Bound for Me (Be for Me #4)(47)

But he did love that belly laugh of hers. So rare. So much fun.



She couldn’t let him stay the night, though she wanted to. But they never even made it to the bed. They screwed up against the wall mostly. Too eager for touch. Too hungry to make it further. She’d quickly gotten into the habit of removing her panties before getting into his car. Anything to make his access easier, to make it quicker at the other end.

But the gnawing hunger of desire only grew.

And now, almost a week since her official Summerhill tour, they’d gotten to the point where they just screwed in the car again—not even making it further away from the restaurant.

Quick. Intense. Right back to where they’d started.

“Faster,” she panted, rocking her hips, aching to press down and impale herself on him. “Now.”

“Hell woman,” he gripped her ass tightly, tilting her so he could get the angle he needed. “Always in such a damn hurry.”

But he was breathless too. His hips thrust against hers in that sublime way.

“Ohhhhh,” she cried out.

So good. Every time it was better. Every time it was not enough.

But she slipped off him, asked him to drop her home. And said nothing more.

Maintaining emotional distance was her number one priority.

Even so, in these last few days there’d been those moments of laughter. And those moments when she saw him looking tired. She didn’t want to ask him about it, though she understood now how hard he did work. Always on call. Always checking.

As their passion grew more frantic, curiosity rose inside. Unbidden. Unwanted. Unavoidable.

“Long day?” she asked, another week into their nightly trysts, as she looked at him frowning down at his phone.

He glanced up, surprised. “You really want to know?” He laughed as he checked his screen again. “Procurement issues.”

“You have trouble getting what you need?”

“Sometimes.” He looked at her meaningfully.

“All I need is the ride home,” she leaned over and whispered conspiratorially. “Nothing more.”

“And the faster the better?”

“You’re getting it.”

“Yeah I am.” He nodded.

But early the next morning, when she’d come to work just to fill in time, he came in looking tense.

“What’s up?” she asked, wiping the bar harder.

“Looking for Krista.”

“Why Krista?” A flare of jealousy shot under her ribs.

“I have a problem and I know she’ll more than likely help me. She’s nice that way. Accommodating.”

“Careful,” Savannah warned. “If Luca hears you talking like that. He’s more than likely to knock you out.”

“He can try.”

“What’s the problem?”

He looked back down at his phone, tapping out a text reply. “Like you’re really interested?”

“Curious. Not necessarily interested. What is it?”

“Wedding tomorrow. Huge. Fabulous guests already installed and swanning around with their pre-wedding celebrations. Their ‘specially picked’ florist arrived early this morning but is now down with a stomach bug. Austin’s put her in isolation and her assistant, just in case, but the potential for disaster is huge. Meanwhile, the flowers need care and placing. I have another florist, but she needs help.”

“You have tonnes of staff”

“Three more flower people are isolated. The others are all very busy working on the other arrangements. So, seeing Krista is not here, I’m going to help her.”

“You’re going to arrange flowers?”

“Sure.”

“This I gotta see.”

“Don’t you have a job of your own to do?”

“No,” she tossed the cleaning cloth. “I was just filling in time. The kitchen guys will be here in a bit and I’m not officially on for about four hours.”

“Hmm. Do you think you might even help?”

“If you play your cards right, I might.”

He suddenly smiled. “Even though I’m the enemy?”

She sighed. “You already know I’ve given up on that. You know I’m toothless.”

“I would never have said that.”

“Why Krista?” Savannah asked, once they’d loaded into his SUV. Given the amount of snow around, she was now glad of his over-sized, super-powerful car.

“She’s always looking for some extra work. In case you’ve not noticed, she works long hours at St Clair’s too.”

“I thought that was because she likes being near Luca.”

“Sure. And that’s a Romeo and Juliet relationship if ever there was one. Luca’s father doesn’t want her with him. She doesn’t come from money, so that’s an issue for him.”

“What is it with fathers?” Savannah rolled her eyes.

Laughing, he reached over and rubbed his hand on her knee. “Anyway, Luca’s finally grown a pair and has gone for it. Well, at least while Bill’s away.”

“You know about everyone’s relationships?”

“It’s not that big a town.”

And he was the almighty overseer, wasn’t he?