getting girls to lower their shields, and then you swoop in with all the innuendo and … touching.”
“Ah, yes. You’ve got me. I’m a dreadful rogue.”
Beth giggled. “Knew it.” She ate a few more bites of her pasta alfredo and watched him. His gaze was settled on the table and his forehead tensed in thought. “What is it?”
“I suppose I’m trying to decide if you truly believe that and, if so, whether or not I should attempt to change your mind.”
“I don’t think you’re a rogue, Colin. Although, the fact that you use the word makes me think you should try your hand at writing a romance novel.”
He winced. “That is a rather female-dominated genre. There’s not a lot a male readers or male authors.”
“Not confident enough in your manhood to write a romance?”
“My manhood is … fine. My history of utter failure with women… that’s an issue.”
“It can’t have been that bad.”
“Have you forgotten how we met? My fiancée left me for my brother, and that’s still the most successful relationship I’ve had to date.”
“Why?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. You tell me.”
“You’re a good looking guy, Colin, and you’re smart, funny.… you come on a little strong, maybe.”
He held up his hand. “That is actually a new thing that I seem to be trying.”
“So you don’t normally announce your plan to win a girl’s heart two days after you meet?”
“Not aloud, no.”
“Oh.”
“How’s that going, by the way?”
She couldn’t help smiling. “Might be working.”
Chapter Ten
BETH SHOWERED AND DRESSED before Colin woke up. She considered just leaving him a note, but the sight of him asleep --all cute and rumpled -- was too appealing. She bent down to give him a quick kiss and Colin swung his arm around her shoulder. He pulled her onto the bed and rubbed his hand down her back. Frowning, he opened his eyes. “You know I like the heels, but the rest of this get up seems a bit much for what I have planned.”
“I’m going to swing by the office.”
“I thought your boss gave you the week off -- something about nursing me back to health.”
“He did, but I still have to check on a couple things; make sure my assistant isn’t in over his head.” Beth wriggled free, stood up, and straightened her dress.
“I might need a sponge bath. I’m quite dirty.”
“I’ll be back in a couple hours.” She shook her head. He was incorrigible. Since when did she like incorrigible? “And I’m pretty sure the dirty is a pre-existing condition.”
“Perhaps, but the symptoms never present this dramatically.”
“I’ll grab something for lunch on my way back. You should get some more rest.” She walked towards the door. “Don’t forget to take the pills the doctor gave you. And call my office if you need anything, okay?”
“Yes, Mum.”
She turned back towards him and wrinkled her nose. “Don’t call me that. It’s totally creepy.”
Colin laughed as he stood up and walked over to her. “You’re right. It’s much hotter when you call me, Daddy.” He toyed with her ponytail.
“That’s not going to happen either.” His lack of clothes was far too distracting. She had to get out of there before the urge to lick his abs won out.
“We’ll see.” He leaned close for a deep kiss. “Good morning.”
“Good morning.”
“Still say it would be better if you came back to bed.”
Beth laughed. “I won’t deny that. But I still have things I need to do.”
“You’ll admit that you’d rather be here with me?”
“I suppose.”
He nodded. “Good. Seems like progress.”
She kissed him once more before slipping out.
****
Beth was pleased to find her office cleaned, and a picture of calla lilies hung to replace the one that had fallen. Hopefully it, and the new shelf, was attached to the wall more firmly than their predecessors had been. She scanned her message book and made her first call while her laptop started
“Ah, yes. You’ve got me. I’m a dreadful rogue.”
Beth giggled. “Knew it.” She ate a few more bites of her pasta alfredo and watched him. His gaze was settled on the table and his forehead tensed in thought. “What is it?”
“I suppose I’m trying to decide if you truly believe that and, if so, whether or not I should attempt to change your mind.”
“I don’t think you’re a rogue, Colin. Although, the fact that you use the word makes me think you should try your hand at writing a romance novel.”
He winced. “That is a rather female-dominated genre. There’s not a lot a male readers or male authors.”
“Not confident enough in your manhood to write a romance?”
“My manhood is … fine. My history of utter failure with women… that’s an issue.”
“It can’t have been that bad.”
“Have you forgotten how we met? My fiancée left me for my brother, and that’s still the most successful relationship I’ve had to date.”
“Why?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. You tell me.”
“You’re a good looking guy, Colin, and you’re smart, funny.… you come on a little strong, maybe.”
He held up his hand. “That is actually a new thing that I seem to be trying.”
“So you don’t normally announce your plan to win a girl’s heart two days after you meet?”
“Not aloud, no.”
“Oh.”
“How’s that going, by the way?”
She couldn’t help smiling. “Might be working.”
Chapter Ten
BETH SHOWERED AND DRESSED before Colin woke up. She considered just leaving him a note, but the sight of him asleep --all cute and rumpled -- was too appealing. She bent down to give him a quick kiss and Colin swung his arm around her shoulder. He pulled her onto the bed and rubbed his hand down her back. Frowning, he opened his eyes. “You know I like the heels, but the rest of this get up seems a bit much for what I have planned.”
“I’m going to swing by the office.”
“I thought your boss gave you the week off -- something about nursing me back to health.”
“He did, but I still have to check on a couple things; make sure my assistant isn’t in over his head.” Beth wriggled free, stood up, and straightened her dress.
“I might need a sponge bath. I’m quite dirty.”
“I’ll be back in a couple hours.” She shook her head. He was incorrigible. Since when did she like incorrigible? “And I’m pretty sure the dirty is a pre-existing condition.”
“Perhaps, but the symptoms never present this dramatically.”
“I’ll grab something for lunch on my way back. You should get some more rest.” She walked towards the door. “Don’t forget to take the pills the doctor gave you. And call my office if you need anything, okay?”
“Yes, Mum.”
She turned back towards him and wrinkled her nose. “Don’t call me that. It’s totally creepy.”
Colin laughed as he stood up and walked over to her. “You’re right. It’s much hotter when you call me, Daddy.” He toyed with her ponytail.
“That’s not going to happen either.” His lack of clothes was far too distracting. She had to get out of there before the urge to lick his abs won out.
“We’ll see.” He leaned close for a deep kiss. “Good morning.”
“Good morning.”
“Still say it would be better if you came back to bed.”
Beth laughed. “I won’t deny that. But I still have things I need to do.”
“You’ll admit that you’d rather be here with me?”
“I suppose.”
He nodded. “Good. Seems like progress.”
She kissed him once more before slipping out.
****
Beth was pleased to find her office cleaned, and a picture of calla lilies hung to replace the one that had fallen. Hopefully it, and the new shelf, was attached to the wall more firmly than their predecessors had been. She scanned her message book and made her first call while her laptop started
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