Page 20 of Wild Love
Someone behind me clears their throat impatiently startling me into action, so I smile apologetically at my girlhood friend as I back away from the till. “Thanks, Tabby. Catch you later,” I say with a friendly wave before turning away.
Then I step out into the crisp spring morning, feeling alarmingly at peace with the prospect of getting a jobhere.
When Ford steps out of his SUV, I swallow hard.
Faded black jeans.
Faded black shirt.
Gold aviators perched on his strong nose.
It’s like the shiny new version of him, without the mullet and wire-rimmed glasses he sported as a kid. Back then, he was tall and skinny. His arms swung at his sides and made him look like Gumby when he walked.
He doesn’t just walk now though—hestrides. All it took was a decade to go from dorky, endearing Ford to Big Dick Billionaire Energy Ford.
I take him in from where I’m loitering near the frontdoor of what I assume will be his office, based on West’s description of the property last night.
I’ve never felt uncomfortable around him, but I’d be lying if I said watching him round the front of his SUV with a scowl on his face doesn’t send a thrill through me. The kind that makes my legs a little weak, makes my cheeks a little hot.
Then he has to ruin it all by talking.
“What do you want? Cora is finally in school, and I have a pile of work to get done. I’m too busy to take a torturous stroll down memory lane with you right now.”
Yep, that’ll do it. Hot Ford transforms into Dickhead Ford so damn easily. I’m about to toss my lukewarm tea in his face just to surprise him, but I remind myself I’m here with an idea.
A great idea.
An idea that Ireallyneed to work because as it turns out job openings in Rose Hill are few and far between.
“I have a proposition for you.”
He lifts his sunglasses onto the top of his dark, mussed hair and furrows his brow in my direction as he breezes past.
“That sounds terrifying,” he mumbles as he slides a key into the worn wooden door’s deadbolt.
“No, it’s perfect.” I follow him into the dusty, dank building. “Trust me. It’s a business proposition. And you can’t say no.”
That has him turning to face me, his notable height causing me to come to a screeching halt in the entryway. He pulls his sunglasses off his head and gently chews on the plastic bit at the end of the metal arm.
It should be gross.
But I find it appealing.
“You hungry or something?” I cross my arms and cock a hip out. I feel like a bratty teenager around him. It’s annoying that he brings out this side of me.
Except the way his eyes rake over my body feels nothing like when we were teenagers.
His face stays impassive while mine heats to an inferno.
“I can’t say no?” He ignores my dig and bites down on the plastic again. “That doesn’t sound like a very smart business decision.”
I swallow again, but this time my throat is entirely dry, and it makes my mouth feel like it’s full of cotton. “Oh, no, trust me. This will be a very smart business decision.”
“Right. You’d never trick me. Would you, Rosalie?”
I roll my eyes and note the cobweb in the corner when I do. “Please, I’m not a kid anymore.”
His eyes drag down and back up my body again before he sighs and looks over his shoulder at the stack of files on the rough-hewn table serving as a makeshift desk. “Don’t I know it.”
