Page 82 of His to Protect

I laughed with him and reached out to shake his hand. “Thanks again for making this so successful. If you ever need a reference, let Declan know and I’m sure he’ll give you a great one.”

“No problem.” He crouched down and began packing up his camera equipment, which I took as my cue to leave.

“Excuse me,” a woman called out as I opened the door to enter Fireside. “Ma’am?”

I turned around and found a woman walking quickly toward me, waving something small in her hand. “Hi,” she said, a bit breathless when she reached me.

I let go of the door and stepped out of the doorway. “Hi. Can I help you?”

Her eyes went to the firemen behind me and back to mine. “I hope so. I’m Kate and I’m in the process of opening up a baking shop just a few businesses down from here. Are you the woman who organized this shoot today?”

“I am.” I held out my hand for her to shake. “Trina Winston.”

“Kate. Kate Simpson.” She shook my hand and held up a business card. “I talked to a few other women around here earlier today. I think…Chelsea, she said her name was. Anyway, she mentioned that you were in charge of this and some new promotions for Fireside Grill.”

“Yes, that’s me. How can I help you?”

“Well I was wondering if you and I could meet sometime in the next week or so. My shop is opening in mid-November and I’m trying to find some new ideas to market to the area. Is that something you’d be interested in? Or have time for?”

My eyes widened as I held her business card in my hand. I had to make a conscious effort not to crumple it in my palm. “I’m sorry,” I began, and watched her excitement diminish. Darn it. “I’d love to, I would. But I don’t exactly have an office or a company. I’m just doing this to help out the owner.”

“Oh.” Her expression fell further before perking up. “Well, I’d hire you anyway. Or maybe you’d be willing to sit down and talk with me? Point me in the right direction? I had a firm all hired, but they’ve been lagging on their deadlines and promises, and I’ve been sinking money into something that just hasn’t worked out. Like I said, I open in a few weeks and I’ve been flipping out.”

I was too overwhelmed to think straight, but even so, ideas for a bakery immediately began percolating in my mind. “Why don’t we get together later in the week. Meet for lunch here, maybe?” I nodded toward Fireside Grill. “I’m here most of the time working with Declan. We can talk about what you’re looking for, and I can let you know if it’s something I can do. In the meantime, I’ll spend time researching some PR firms with decent rates and reviews so I can have some other options for you.”

“Thank you,” she gasped and clasped her hands together. “Can we do lunch on Wednesday?”

“Works for me.” I’d been at Fireside every day of the week lately, and it wasn’t like I had much else going on in my life.

“Perfect. Thank you, Trina. Honestly. And I swear, I’ll pay you what I’d pay anyone.”

I smiled politely. She wouldn’t choose me. I just did this as a favor for Declan to help him out, but I was in no position to start my own firm or anything like that. “We’ll talk about it Wednesday.”

“Sounds like you’re starting your own business.” Declan’s voice behind me made me jump. I spun on my heels until I was facing him.

“How much of that did you hear?”

He shrugged and slid his hands into his pockets. I watched the movement, unable to look away.

If I wasn’t touching him, or he wasn’t touching me, I wanted it to be happening.

I almost pouted when his fingers slid into his pockets and not to my waist.

His chuckle told me he knew what I was thinking, and he leaned in, bending down until his lips were at my ear. “You just had my hands all over you this morning, and you already want more?”

A week ago, I would have blushed furiously at the suggestion.

But I’d learned a lot in a week. Mostly that Declan seemed to like me however I came. I was also learning to shed my skin of insecurity.

“I can’t help it,” I whispered, taking a step toward him and setting my hand on his hip. “I like the way you touch me.”

He growled into my ear and pulled me to him, giving me exactly what I wanted.

“What’d that woman really want?”

“I thought you heard everything.”

“Enough to get the idea. Not enough to know who she is.”

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