Page 42 of Dealing with Kate

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Once seated at the restaurant, they ordered drinks and perused the menu. “Shall we celebrate?” he asked.

“Let’s not jinx it,” she said. “I have a good feeling about the meeting, but I never count my chickens before they’re hatched. Hey, figure out what you want so we can order when the waiter comes back.” She studied the menu as if a final grade depended on it.

“Yes, ma’am.” He followed her example, and by the time the drinks came, they were ready to order.

“Okay, let’s just drink to a great presentation by a great realtor then.” Adam raised his beer.

“That I will drink to.”

“We can also toast to becoming neighbors, right?” he said. “I got everything you sent me signed online. Don’t we close sometime this week?”

“Today, actually,” she said. “Since you couldn’t be bothered with the final walk-through, I did it over the weekend without you. I already told the listing agent we’d swing by on our way home from the airport tomorrow to pick up the keys.”

“So efficient. I knew I made the right choice hiring you.”

She smiled. “You all set to move?”

“Yeah. I’ve already scheduled the movers for Saturday. That’ll give me a couple days to pack and be ready.”

“Nice.”

“You looked stressed. You did great, Kate. Everything was perfect. If he doesn’t make us a decent offer, he’s an idiot. It’s time to relax.”

“You make that sound easy,” she said.

“When we get back to the hotel, how about I give you a massage? That’ll make you relax.”

“As in a perfectly respectable, agent-client type of massage?”

“That ship has sailed,” he said dryly. “No, I mean like the one-thing-leads-to-another kind. Instead of sweet nothings, I could whisper big words in your ear. Like, flummox or indubitably,” he said in a sultry voice. “Loquacious?”

“Oh, yes. That’s really working,” she said, rolling her eyes.

He crooked a finger at her to come closer, leaned in as far as the table would allow, and, dragging out the word, whispered, “Calisthenics.”

She burst out laughing.

“So, that’s a no, then?” He laughed.

“Ugh, I’m a hot, sticky mess. All I want to do is get out of these clothes.”

“Check,” Adam yelled, throwing his hand in the air to get the waiter’s attention.

She laughed again and kicked him under the table. “I’m going to finish my food first, silly.”

They returned to the hotel and went to their respective rooms to shower off the Texas humidity. He thought he’d given her enough time to clean up, but when he knocked on her door, she answered wearing only a white fluffy robe.

“Should I give you more time?” he offered. She pulled him in, shut and locked the door, and then pushed him up against it, kissing him breathless.Guess not.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Adam and Kate flew back to New Bern on Wednesday afternoon. Kate couldn’t quit talking about the seemingly successful business meeting. And while Adamwasdazzled by her deal-making prowess, he would only remember the hot, steamy night that had nothing to do with the Texas heat.

They’d picked up the keys to his new house on their way back from the airport, and then he’d dropped her off at home before picking up Duke and returning to Jacksonville. It had crossed his mind to talk her into letting him spend the night—it wouldn’t have been too hard to sell—but he needed to get back and start packing. Plus, two nights in a row together might be pushing past fling and into relationship territory, and he didn’t want to send the wrong message.

He wasn’t the type to settle down, but she was exactly that type. And while they’d agreed to a fling, Adam wasn’t sure her heart was in it. Or maybe that her heart wastoointo it, and she might get hurt.

He’d been so intent on getting together that he hadn’t thoroughly thought through the possible consequences. Certainshehad though—probably even made an alphabetized list—he rested easier. If she’d considered the repercussions and gone for it anyway, maybe everything would work out fine. He just hoped this didn’t turn out to be one of those times when his impulsiveness got him into trouble.


Tags: Jamie Arras Romance