Page 20 of Flirting With Forever
Hold off then. Let’s see what we can get from her first.
He’d just shoved the phone back in his pocket when it chimed again, and he pulled it out to see Merida and the character image from Brave appear.
Thanks for the offer, but I don’t want to be late for work. My boss is picky about that.
I’ll make you a to-go mug. Cream and sugar?
A pause followed, but then the three little dots appeared.
Heavy on both. And thanks.
He smirked at the request, not surprised. His little sister loved her coffee, but it was more sweetness and cream than actual coffee bean.
He grabbed one of the many mugs he’d picked up over the years and fixed it for her, then pulled his keys from the hook and headed out the door for the day. Meri—Sloane—waited at the bottom of the stairs. She looked sleepy-eyed despite the shower. “You didn’t sleep?”
“No, I did. A little too well, actually.”
So, it was because she was exhausted, and her body needed more rest. “You didn’t stay up working on the room, did you?”
She avoided his gaze as she accepted the mug and took a sip. “Oh, this is good. Thanks. I’ll pick up some instant coffee and things after work to have down here. I don’t want to bother you.”
“Coffee isn’t a bother.”
He watched as she lifted her chin and noted the wariness in her gaze.
“Maybe not, but boundaries are important. We should keep them.”
Point taken, he mused. Especially since he felt the same way. “Okay, here’s a boundary. You’re limited to working two hours a night on the room. Then you rest. No exceptions.”
“That’s no time at all.”
“You’re forgetting I watched you last night. You didn’t stop once, and you got a lot done. Stick to two hours, and it’ll be enough to cover your rent.” He should probably make it one hour but sensed that wouldn’t fly with her.
Sure enough, Sloane didn’t take the news well if the set of her jaw was any indication. Apparently, they were alike in that they didn’t want to stop working until a task was completed.
“Fine. But only on the days I work at the rental building,” she countered.
“Deal.”
They headed out of the house, and he held the door for her, his gaze drawn to the way her hair blew in the humid breeze and the slow roll of her hips.
“You’ve got the schedule, right?” She opened her car door and tossed her bag inside.
Gage nodded. Sloane looked beautiful in capris that ended mid-calf and a deep pink blouse that seemed to highlight her freckle-tanned skin. She looked professional but casual, and he could well imagine that once word got out she worked at the building, men would follow. The thought made him scowl. “Yeah, I’ve got it.”
“I’ll try to get it to sync up to the calendar system today. Whatever your last employee did, he really screwed things up.”
Yeah, no kidding. “It would be great if you can get that going again. Cole and I’ve both spent far too many hours on the phone with tech. Any more and we might toss it out the window.”
She gave him a smart salute and cheeky grin. “On it, boss. I’ll get my gold star. Goal for the day.”
Goal for the day…
As he watched her climb behind the wheel of her Chevy while taking another sip from the mug he’d given her, he shook his head at himself.
Goal for the day: stop thinking about his new roommate and remember women were a distraction he couldn’t afford.
If he could do that? Maybe then he’d get his own gold star.
