Love Loyal and True (Must Love Diamonds 2)

The chimes that announced a customer’s entrance mixed with the musical notes of a set of wind chimes Roxanna lifted toward a hook on one of her displays. She shot an absent glance over her shoulder as she said, “Sorry, but it’s closing—oh.”

Her surprised gasp was punctuated by the discordant clanging of metal as the chimes fell from her hand. Her gaze held his for a heart-stopping moment, then she quickly stooped to pick up the fallen merchandise.

Loyal flipped the Open sign to Closed, turned the lock, and slowly wound through the shop displays toward her.

“Hi,” he said.

She hung up the chimes before moving to the register counter, her dark brows furrowed with her sideways glance. “What are you doing here?”

The breathless tone of her voice sparked hot, vivid, replay snippets of the stables, and sent blood rushing below the waistband of his khakis. She was wearing that earth-toned skirt from last weekend, the one that covered her from waist to ankle. Thing was, now that he knew what she hid underneath, he wanted to sit her up on that counter, lift the material to her waist, and bury himself in her heat. Then he’d take her upstairs so he could take his time and taste every inch of her body while she breathed his name over and over.

Shit. Now he was hard again. And, unfortunately, the moment he’d entered the shop, he realized “let’s do it a few more times until this thing between us fizzles out” wasn’t really a plan after all.

Honor?

??s comment had come back to plague him the past couple of days. Had Roxanna really been upset when she left the other night, and if so, why?

She moved to stand behind the register and shot him quick little glances as he stopped with the counter between them. Something akin to relief flickered across her expression.

He narrowed his gaze at that glimpse of emotion. Is that why she’d been upset—was she afraid of him? The idea that she might be turned his stomach. He hadn’t done anything to frighten her, had he?

“Did you hire a new accountant yet?”

Her head jerked up, and she gaped at him. “What? How did you know I—”

“That night you were drunk. You complained your accountant got married and left, and now your numbers don’t add up.”

Color infused her cheeks. “Oh.”

He pulled a newly printed card from his pocket and held it out to her. “If you haven’t hired someone yet, I’d like to offer my services.”

She stared at the charcoal, gold-foil embossed card as if he were handing her a snake. Or maybe a rat, because maybe she liked snakes. He suddenly wanted to discover everything she liked and didn’t like.

She huffed out a breath as she lifted her anxious gaze to his to repeat, “Seriously, what do you want?”

I want you to say my name again.

He wiggled the card between his thumb and forefinger, and finally she reached to swipe it from his grasp. That tiny glimpse of her usual salty self eased some of his tension. Her lashes lowered as she stared at his name and credentials stamped in gold foil on the dark card. But then he noticed her shoot him another glance from beneath her lashes. When her gaze lingered below his chin, and the tip of her pink tongue darted out to wet her lips, he relaxed even more.

Not afraid. Aware.

And, maybe afraid of what he made her feel. She’d left so fast the other night, but was it possible she still wanted him as much as he wanted her? Was once not enough for her either?

God, I hope not.

He shifted his stance, and she quickly focused her gaze on the card in her hand again. “Are you actually being serious right now?”

“I’m always serious when it comes to numbers, Roxanna.”

He let his voice drop a notch lower when he said her name, and noticed her hand tremble in reaction. When she lowered her arms to clasp her hands behind her back, the move pushed her small breasts against her snug, long-sleeved, black shirt.

Loyal’s breath caught in his throat as his blood rushed below his belt buckle yet again.

Holy shit. This was not normal. He was about three seconds away from vaulting over the counter to get to her.

“Have you hired anyone yet?” he asked with a hint of impatience.

She shook her head.