Jo Leigh - One-Click Buy - September Harlequin Blaze

“Good morning, early-bird,” she said.

He jerked his head up, so surprised he dropped his cell phone right onto the floor near her feet.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you,” she said. Normally, she’d wait quietly and let him pick up the phone himself. But Izzie’s words kept ringing in her ears. So instead, she carefully bent at the knees, reaching down to pick it up for him. She kept one hand on her skirt, to hold it in place, but Bridget couldn’t deny that it slid up several inches, high on her thighs, despite that.

Still appearing shocked, Dean didn’t say a word. His narrowed eyes were locked on her thighs. His jaw was visibly clenched and he breathed over parted lips.

He looked…hungry. Just as she’d seen him look at her once or twice in the past. More than that, he seemed dangerous. Not nice Dean looking at a pair of woman’s legs, but wickedly sexy Dean looking at a pair of woman’s legs and imagining them wrapped around his waist.

She could do that. She could definitely do that. Whether it was what Izzie would do or not.

It is.

“Here you go,” she said, handing him the cell phone.

He took it from her, their fingers brushing lightly. Standing, he stuffed the phone in his pocket. His lean face looked weary, as if he hadn’t slept well.

“So, was it worth your early trip in?” she asked, knowing she sounded coy. She couldn’t help channeling Izzie a little bit. “Everything…satisfactory?”

His pale blue eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, did you get whatever deal you’re working on taken care of this morning?”

He nodded slowly. “The deal. Yeah. It’s all good.”

“Good. You might set another sales record this month.”

With a casual manner she had never suspected she could pull off, she tossed her purse onto her desk, which was laden with files, legal paperwork and financial stuff. Holding onto her courage, she slipped her sweater off her shoulders. She had to move close to Dean-very close-to reach the coat rack on the wall. Her arm brushed against his as she lifted the sweater onto one of the hooks.

“Bridget…”

Smiling, she turned and glanced up at him. “Yes?”

He wasn’t looking at her face, his attention was focused lower. On the scooped neck of her tight, spandex tank top. The heat in his stare warmed her all over and she felt her body reacting to it. A lazy river of want flowed through her veins. She clenched her thighs in response to it. But there was no way to disguise the way her breasts grew heavier, her nipples hardening to twin points that poked against her shirt.

He noticed. Most definitely.

Swallowing hard, he growled, “Why are you dressed like that?”

“Like what?”

“Like you’re trolling for men at a club rather than working with a bunch of used car salesmen and wrench jockeys at an auto shop?” he asked, his tone harsh.

Bridget instinctively stepped back. A little hurt. A little confused. “I just…” Channel Izzie. WWID? Taking a deep breath, she tilted her head back and jutted her chin out. “What business is it of yours what I wear to work?”

He reached for her, grabbing her arm as if he couldn’t help himself. “Put your sweater back on.”

“Make me.”

His whole body tense with frustration, he lifted his other hand and grabbed her other arm. Bridget wasn’t sure what he was going to do-shake her or haul her into his arms and kiss her.

She was most definitely hoping for option two.

She should have been intimidated, maybe even scared given his size. But she already knew he wouldn’t do anything to hurt her. He was attracted to her, she was sure of it now, and he just didn’t know what to do about that attraction since they were coworkers.

“Either take your hands off me or do something with them,” she snapped, still thinking the way her cousin would.

“Damn it, Bridget.”

But before he could do either one, they heard the sound of voices coming from right outside the door. They weren’t, it appeared, the only two who’d arrived to work early.

Dean instantly released her and stepped away. He shook his head, as if to clear it, and eyed her warily. Finally he said, “I really think you should put your sweater on.”

Bridget hid a smile, liking the tiny thrill of power she felt at having this big, handsome man react so strongly to her. Crossing her arms in front of her chest-which pressed her breasts even higher and harder against her top-she shook her head. “I don’t think so, Dean. If you don’t like the way I’m dressed…I suggest you don’t look at me.”

Knowing her bravado wasn’t going to last for much longer, she sashayed past him, out onto the showroom floor to greet the other salesmen who’d arrived. Leaving Dean watching her with eyes that blazed like the sun.

IZZIE HAD SPENT the night in Nick’s arms, but she’d slipped away early-around dawn. Knowing the bakery would open soon, he didn’t protest.

He wanted to, of course, but he kept his mouth shut.

Izzie’s whole reason for being here in Chicago was her devotion to her family’s business. He wouldn’t even think of interfering with that. Because he liked her working at the bakery. Right here close by.

As for her other job, at the club? Well, that, Nick had to admit, might be a tougher proposition. He hadn’t yet been tested, but he didn’t imagine it would be easy watching the woman he was absolutely crazy about take her clothes off for a roomful of other men. Especially since he’d almost certainly be picturing what had happened last night, when she’d taken her clothes off only for him.

It had been the most unbelievable night of his life. And he had to wonder how she’d had the strength to get up and walk this morning considering he’d spent so much of the night between her legs.

Izzie wasn’t the only one who had to go to work. Nick had promised Tony he’d help him handle the delivery of a new wall oven at Santori’s. So after showering, he got dressed and walked the few blocks up to Taylor. He passed right by Natale’s on the way, but, mindful of Izzie’s feelings, he didn’t pop in. It felt strange as hell to walk on by and not say hello to the woman he’d made love to in so many wild, different ways the night before.

But she wanted their relationship to remain entirely between them. Meaning he couldn’t single her out, couldn’t grab her hand in public, couldn’t ask her to do so much as walk across the street with him.

“This is gonna suck,” he muttered aloud as he reached the restaurant. He had no idea how long he’d be able to maintain this secret, nighttime-only relationship with Izzie.

He only hoped she’d change her mind. That she’d realize she didn’t have to give up herself to become part of a relationship with him.

A relationship. Yeah. He wanted one. He was falling for her in a big way, just as he’d suspected he could when he’d seen her looking so bored and aloof on the other side of Santori’s all those weeks ago.

It was pretty ironic, really. He was starting to think he really could have found the perfect woman. He was already falling in love with her. And a union between them would absolutely delight everyone in both their families.

But Izzie didn’t want one.

“Women,” he muttered as he pushed into the restaurant.

His brother Tony, who’d been standing right inside the door, greeted him with a clap on the back. “Can’t live with ’em…but they’re sure as hell better than living alone.”

As usual, his larger-than-life older brother coaxed a smile out of him.

Fridays were usually busy at Santori’s, so the day flew by quickly. And, as usual, the rest of his family started drifting in after their workdays had ended. By eight o’clock, all of his brothers were here with their wives and kids, as was his sister, along with her new husband. Those two were cuddling like the newlyweds they were. Though he’d been skeptical, given what he knew about Simon Lebeaux’s shady past, even Nick had to admit the two of them were obviously crazy about each other.