Page 62 of In Good Company

His calloused fingers scrape against my skin as he moves his hand from my chin to my cheek. Now isn’t the time to ask, but I can’t help but wonder where his callouses even come from. I know it can’t be his job.

The two of us are quiet as I try to think of another excuse to give him about why I don’t need to pick out a new bike. Some things come to mind, but I know by the hard set of his jaw and the way his blue eyes stare into mine that I’m not going to win this battle with him. He’s made up his mind that I need a new bike, and he’s determined to buy me one.

I let out a long sigh before leaning into his touch. I’ve triedto make sure to keep my distance from him, unsure about his feelings on other people seeing us like this, but the bike shop is empty besides the workers. I don’t think we’ll be caught here.

“I don’t want you to think you have to buy me expensive things. My bike is fine.”

Cal leans in and presses a kiss to my lips. It’s the first time we’ve kissed since he walked me to my car last night.

I missed kissing him. He kisses me slowly but possessively, making my toes curl in my sneakers.

He pulls away before the kiss gets too deep. It’s still intense enough to make my entire body heat with desire. “I want to buy you expensive things, Lucy. What’s the point in having an ungodly amount of money if I can’t spend it on the first woman to capture my attention like this?”

There’s a whooshing sound in my ears with the intense spike of my pulse at his words. I don’t think I heard him correctly. He’s thirty-four years old; surely, many women have caught his attention. I know I’ve seen photos of some of them on the internet when I used to look up his family. His pinky gently presses against my pulse from the way he holds my face, making me wonder if he can feel the way my heart rate jumped at his words.

He doesn’t take them back or elaborate. All he does is stare at me, his eyebrows raised expectantly.

I can’t think of a response. I’m still too stunned by what he admitted—and questioning the truth of it—to come up with a witty remark. Seconds pass, maybe even minutes, as we stand in the middle of the bike aisle, staring at one another.

Finally, I accept that there’s no stopping him. If he wants to buy me a new bike, he’s going to. “Fine, you buy me the bike. But I want you to know I’m not used to people buying me things often, and I don’t know how to properly accept them. If I act weird, that’s why.”

Cal smiles before moving to cradle my face with both of his hands. “That’s okay. I’ll make sure to spoil you so much in the time that I have you that you get used to it.”

And before I can respond, his lips press to mine again. The kiss is perfect. He takes his time, kissing me right in the middle of the bike aisle for anyone to see.

When he’s done, he’s patient as I look at every single bike the store has to offer before deciding on the green one he found earlier.

THIRTY-FOUR

CAL

“Have lunch at Pembroke with me today,” I tell Lucy as I walk toward her in the back garden of my house. She hunches over one of the garden beds as she collects fresh basil.

Lucy turns to face me with a smile. It’s been almost two weeks since my first cooking lesson with her. Almost two weeks filled with stolen kisses when no one’s around and finding excuses to spend as much time as possible with her.

“It’s Friday, and I’m supposed to be working,” she states matter-of-factly. She plants her hands on her hips as she stares me down.

“Good thing I’m the boss. You don’t have to work today. Come to the club and have lunch with me. “

“Cal, you already gave me all of yesterday off unexpectedly. I don’t need today off too.”

She wears a floppy sun hat that makes me smile. Anytime she’s out harvesting from the garden, she wears it. I find it adorable. It’s so…her. I grab her by the hips and pull her body into mine, loving that there’s no one here stopping me from holding her close.

“You had yesterday off because I had to fly back toManhattan for work. I didn’t get to see you for a day, and I missed you. Have lunch with me.”

Lucy wraps her arms around my neck. “I will have lunch with you.” The mischievous smile playing on her lips tells me exactly what she means by that.

I shake my head before leaning in and playfully nipping at her bottom lip. “I mean a lunch you didn’t prepare.”

She sighs before rising to her tiptoes to plant a kiss on my lips. I know she’s trying to distract me, but it won’t work.

My hands travel down her back before I let them slide underneath the fabric of her dress.

It’s also been almost two weeks since I’ve tasted her, and I feel starved. It’s not because she hasn’t tried to push things further. She’s tried many times to repay the favor and touch me the way I touched her. I just haven’t wanted to rush things with her and scare her away.

But my patience can only go so far. My hands cup her ass cheeks and squeeze as I pin her body to mine.

“You want to go to the club…just us two?” she asks, her voice hesitant. “Won’t people find that weird?”

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