Playing With Trouble (Desire Bay 1)

She cleared her throat and clutched tighter the drafts of ideas she’d drawn up the night before. It was the only thing that had kept her sane and off the Jacob sex topic.

“Good morning,” she tried again, bypassing the whole stop looking sexy thing. Smooth. Really smooth. “Clearly, I woke you, and I apologize for the inconvenience.”

Okay, her voice was better. Professional. So far, so good.

“You didn’t wake me,” he said with a grin.

She kept her train of thought as consistent as she could—but then he shifted his stance, making the thin gray material of his pants cling a little more in the right place, and suddenly her mind was in the gutter again. Oh, she knew exactly how well that man could move those hips. Especially when he was inside her—

“Stop,” she whispered again. Thankfully, this time it was so quiet Jacob couldn’t hear it. Not like she needed to give him a reason to think her crazy. She was already talking to herself. Wait . . . maybe she was crazy. No, just sleep deprived, surely. That’s why she had a hard time thinking of much more than Jacob’s body, or his mouth.

What was she doing again? Oh, right! Being assertive and running a business.

“I need the key for the floral shop,” she announced proudly.

He took a sip of his coffee and eyed her. “It’s Saturday.”

“Yes, I can read a calendar. However, it is my shop, and I’ve decided to go in today and revive it.”

“That right?” he said, amused. “Well, I think that’s great, Laura.”

She frowned. He was being nice to her. “You do?”

“Of course I do. It is your shop, as you said.”

“Okay . . . thank you.”

He nodded. Why was he trying to be nice to her?

“It’s a shop of empty coolers. But don’t worry, it’ll look like a floral shop in no time. I think I can handle it.”

“I’m sure you can. And I’ll stick to the warehouse.”

Ah, now she understood. He wanted to remind her that they were separate. Which Laura didn’t agree with. The business was a business as a whole. And she wanted to be a part of it. Even the parts—like the warehouse—she didn’t understand.

But the way Jake looked at her got her caught up. She could get lost in those ice-blue eyes.

No, she couldn’t.

“The key?” she asked again.

When he turned to reach for the small table by the entrance, that impressive chest stretched farther, and good Lord, the man had muscles she hadn’t thought existed on a body.

“Best of luck to you,” he said and dropped the single silver key into her open palm.

“No luck required. I have skills—”

“I’m aware,” he said with a wink. He was not helping her plan of being indifferent. Because every breath he took just made all that mocha skin flex a little more over those impressive pecs.

“Stop flirting with me,” she said. “I’m trying to discuss business.”

He raised his brows. “Well, then by all means. I’d love to talk business with you. Your shop versus my warehouse?”

“No,” she said between gritted teeth. “I have some solid ideas of how to incorporate more business toward the floral shop.” She patted her legal pad with pride. “While learning more about the warehouse and how it can play a part.”

He glanced at said paper.

“So you were up all night fantasizing about something that isn’t going to happen?” he said and looked her up and down with a heated gaze.