Read Online Barefoot in White (Barefoot Bay Brides) by Roxanne St. Claire - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Roxanne St. Claire
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Me. Hot shells and body butter?”
Instantly, Ari swooped up a paper. “Oh, Gussie, we gotta go.”
“And miss this?”
“Yes, we do. It’s time for that, um, meeting. That important meeting we have that Willow is not invited to.”
Willow gave a soft laugh, but Nick shot Ari a look of pure appreciation. “Thanks for having my back.”
She shrugged and gave Gussie a prod toward the door. “It’s her back we’re worried about.”
“And her front,” Gussie added. “No staring.”
“Gussie!” Willow chided.
Laughing, the two women disappeared out the door, leaving him alone with the one he wanted. Except she still looked pissed at him.
“So,” he said, coming a few steps closer. “Can you play today?”
She relaxed ever so slightly, fighting a smile. “Points for creativity.”
“And relentless determination. You can appreciate that, right?” He gestured toward her body and let his gaze rove over every curve and cut again. “You didn’t get this way by being lazy.”
The slightest rise of color seeped up her neck. “I didn’t get this way from getting couple’s massages with our guests.”
“So you’d rather hit the gym?”
She shook her head. “I’m leaving in a few minutes, so, sorry.”
“Where are you going?” he asked, closing more space.
She escaped the trap, slipping around her desk to make an effort to look like she was organizing papers. “I need to run errands in town.”
“Oh, okay.” When she looked up, he added, “I’ll go with you.”
“Why?”
“Because I want to make up my mistake to you. Let’s run your errands and have lunch together, and then take a walk by the water and kiss.”
Her eyes widened as the last one sank in. “Well, so much for subtlety.”
“So overrated, and I need to do some kissing research. You can help.”
She gave a quick laugh. “What makes you think I want to?”
“Oh, come on, Willow.” He leaned his hands on her desk and got closer.
“I ate already.” She slipped into her chair and crossed her arms as if she could create her own bullet-proof vest.
“Roof tiles?” he teased.
“And a spinach smoothie.”
He took the guest chair across from her to make her comfortable. “So, is that how you did it? Denial and control?”
“And six billion crunches.”
“I bet.” He gave her an admiring smile, wishing she’d loosen up those tight arms. “You’ve probably done more sit-ups than I have in SEAL training.”
Suddenly, she pushed back from the desk. “You really want to go with me?”
He stood, too. “Of course.”
“First, we’re stopping at the florist, then I need to pick something up from a gift shop, and there could be a stop at the fabric store for some tulle. Then one client needs me to choose her toasting crystals, and another has me on a hunt for satin pillows. This is a very girlie errand day. Can you handle that, Lieutenant?”
“If the girlie I’m with is you.”
Finally, she let her arms relax, along with her smile. She bent over to get something from under her desk, giving him a direct shot down her V-neck, the sight of a soft, feminine swell firing right through him.
She looked and caught him staring. Hard. “Sorry, you had your shot, Nick.”
He closed his eyes, the hit direct. “I have a lot of groveling to do, don’t I?”
“It should be epic.” She stepped around the desk and softened the tension with a smile.
He led her out, taking his small victory and her hand, unwilling to let go of either one.
* * *
A couple’s massage couldn’t have been much more fun than picking tulle, roses, pillows, or flutes with Nick. At each stop in town, with each joke and casual touch, Willow couldn’t help but let her guard slip a little more. By the time they loaded up her car and checked the last thing off her list, all her defenses were down.
Nick closed her hatchback with an air of finality. “Please tell me there’s a cold drink at the end of this.”
“There could be.”
He
Instantly, Ari swooped up a paper. “Oh, Gussie, we gotta go.”
“And miss this?”
“Yes, we do. It’s time for that, um, meeting. That important meeting we have that Willow is not invited to.”
Willow gave a soft laugh, but Nick shot Ari a look of pure appreciation. “Thanks for having my back.”
She shrugged and gave Gussie a prod toward the door. “It’s her back we’re worried about.”
“And her front,” Gussie added. “No staring.”
“Gussie!” Willow chided.
Laughing, the two women disappeared out the door, leaving him alone with the one he wanted. Except she still looked pissed at him.
“So,” he said, coming a few steps closer. “Can you play today?”
She relaxed ever so slightly, fighting a smile. “Points for creativity.”
“And relentless determination. You can appreciate that, right?” He gestured toward her body and let his gaze rove over every curve and cut again. “You didn’t get this way by being lazy.”
The slightest rise of color seeped up her neck. “I didn’t get this way from getting couple’s massages with our guests.”
“So you’d rather hit the gym?”
She shook her head. “I’m leaving in a few minutes, so, sorry.”
“Where are you going?” he asked, closing more space.
She escaped the trap, slipping around her desk to make an effort to look like she was organizing papers. “I need to run errands in town.”
“Oh, okay.” When she looked up, he added, “I’ll go with you.”
“Why?”
“Because I want to make up my mistake to you. Let’s run your errands and have lunch together, and then take a walk by the water and kiss.”
Her eyes widened as the last one sank in. “Well, so much for subtlety.”
“So overrated, and I need to do some kissing research. You can help.”
She gave a quick laugh. “What makes you think I want to?”
“Oh, come on, Willow.” He leaned his hands on her desk and got closer.
“I ate already.” She slipped into her chair and crossed her arms as if she could create her own bullet-proof vest.
“Roof tiles?” he teased.
“And a spinach smoothie.”
He took the guest chair across from her to make her comfortable. “So, is that how you did it? Denial and control?”
“And six billion crunches.”
“I bet.” He gave her an admiring smile, wishing she’d loosen up those tight arms. “You’ve probably done more sit-ups than I have in SEAL training.”
Suddenly, she pushed back from the desk. “You really want to go with me?”
He stood, too. “Of course.”
“First, we’re stopping at the florist, then I need to pick something up from a gift shop, and there could be a stop at the fabric store for some tulle. Then one client needs me to choose her toasting crystals, and another has me on a hunt for satin pillows. This is a very girlie errand day. Can you handle that, Lieutenant?”
“If the girlie I’m with is you.”
Finally, she let her arms relax, along with her smile. She bent over to get something from under her desk, giving him a direct shot down her V-neck, the sight of a soft, feminine swell firing right through him.
She looked and caught him staring. Hard. “Sorry, you had your shot, Nick.”
He closed his eyes, the hit direct. “I have a lot of groveling to do, don’t I?”
“It should be epic.” She stepped around the desk and softened the tension with a smile.
He led her out, taking his small victory and her hand, unwilling to let go of either one.
* * *
A couple’s massage couldn’t have been much more fun than picking tulle, roses, pillows, or flutes with Nick. At each stop in town, with each joke and casual touch, Willow couldn’t help but let her guard slip a little more. By the time they loaded up her car and checked the last thing off her list, all her defenses were down.
Nick closed her hatchback with an air of finality. “Please tell me there’s a cold drink at the end of this.”
“There could be.”
He
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