Tina Beckett - Flirting With The Boss

Shelly glanced away. “Plans change.”

She was hiding something. “So you’re going to just rip Cassie out of school and drag her back to Denver? Well, that’s as far as you’re going, Shelly. You can’t take her out of state, and forget about out of the country.” He glanced around the large room and into the connecting bedroom. “Where is your so-called duke?”

Shelly glared at him. “His name is Edmund. And he’s not a duke.” She raised her head as if she was better than everyone. That was always what Shelly wanted to be, but she had come from the same background he had. “He might not be a duke, but he’s got money and a bloodline linked to the royal family. And he can take care of me.”

That always got to him. He could never make enough money to satisfy her. “I’m happy for you, Shelly. So why are you here and not with … Edmund?”

“There’s been a delay in our wedding plans. I might be having second thoughts. So I decided I’d come to see Cassie. And you. You were always good at calming me down.”

Something was up with her, and Jace was going to find out what it was. First stop was to visit his lawyer, Paige Keenan Larkin. No one was taking Cassie away from him.

That afternoon, Lori went into her office at the bank. She had to do something to keep her mind off what had happened at the cabin. She also had to think realistically. She couldn’t hold out hope about having a future with Jace. His ex-wife showing up in Destiny proved that.

The most important thing she had to remember was that a child was in the middle of this mess. That meant Cassie’s welfare had to come first. She had to stay away from Jace Yeager.

A sudden knock brought her back to the present. “Come in.”

Jace walked into her office and her breath caught in her throat. Would she ever stop reacting to this man? Her gaze roamed over Jace’s six-foot-two frame, recalling how she’d clung to those broad shoulders.

“Lori.”

“Jace. What are you doing here?”

“I needed to see you.”

Once again she got caught up in his clean-shaven face. Suddenly the memory of his beard stubble moving against her skin caused her to shiver. The sensation had nearly driven her out of her mind.

He closed the door and went to her desk. “I thought we should talk.”

She managed a smile, hoping she was covering her insecurities. “There’s no need to. Cassie’s mother is in town and you need to take care of them. I understand.”

“There’s nothing to understand except I don’t want you caught up in this mess. I have no idea what Shelly is even doing in Destiny. She was supposed to be in England, married and heading off on her honeymoon.”

Lori stood. “Did she give you any explanation?”

“Only that plans change,” he told her as he crossed the room toward her.

Lori wanted to back away, to tell Jace to leave, that being together now could be dangerous. Instead, she rounded the desk and met him in the middle of the room.

It wasn’t planned, but she didn’t turn away when his head descended and his mouth captured hers. She surrendered to his eager assault and returned the kiss, hungry for this man. Finally she came to her senses and broke away. “We shouldn’t be doing this.”

“Are we breaking any laws?”

“But I don’t think Shelly was happy when I walked into the inn with you today.”

“It’s none of her business.”

“Jace, you need to get along with her. At least for Cassie’s sake.”

He pressed his head against hers. “It’s funny. Shelly thinks I’m not worthy of her, but she has this need to interfere in my life.”

Lori sighed. “I’m so sorry, Jace.”

He drew back. “That’s the reason I don’t want you involved in this fight, Lori. Maybe it would be best if we cool it for a while. I have to think about Cassie.”

Lori knew in her head this was the way it had to be, but her heart still ached. She was losing someone she truly cared about. She managed to nod. “Of course. Besides, we both have too much going on to think that far in the future, or at least to make any promises.”

This time he looked surprised.

She moved away from him, or he might see how she truly felt. “Come on, Jace. We work together. Last night we gave in to an attraction. It might not have been the wisest thing to do, but it happened.”

He studied her a moment. “Are you saying you regret it?”

“That’s not the point.”

Jace glared at her. The hell it wasn’t. He wanted to reach for her, wanted her to admit more than she was. To tell him how incredible their night was. The worst of it was she couldn’t do it any more than he could. “You’re right.”

She nodded. “Goodbye, Jace.”

That was the last thing he wanted to hear, but he would only hurt her more if he stayed. He nodded and walked toward the door. It was a lot harder than he ever dreamed it would be, but he couldn’t drag Lori into his fight.

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