“Maybe you need to show him that you aren’t a little girl anymore. Slap him in the face with it,” she suggested.
“How do you mean?” I asked, glancing quickly over my shoulder to make sure everyone, specifically Jasmine, were out of earshot.
“You always look great, classy,” Chloe said, her gaze sweeping over my shorts and tank set. “But to get his attention, you’re going to have to shake it up. Shake him up … Make sure the next time he sees you, he has no choice but to see the woman you’ve become.”
“I don’t know,” I murmured, my eyes darting back out the window where Dillon’s auburn hair was blowing in the breeze and his face was lit up as he talked to Chris, Gabe’s son.
“Just think about it,” she suggested with a grin. “And call me if you decide to do it, I’d love to help sex you up.”
I let out a startled laugh at the thought, and replied, “Okay, Chlo, I will.”
11
Dillon
I was just finishing up with Gabe and Reardon in my office when Carol buzzed to let me know that Laurel had arrived for our final business plan meeting.
The guys had come by to try and convince me to volunteer for the Cherry Springs Fall Festival Bachelor Auction. Proceeds went to the new hospital tha
t was being built, and it was an event that usually brought in thousands of dollars.
Gabe and Reardon had both been auctioned off in the past, but now that they were both spoken for, they were laying the guilt on heavy so I would do it
“You have to represent, man, think of the great PR for Lewis Sporting Good,” Gabe was saying.
“Yeah, and you might get lucky and get someone actually close to your age,” Reardon added, not able to think of anything better to convince me.
When he’d been auctioned, Old Mrs. Dingle had been the one to buy his basket. She was seventy if she was a day, and he’d spent the afternoon cleaning her house, doing routine maintenance, and ended with a foot rub.
No thanks.
“Uh, yeah, I get it’d be good PR, but I don’t really have time…” I began, then lost the ability to speak when Laurel came walking in.
At least, I thought it was Laurel, since that was who I was supposed to be meeting.
She was in all black. A sexy little number that should be reserved for a night out at the club, not a business meeting in the middle of the afternoon. Her hair was mussed, full, falling around her face in waves.
Her legs…
Tanned, toned and long, they were showcased in strappy sandals on thin heels, and barely covered by the silky black material that hit her mid-thigh.
She turned to close the door behind her, and I swear to God, my tongue fell out of my mouth.
Her back…
It was golden. Tanned with no lines, and I knew this, because I could see the whole damn thing. The back consisted of one string that started at the back of her neck and traveled the length of her spine, connecting to the material that hung loosely at her hips.
When she turned, my gaze traveled from the material hugging her body lovingly, up to her beautifully made-up face. Her makeup was smokey, dark liner making her eyes look sultry, and red lips begging to be kissed.
What the fuck is going on?
It barely registered that she’d cleared her throat nervously, and that her lips had opened when she realized that Gabe and Reardon were here with me, and we weren’t alone. But she squared her shoulders and moved toward me, a folder extended in her hands.
“I’m sorry, I only have a moment to drop this off,” Laurel began, her voice wavering a bit. “I forgot I have a prior engagement.”
I reached out to accept the folder, but still couldn’t find my voice.
“Wow, Laurel, you look fantastic,” Gabe said, and I swear I saw him shoot a grin at Reardon over my head.