If we were going to fix the water damage, we'd need to remove all the layers and install a nice tile floor. One that would hold up under any future water damage.
I needed tools for the linoleum, but there was zero chance I was walking through that front room until Angela was fully covered. If I had to offer her my sweatshirt again, I would.
I'd pushed the back door, propping it open with a stopper, relishing the cold air. The wind whipped against my cheeks, cooling my overheated body. I paused at the bed of my truck, remembering that Angela hadn't returned my sweatshirt.
Did she wear it at night to bed without anything else? The thought of her bare under my sweatshirt sent me reeling all over again. I grabbed my crowbar, and moved with determination to the back door.
I kicked out the stopper and lifted the edge of the linoleum. There was no telling how many layers there were to this floor. Most people preferred to keep adding on, rather than to do a proper repair and remove the old. I assumed that was the case here too.
Avoiding the front of the store was self-preservation. I didn't want to walk out and see Angela in more sexy outfits. I mean, I did, but that was a terrible idea. I wouldn't be able to scrub the image of her in that red teddy out of my head.
Ripping out linoleum would keep me busy and my frustration level to a minimum. By the time I reached the subfloor, Angela would be dressed in regular clothes, and I wouldn't be thinking about whether she wore panties to bed under my sweatshirt.
I'd give her an update and get out of here. Then I'd probably go for a nice long run to burn off excess energy. And next time, I'd call before I stopped by. I didn't want to walk in on Angela in lingerie again.
That was a lie. But I kept telling myself that, because a part of me wished that Wynter wasn't here. Then I could arrange Angela on that chaise and have my way with her. The height was perfect for putting her on all fours and taking her from behind. I could see her hanging onto the back while I plunged into her wet heat.
Instead of acting on any of the thoughts running through my head, I peeled back the linoleum, revealing another layer underneath. I'd gotten rid of the first layer and moved onto the second when Wynter appeared in the doorway with an amused expression on her face.
"I'm just cleaning up if you need to inspect the front area." Somehow, she made the word inspect sound suggestive.
My face heated, because all I could think about was inspecting Angela. Would she be wet underneath that scrap of material between her legs? "I'll do that as soon as I'm done here."
"And I'm sorry again. I didn't know that you were stopping by."
I sighed. "Next time, I'll call ahead."
Wynter grinned wider as she sailed back to the front. "I bet you will."
What was that supposed to mean? Did she know what I was thinking about? That seeing Angela on that lounge had done things to me? Things I didn't want to admit out loud to anyone. I was lusting over my new client who happened to be a single mom.
My mom wouldn't be happy that I was reacting to a single mother this way. She would tell me to stay far away. A single mom didn't need to deal with a bachelor like me. They wanted stability.
I needed to keep Angela squarely in the client and tenant box. And I needed to scrub my brain of the vision of her in that red teddy.
CHAPTER 6
ANGELA
Ihadn't expected Hudson to stop by this afternoon. He hadn't been in the store all week, so when Wynter suggested using my space as the backdrop for the photo shoot, I'd readily agreed.
She moved the velvet chaise lounge out of the storage room and set it up in front of a wall I'd decorated with empty white frames.
It was a simple backdrop that she swore would be perfect for the website. I thought I'd stand in most of the pictures with a hand on my hip. But I wasn't a model or a photographer.
Wynter had a vision for the home page that included me posed on the chaise looking every inch the confident boss lady.
I'd seen some of the pictures, and I could see how they would be nice additions to the site. Then we did more basic shots of me in bra-and-panty sets. It was tedious work but necessary if I wanted to sell them online.
Wynter came up with the idea of doing similar poses for each product so that the shop was consistent and customers knew what to expect.
I was hanging up the items we'd used for the photo shoot when I heard Hudson's heavy tread on the wood planks. He paused in the doorway as if he was afraid of what he might see.
"Sorry you had to walk in on that. I didn't know you were coming by." If I had, I certainly wouldn't have scheduled a photo shoot here.
"Are you done with it?"
"You walked in on the image we're using for the home page, which is the most important, at least according to Wynter. Then we took pictures of me in the bra-and-panty sets. That part takes longer because we're doing the same five poses for each. We're not done with those pictures yet."
