excited, she is only five remember.”

“I’ll love it whatever it is.”

“Well… don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Samantha hurried to work. She was running late. She’d slept through her alarm because she’d been in the middle of a particularly horny dream about Nick. Did women have wet dreams? Because if they did she’d just had her first!

Placing her hand on the doorknob, she took a deep breath, quelling yet another re-run of the dream. She had to work with him today. She would be totally useless if she let her dream replace reality. He was her friend,nota pirate. She was a plain Jane nobody, not a beautiful wealthy princess. They worked together, he had not kidnapped her to hold for ransom. And he never had, nor was likely to, tie her up and seduce her.

No matter how much she might want him to.

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