It Must Be Your Love (The Sullivans #11)(42)

He grinned. “Good. Then let’s tell Alana and her ex that I’ll pay their asking price today.”

She held up her hands to try to slow him down. “Even if you make a cash offer, you don’t have to pay it right this second.”

“I want to move in right away. Let them know I’ll have the money transferred into their account by lunch. And I’ll buy everything in it, too.”

Mia was shaking her head at what she obviously thought was an impulsive decision, but she picked up her phone and conference called the owners. “I’ve got an offer for you,” she told them, “and I think you’re really going to like it.”

* * *

Ninety minutes later, the paperwork had been signed by both parties and Ford had called his personal banker to transfer the money. Mia had done some pretty big and quick real estate transactions in the past six years, but this one blew them all away by miles. Even for a woman who had always loved speed and excitement—nearly as much as her car-racing cousin, Zach—she felt like she’d been blown over by a hurricane. That was how strong Ford’s determination was when he focused on an end goal.

And as Orlando took Ford out into the office to introduce him to the rest of her employees and she watched him charm everyone through the glass walls of her office, she acknowledged, again, just how difficult it would be for anyone to resist him. Especially when he was determined and focused on having something.

Or someone.

With his deep voice and laughter carrying through to her office, knowing that the sexiest man on the planet was close by made her need a bucketload of her own determination and focus to concentrate on answering some high-priority email and phone messages.

A short while later, when she saw in her peripheral vision that he was headed back toward her, Mia’s heart rate started jumping and the words in the email she was composing about a property in escrow blurred on her computer screen.

“Your staff is great,” he said with a grin as he stepped back inside her office. “And they adore you.”

She clicked Send on her email and closed her laptop. “I adore them all right back.” She pushed away from her desk and grabbed her bag. “Congratulations, again, on your amazing new house. How about we go pick up some champagne to celebrate?”

He looked surprised, and clearly thrilled, by her suggestion as she told Orlando that she was taking a few hours off. Still, even though Mia knew that spending even more one-on-one time with Ford was a bad—okay, it was a terrible—idea, she tried to justify it by telling herself that she couldn’t treat him any differently than any other client who had just spent millions of dollars on a house.

But as Ford held open the passenger door of his Tesla and she slid onto the smooth leather seat, Mia couldn’t deny that the lies she was telling herself about him were only getting more pathetic by the hour.

I don’t like him.

He was sweet with her employees, had been great with her family at the wedding...and if she wasn’t so busy grappling with not letting him hurt her again, she’d already be head over heels in love with him.

This celebration is going to be just business.

Considering that her business meetings had never included super-hot kisses before, and she was about a thousand percent positive that this celebration would, she was either going to need to change the definition of business...or she was going to have to accept that spending the day with Ford was about so much more than just celebrating a real estate transaction.

Our connection is just a sexual one, no matter what Ford says to the contrary.

Oh, how she wished this one were true...but there had never been a moment with Ford, either in the past or right now, where her heart wasn’t on the line.

Chapter Eighteen

“Everyone always talks about how rainy Seattle is,” Ford said as Mia spread out their picnic over the thick blanket they’d brought outside his new house while he uncorked the champagne, “but every time I’m here there’s bright sun and blue skies.”

“Now that you’re officially a local, I guess I can let you in on our secret.” She leaned close and whispered, “Our weather is actually awesome nearly all the time. Don’t tell anyone, okay?”

Of course, Ford took advantage of her closeness to tug her in for another kiss before he agreed, “Okay.”

Their kiss was short this time, but so darned sweet that when he moved back to finish opening the champagne, a disappointed little sigh slipped out of her mouth.

She knew they still had to continue the discussion that had begun in her office, but she wanted to feel steadier before they did, so instead of digging deep again, she said, “This has always been one of my favorite areas of the city. I actually went to school not far from here.” She laughed. “My poor teachers. I was a little hellion, pigtails flying, always talking during lessons.”

“Something tells me you got away with it.”

“I loved learning,” she agreed, “but I also wanted to be outside running and playing. Looking back, my mother was amazing at getting me to do my homework by making it all seem so interesting. As soon as I’d finish with my math or science worksheets, she’d push me on the swings before we’d settle back inside with a book. One day I hope I’m that good with my kids.” It wasn’t until she stopped for breath that she realized she was doing it again—sharing everything with Ford while he just sat back and listened.