The Boss Project(64)

I play-shoved his arm. “So the obsession started at an early age, huh? I’ve seen your eyes linger on my boobs more than once.”

Merrick’s eyes glinted as they dropped again now, speaking directly to my breasts. “You started it, showing them to me in that dressing room.”

I laughed and pointed up. “Eyes up here. Now go on with your story about Daniella.”

Merrick shrugged. “Not much to tell. She was a little older, and we made out in her basement.”

“How much older?”

“Two years, I think. I was fourteen, and she was sixteen. As far as I remember, her breath was okay, and I didn’t injure her.”

I smiled. “Boring.”

“I’ll take boring over bad breath any day.”

I pointed to him. “True.”

He knocked back the rest of his drink. “You want another?”

“Sure.”

When I went to get up, he stopped me. “I got it. Enjoy the porch.”

Rather than thinking of the many times I’d spent in this exact spot with my grandmother, I couldn’t stop thinking about the man who’d arranged this. It was such a simple gesture—asking the neighbor if we could sit here and making the drinks that brought back good memories for me—yet it meant so much more than that.

Merrick listened to me. He paid attention. We’d certainly started out on the wrong foot, but this week he’d even implemented my suggestion to mandate that employees use the majority of their vacation time. It was funny—normally it felt like your boss stood in front of you, but with Merrick, it felt like he stood beside me. He was also smart, cared deeply for his grandmother, and I was insanely attracted to him. Not to mention, he’d made it clear that he was into me.

So why was I afraid to give us a chance?

While I mulled that over, Merrick came back with our drinks. He passed me mine before sitting back down.

“What time is your flight tomorrow?”

“Four.”

He nodded. “As long as she gets out Monday, I’ll probably come home by the end of the week. I contacted a skilled nursing company. I just hope she lets them in when I make the arrangements.”

“Oh, that reminds me. When I stepped out of Kitty’s hospital room to go to the ladies’ room, one of the doctors talked to me about some equipment that might help her at home, at least until her cast comes off. I didn’t mention it in front of Kitty because I figured you might want to ask for forgiveness, rather than permission. I have a brochure for the company in my purse.”

“Which one?” Merrick asked.

“Well, there’s a chair that looks like a recliner, but it tips forward to help the person stand. And there’s also a motorized base for under her mattress that can help her get up with less struggle.”

“No. I didn’t mean which equipment. I meant which doctor approached you?”

“Her doctor, Dr. Martin.”

Merrick frowned. “Did he write his number on the back of the brochure?”

“Jealous much?”

“My grandmother was trying to goad me by setting the two of you up.”

“And…did it work?” I didn’t realize I’d bitten down on my bottom lip until Merrick’s eyes fell. He groaned and shook his head.

“Of course it did. I’m jealous of your damn teeth right now—and that little shit whose tooth you chipped, too.”

I snort-laughed. The alcohol was definitely starting to go to my head, but I loved that Merrick and I could talk this way.

We stayed on the porch for hours after that, rocking and laughing, all while sipping spiked tea from Waffle House mugs. At midnight, I still wasn’t ready to call it a night, but it started to drizzle, and the warm breeze blew it into our faces.

I took off my wet glasses and wiped them dry with my shirt.

“You ready to go in?” Merrick said.

The truth was, the longer I spent with him, the more I fell. So while I would’ve been perfectly happy sitting in the rain a little longer, I nodded. “Yeah, I don’t have windshield wipers for my glasses.”

He took my empty mug and his, and together we walked next door. The house was dark and quiet, with only the light from the front porch illuminating the room. Since we’d walked across the grass, our shoes were wet, and we both slipped them off at the front door.

“You going to bed?” Merrick asked.

I nodded. “Yeah, I probably should.”

Merrick shoved his hands into his pockets. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

In the guest room, I leaned my head against the door. I heard Merrick walking around for a few minutes and then footsteps grew louder as he entered the small hallway just outside my door. The two bedrooms we were sleeping in were separated only by the bathroom, so I expected to hear a door open and close, but instead there was stillness. Had he gone that quietly, or was he standing in the hallway right outside the door, struggling like I was?

I couldn’t remember the last time I’d wanted a man as much as I did Merrick. It made me feel like Christian had done me a favor. He and I had been perfect on paper—compatible and goal oriented. We got along well enough before everything blew up. But I’d never realized what was missing until now: passion. I felt heat in my belly when I was near Merrick—whether that was arguing our views or tracing the broadness of his shoulders when he wasn’t paying attention. Deep down, I knew what the problem was. Sure, he was my boss and I’d made that mistake before, so it would be stupid of me to go there, but that wasn’t the reason I’d been keeping him at arm’s length. The real reason was that the feelings he ignited in me scared me. I’d kept away from anything that caused highs and lows for all of my adult life, preferring to sail smoothly down comfortable lane. With my past, you didn’t have to be a therapist to understand why I’d take that route.