“Get a room!” Emily yelled at them. Considering all the timesshe’d had to holler that very phrase at one BKI couple or another, she considered getting it stamped on her forehead.
“Good idea.” Boss grabbed Becky’s hand and led her down the stairs, presumably headed outside to the foreman’s cottage they called home.
Emily regretted telling Boss and Becky to skedaddle when she realized that meant she and Christian were alone. Suddenly, all she couldsee was him smiling that smile at her. All she could feel was his warmth pressed along her side. All she could smell was his earthy-sweet cologne.
Gah!Why did he have to be so stinking tempting? So stinking sexy? So stinking…everything wonderful?
Bottom line, the man was the stuff of romance novels. Too bad she wasn’t cut from the same cloth. Happily ever afters didn’t really exist inthe Scott family.
“Come with me.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her to a stand.
“What?” She frowned at him. “Where?”
“Downstairs. I want you to make me an old-fashioned and then come sit with me outside. It’s a gorgeous night.”
Emily glanced through the huge, two-story leaded-glass windows and saw that it did, indeed, look lovely outside. All that remained of the day was a softpink smudge against the western horizon. To the east, the city lights were twinkling to life.
Everything in her wanted to take him up on his offer, which is why she said, “I’ve got work to do. Besides, my old-fashioneds aren’t that good.”
“Come on,” he cajoled, giving her hand a tug. “Everyone else has buggered off for the day. You can too. And you know you make the best old-fashionedsnorth of the Mason-Dixon Line. Don’t hide your light under a bushel.”
When she searched his eyes, they said all kinds of things she couldn’t pin down. But the one thing shecouldread clearly was:This is nonnegotiable. Boss wasn’t the only one who could be implacable once he’d made a decision.
“Fine. One drink. But then Ihaveto get some work done. And wipe that self-satisfied look offyour face”—she pointed at his grinning mouth; histemptingmouth—“or I might just change my mind.”
