I sit on a stool across from her. “We’re gonna get along just fine as roommates.”
She cringes. “I feel like I’m taking over your space.”
“A tiny thing like you? Nonsense.”
“You’re not just saying that? I mean, I’m intruding on your bachelor pad.”
Sunshiny Harley just left the room and she’s replaced with an insecure woman.
I hold her worried gaze. “I’m a straight shooter in everything I do. If I didn’t want you here, you wouldn’t be here.”
“Okay.” She offers a small nod.
I reach for a spoon and offer it to her. “Dig in.”
She grabs it and drops it on the countertop. She uses both hands to unscrew the lid of her jar.
Damn, I should’ve done that for her.
She sticks the spoon inside, scooping up the mixture. She slides the spoon into her mouth and lets out a groan I feel all the way down to my balls.
I adjust myself in my seat.
“Oh, wow.” Her green eyes are huge. “I’m going to gain weight living under your roof.”
Even though she’s lost a lot of weight since I last saw her, she’s still stunning. But that curvy little body in that yellow dress in the Hamptons… she was breathtaking.
I unscrew the lid of my jar and dig in.
Harley finishes in record time.
“You’re ready for coffee now?”
“I’m going to take a minute to allow the pistachio cream to linger in my mouth.”
I shake off the thought of something else that’s creamy lingering in her mouth.
“Let’s discuss what’s on the calendar for today,” I say.
“I don’t have anything on my calendar because I haven’t started my new job yet, but I’m all ears.”
Sassy little one.“I’m not going to go into the office,” I say. “I’m going to stay close by and work downstairs. I have a lot of catching up to do. Yesterday, I didn’t get any work done?—”
“It’s all my fault?—”
“Harley.”
“Okay, okay, I didn’t put a gun to your head and force you to do anything you didn’t want to.”
“Now that we have that settled, may I continue?”
She winces. “Sorry for interrupting you.”
“You may want to go out and explore the neighborhood. Later this afternoon, it would be great for us to talk about your position.”
She offers an enthusiastic nod. “Going out for a walk sounds like a good idea. And no problem about talking later about the position.”
“One thing I’d like to talk about this morning is the Active Kids charity event gala that’s taking place in two days. It’s the most important charity dedicated to ensuring children from low-income families in communities that are struggling to make ends meet remain active through sports in all five boroughs.The majority of the donation goes to offering grants to cover registration fees and buying new gear for sports that require equipment.”
