breath, a look of longing on his face. “Did they call about your car?” His voice was thick and laced with Southern charm.
Elise swallowed, fighting the urge to squirm in her seat. “Yes. Hawke said it was bad, but he fixed it.”
His gaze jerked back to her eyes. “Hawke?”
“The mechanic.”
“Oh.” He smirked. “What kind of name is Hawke?”
“Um, a nickname.” Elise bit her lip and felt the heat creep into her cheeks. If he didn’t stop looking at her like dessert she was going to… do something she shouldn’t. “They used to call him Hawk-eye, because they said he had hands like a surgeon. His real name is Harlen.” Elise refrained from telling Luc what her mother had said about Hawke’s hands. “Mom started calling him Hawke when they, um, started dating.” Dating? Oh boy, that was definitely stretching the truth. Hawke was Moonbeam’s latest initiate into her free love philosophy.
“I see.” Luc pushed off from the cubicle wall. “When are you supposed to pick it up?”
Elise glanced at her watch. “Donna said she could give me a ride over there in a few minutes.”
“I’ll take you.” He grinned at her surprised look. “I’m curious to see what kind of man your mother would date. Give me five minutes and we’ll go.” He disappeared into his office.
Elise stared after him for a good thirty seconds, clutching the box of pen caps to her stomach. She still couldn’t believe this was her last day at Andersen Corporation and in six days she would be married to Luc. “I must be insane,” she muttered, then went off to find Donna. She found Donna in the break room, told her about the change in plans then went back to her desk to get her purse.
“Ready?”
Elise spun around and her breath caught in her throat. He was so handsome. And thoughtful. Giving her a box of chocolates would have been sweet, but pen caps…? That was the sweetest, most thoughtful thing anyone had done for her in a long, long time. If she thought he was a considerate boss, then she suspected he’d be even more thoughtful as a husband. She nodded and Luc escorted her out to his car. As they passed by her co-workers, there were a lot of knowing smiles and winks. Apparently everyone in the building was under the same impression that Elise’s family was. That and everyone in the building seemed to think that they had a personal hand in getting Luc and Elise together.
His hand rested at the small of her back, propelling her through the office building and toward the front door, and Elise shivered. It was a small thing, but it felt as if he were branding her with his touch. The same thing had happened when she’d slipped on the engagement ring. It was as if suddenly she became his. His woman. The thought of Luc having a possessive streak was oddly tantalizing. Elise had never pictured herself as the submissive type, but… she kinda liked the notion of being labeled as Luc’s woman.
At the entrance, he reached around in front of her and pushed open the door.
Elise paused and glanced up at him. “Thank you,” she murmured. She wondered if he knew how much she cherished the little things like this. Opening the door. Pulling out her chair. All the little things that the men her mother dated never did unless specifically asked to do them.
“My pleasure.”
Outside, Elise slipped on her sunglasses and stole a few glimpses of him from the corner of her eye. She’d had nearly a week to ponder his qualities—the ones which would make him into her idea of the perfect husband.
First of all, she loved him. What had started out as an infatuation had slowly blossomed into love. Elise smiled. There was something to be said for taking things slow, she thought. He was the most attractive man she’d ever known. The most compelling. He could draw her eye time and time again. And each time she looked at him, she learned—or rather, she
Elise swallowed, fighting the urge to squirm in her seat. “Yes. Hawke said it was bad, but he fixed it.”
His gaze jerked back to her eyes. “Hawke?”
“The mechanic.”
“Oh.” He smirked. “What kind of name is Hawke?”
“Um, a nickname.” Elise bit her lip and felt the heat creep into her cheeks. If he didn’t stop looking at her like dessert she was going to… do something she shouldn’t. “They used to call him Hawk-eye, because they said he had hands like a surgeon. His real name is Harlen.” Elise refrained from telling Luc what her mother had said about Hawke’s hands. “Mom started calling him Hawke when they, um, started dating.” Dating? Oh boy, that was definitely stretching the truth. Hawke was Moonbeam’s latest initiate into her free love philosophy.
“I see.” Luc pushed off from the cubicle wall. “When are you supposed to pick it up?”
Elise glanced at her watch. “Donna said she could give me a ride over there in a few minutes.”
“I’ll take you.” He grinned at her surprised look. “I’m curious to see what kind of man your mother would date. Give me five minutes and we’ll go.” He disappeared into his office.
Elise stared after him for a good thirty seconds, clutching the box of pen caps to her stomach. She still couldn’t believe this was her last day at Andersen Corporation and in six days she would be married to Luc. “I must be insane,” she muttered, then went off to find Donna. She found Donna in the break room, told her about the change in plans then went back to her desk to get her purse.
“Ready?”
Elise spun around and her breath caught in her throat. He was so handsome. And thoughtful. Giving her a box of chocolates would have been sweet, but pen caps…? That was the sweetest, most thoughtful thing anyone had done for her in a long, long time. If she thought he was a considerate boss, then she suspected he’d be even more thoughtful as a husband. She nodded and Luc escorted her out to his car. As they passed by her co-workers, there were a lot of knowing smiles and winks. Apparently everyone in the building was under the same impression that Elise’s family was. That and everyone in the building seemed to think that they had a personal hand in getting Luc and Elise together.
His hand rested at the small of her back, propelling her through the office building and toward the front door, and Elise shivered. It was a small thing, but it felt as if he were branding her with his touch. The same thing had happened when she’d slipped on the engagement ring. It was as if suddenly she became his. His woman. The thought of Luc having a possessive streak was oddly tantalizing. Elise had never pictured herself as the submissive type, but… she kinda liked the notion of being labeled as Luc’s woman.
At the entrance, he reached around in front of her and pushed open the door.
Elise paused and glanced up at him. “Thank you,” she murmured. She wondered if he knew how much she cherished the little things like this. Opening the door. Pulling out her chair. All the little things that the men her mother dated never did unless specifically asked to do them.
“My pleasure.”
Outside, Elise slipped on her sunglasses and stole a few glimpses of him from the corner of her eye. She’d had nearly a week to ponder his qualities—the ones which would make him into her idea of the perfect husband.
First of all, she loved him. What had started out as an infatuation had slowly blossomed into love. Elise smiled. There was something to be said for taking things slow, she thought. He was the most attractive man she’d ever known. The most compelling. He could draw her eye time and time again. And each time she looked at him, she learned—or rather, she
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