She released the tree and glanced up to meet his eyes. And he was looking right at her. Right into her eyes. As if he was fully present. Not checking her out. Not already getting busy with her in his head. But right there, in the moment, with her. And he looked expectant, as if he were waiting for...something.
Since she was way out of her element, Faith took a step back. “I’m assuming a big, strong man like you can get this itty-bitty tree to your car on your own.” She sidestepped him to cross the patio and unlock the gate. “I’m not in any shape to be throwing trees right now.”
Sexy hefted the twelve-foot Noble fir—one of Faith’s largest and most expensive trees, partially wrapped safely in orange netting—onto his shoulder in one, smooth motion.
Faith’s mouth dropped open. “Well, there’s one for the books. In all the years I’ve been selling trees, I can’t say I’ve ever seen anyone handle one quite like that.”
He sauntered toward her and paused just inside the gate—and inside her personal space. A tingle of awareness that had quickly become familiar spread through Faith again. And before she knew how it had happened, her gaze slipped to his mouth. Her mind to how his lips would feel against hers. It had been so long since she’d kissed a man. So damn long.
Maybe there was something to testing the waters again. Taking the old libido on a spin with someone who rolled out of town as easily as he rolled in. Kissing without commitment? Dating without promises? Sex for sheer pleasure?
“It’s all in the set-up and balance.” His voice, low and soft, dragged her from the luscious thoughts, but the heat in his eyes hinted that his mind was headed a similar direction. “If you’ve got that right, even you could do this.”
That made her laugh, and the alcohol turned it into a giggle. “I don’t think so.”
“I’ll teach you how if you want.” The insinuation in those words quickened Faith’s heart. His low, smooth tone created a heaviness between her legs. “Imagine the reaction of all the tough guys in town when you throw a baby like this on your shoulder and carry it to their car.” His gaze took on a little heat. “Let me take you to dinner, and I’ll share the trick. Maybe I’ll even share a couple more.”
Oh, wow. Everything inside her was yelling, yes, yes, yes.
But she’d had too much common sense ruling her world for far too long for her to simply jump.
She lowered her gaze to his chest and shook her head. “Thanks anyway.”
When his feet didn’t move toward his car, she glanced at his face again. He was looking at her with a little bit of dismay. “You really don’t know who I am, do you?”
She wondered if the alcohol had affected her memory. This time of year, so many family members came to town, so many previous residents returned to visit. Normally, she had a good memory. Remembering was good for business. But…
Her brows lifted. “You’re a Saber.”
“I’m Grant.”
He said it as if it should mean something. Though she had no idea what. “Nice to meet you, Grant. I’m Faith. I’m also beat, and I have another long day ahead of me tomorrow. Say hello to Hazel for me.”
He chuckled as if he found her amusing, lifted his brows and said, “Grant Saber?”
“Yeah. I got that. Grant plus Saber would equal Grant Saber. I haven’t had that much to drink.” And sh
e found the fact that he expected his name to be on the lips of everyone in town both comical and annoying. “Good night, Grant Saber.”
He huffed a sound of humorous dismay and started for the street, but before he passed through the gate, he paused beside her. “Will you let me walk you home?”
That sweet pang tugged inside her again and this back and forth was driving her mad. “I am home.” When Grant frowned and glanced toward the store, Faith added, “I live in the apartment above the store.”
“Ah...” He steadied the tree on his shoulder with one hand and pulled something from his pocket with the other. “Here’s my number. I won’t be in town long, so use it while you can.”
That did it. Now she was ticked.
Faith curled her fingers around the chain link in the gate and ignored his card. With her gaze directly on his, she offered a firm, “No, thank you. Good night.”
“You’re going to want to call me when you figure out who I am.”
“You’re lucky I have alcohol in my system, or I wouldn’t be acting this nice.” That and she was too damned tired to get pissed over his arrogance. “Please leave so I can find my pillow.”
He shot her one of those I’m-so-not-taking-you-seriously grins. With his gaze holding hers, he reached down to slip the card into the back pocket of her jeans. The move brought his lips within inches of hers. His warmth and scent flooded the space around her, and she felt a fundamental shift in her body. One that made her grip the gate harder to keep herself steady. His touch shot a tingle of sensation across her backside.
“When you’re ready,” he murmured, his voice quiet and thick, “call me. For a drink, dinner, dessert. Call me for...anything...you need.” His fingers slipped across her jaw in a whisper. “Sleep tight, angel.”
Then he stepped onto the sidewalk and strode to an SUV at the curb like nothing had happened, while Faith struggled to secure a gate she’d locked at least a thousand times over the years. His “dessert” and “anything” had hit the nerves he’d intended, shivering chords of desire through her belly. The “angel” touched a different place, the same one affected when he’d held her jacket.