Page 12 of No Rings Attached
“There’s often nothing to do but gossip. Having someone come to town, even to visit, is a special occasion. If you’re lucky, you might end up on the front page of our town newspaper.”
She paled. “Front page. Do you think they’ll find out what happened tonight?” Her beautiful blue gaze widened in a silent plea for help.
“Our reporters aren’t that good.” I chuckled. “We can keep your murder theory between us. No one has to know.”
She gave a fake shudder. “That would’ve been my worst nightmare. Ido notneed to be the center of attention like that.”
“I’ll protect you from the busy-body reporters.” I punched my fist over my heart in a physical show of my promise as a way to lighten the mood.
She giggled and pretended to swoon. “My hero.”
Thiswas the Ellie I knew. The sweet, and lighthearted person that came across in our emails and calls. My heart fluttered with joy. It was so easy to be around her.
“Anytime.” I winked at her, noticing the immediate flush to her cheeks. An image of me brushing my thumbs across those same spots as I cupped her face and brushed my lips across hers came to mind along with wondering how far that flush might travel as I explored every inch of her.
Ellie’s voice broke through the vivid imagery. “I can’t thank you enough for rescuing me tonight. It’s bad enough that my ‘good impression’ was wasted between us.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself. One thing’s for sure … it’s a day we’ll always remember,” I teased.
She groaned and shook her head. The tiny smile she tried to hide told me she wasn’t upset by my words.
I’d known meeting her would be unforgettable. I just didn’t realize how much.
Or how much of her gorgeous body I’d see.
“Tomorrow’s a new day. A new start.” And a chance for me to get my less than pure thoughts about my assistant under control.
That shy, sexy smile had me reconsidering my choice for about half a second.
Fuck. This was going to be a long week.
The next morning, I was running late after being distracted by thoughts of Ellie and decided to skip my usual coffee run. She knew I often started my workday at 6:00 am and liked to get there before anyone else, so I was half expecting her to be there and didn’t want her to have to wait.
I drove on autopilot along the route I took every day past the town common, the bakery, and the New Age store. It all began to blur as I absentmindedly waved to Iris, the town lawyer’s secretary. She liked to get in a few laps up and down Main Street before she started her day.
Like I suspected, Ellie was waiting at the door to the Kingsley Jewelry office building when I arrived. With coffee, bless her. Her hair, styled back in a sleek ponytail, showed off the curve of her cheek and the straight line of her neck like an offering waiting to be sampled.
She smiled, holding out the tray with two coffees and a white paper bag stamped with the local coffee shop’s logo. “The coffee in front is yours.”
I took it, grateful for both the caffeine and her thoughtfulness.
She stared at me eagerly as I took the first sip.
“This is perfect.” She’d gotten my exact order down to the shot of caramel, cream, and sugar. I liked the shot of sugar to get me going this early.
God, she was perfect.
Ellie is my assistant. I chanted the mantra over and over in my head. And I didn’t have time to date. I couldn’t forget either of those things.
It had been a long time since I was this attracted to someone. If I didn’t count the sort-of crush I had on her before she even arrived. I figured once I met her it would go away. That the reality wouldn’t measure up to the fantasy.
Fuck, I hated when I was wrong.
My eyes trailed down over her ample hips to where her skirt flared out at her knees. I forced my eyes back up to meet hers. But I’d already taken inventory of the way her shirt and blazer were fitted, but not skin tight, alluding to what was beneath it. Sweat beaded my brow as I fought to keep my interest from becoming visible.
“You’d mentioned before that you typically stop there in the morning before work so I took a chance I’d get there before you. The owner, Ben, was incredibly helpful.”
She remembered. She remembered a throwaway comment I made weeks ago about my coffee routine.
