“Maybe.” He pinches his thumb and forefinger a tiny bit apart. Then he sags. “Fine. You caught me. I might have a small issue with incompetence, so I brushed up on learning everything I could before today.”
That’s … well, it proves this morning wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision. My mouth goes oddly dry at the thought, and I scramble to find some way to tease him over it, but I’ve got nothing.
Ford chuckles. “You’ve got some dirt …” He lifts a hand but freezes right before he makes contact with my face. I don’t pull back, oddly on edge as I wait to see what he does. Neither of us breaks eye contact as Ford’s large, warm hand rests along my jaw and his rough thumb rubs my cheekbone.
“There … all gone.”
“Thanks.”
He doesn’t move for another second or two, and then his fingers skim my skin as he releases me.
I clear my throat and turn to check if I need to move some flowers around, anything to get a bit of space from him and that overpowering presence he has.
“At this rate, I’m going to have to pay you double.”
He snorts. “I’m not taking your money.”
“But you’re working. I’m not letting you do it for free.”
“I told you, this is my boredom cure. An interesting way for me to spend my Sunday.”
“I can’t let you help me without being paid.”
“I’m not here for a paycheck. I don’t need it.”
“Then what are you—”
The look Ford throws my way cuts me off. “Don’t insult both of our intelligence by asking that question.”
And as much as I love the implication that he only wants to spend time with me, I need to be clear about something first.
“I … I really like you, and I don’t want you getting the wrong idea,” I say in a rush.
“So you’ve said. You never had friends before, Orson? Sometimes people just like to hang out with people.”
“Well, that makes sense considering I like to hang out with you.”
Ford holds out his hands. “See? I’m doing us both a favor by being here. You’re welcome.”
“In that case, I’ll take one for the team too. Dinner after this. My treat. I won’t even make you eat your words about last time.”
“I’d love that.” His sincerity catches me off guard. “Another date. Careful, Orson. You’ll be falling for me before long.”
Damn, the big idiot makes me laugh. “I’ll try to control myself.”
“Wish you wouldn’t.” He winks. “It’d be far more fun for both of us that way.”
For the first time, those words give me pause.AmI controlling myself around him? The thought of walking up to Ford and kissing him is … I shake the image out of my head, but it bobs back to the surface. I’m not sure exactly what I’m feeling other than a weird mix of discomfort and curiosity, but I can’t deny the way my pulse spikes over the image.
My friends kissing other men doesn’t even register with me. Beau and Payne are together all the time, and I’ve seen Art hook up with way more men than I’ve ever wanted to, but I don’t give those things a second thought. It’s like when Keller hooks up with women.
It’s a nonevent.
But plantingmyselfin the image with another man is where things get murky.
Especially when that man is Ford.
I can deny my interest all I like, but there’s definitely some kind of chemistry between us. I’m drawn to him. Want to be around him.