Page 24 of Silver Seconds (Tempted in Texas)

Brittany’s eyes shine as she looks me up and down, and a sharp needle of discomfort shoots through me.

Denise pauses as if in thought, then shakes her head again. "No. I can't ask someone to work without pay. It's not right. And if I'm not running my business the right way, then I shouldn't be running it at all."

But a new idea enters my mind.

"How about this—my brother has a huge condo just a couple blocks from here. It's got an enormous chef's kitchen that he never uses and a big freezer." I wink at her. "If you wake up tomorrow morning and decide you don't want to struggle with a busted freezer, call me. I'll have my driver pick you up and take you there."

Denise sighs. "Brett, that's very nice of you. But I can't impose like that."

I open my mouth to say something again but decide against it. Pushing Denise too hard might scare her away. And I don't want that to happen.

So instead, I keep quiet and let my eyes flit over her.

And just like last night, I’m dazzled by what I see. This woman is so fucking pretty.

She's in jeans today, and while the fabric would be stiff on someone else, it looks perfect on her. It hugs the wonderful curve of her hips, accentuating her full shape. Her pink dress shirt is stretched tightly across her gorgeous tits, and for a second, I think about how they felt pressed against my chest yesterday.

Goddamn.

I swallow hard and force myself to bring my eyes back to her face.

Finally, her eyes meet mine. And for a moment, I feel that draw to her that I'd felt last night at The Silver Coop.

What can I say to make her trust me?

In a split decision, I reach out and gently take Denise arm, pulling her away where Brittany can’t hear us.

“Look, I know today has been a little chaotic,” I begin. “But I really want to help you. So, if it makes you feel better, let’s start over. As friends. We can reschedule our date for tonight to some other day. You can come to Bash’s house tomorrow and get Tinsley’s cake tasting out of the way. And we can worry about the rest later.”

Finally, she says, slowly, "I'll think about it."

For a moment, she opens her mouth as if to say something else. But she seems to think better of it. Instead, she nods and walks back to the kitchen.

And with that, I make my way back out the door.

Fuck.

My body still aches at the thought of her. And I absolutelyhatethe idea of volunteering for the friend zone. But if that’s what it takes to buy me some more time with her, then that’s what I’ll do.

I climb into the back of my car but tell Mar to take me back to Bash's bar. There’s a phone call I need to make first. And even though I really don’t want to, I know I'll regret it even more if I don't make it now.

After a couple of rings, Harris answers the phone.

"Cooper." His voice is surprisingly cheerful. "That was fast. Great work."

"Actually, I'm not calling with good news just yet," I say. "I'm calling to ask for a bit more time."

I can practically hear Harris frowning through the phone.

"More time? So you weren't able to get the sale?"

"You were right, Harris. The owner of the Sugar Breeze Bakery will be a tough egg to crack. I'm going to need a few more days in Barton Beach. But I promise you—a saleisgoing to happen. One way or another."

CHAPTER7

Denise

"Wait, Tinsley and Brettknoweach other?!"

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