A few minutes later, we’re standing in the office of the building department. As usual, Susie is working—and smiling seductively in my direction. Like always, I’m extremely uncomfortable because of it. I place the necessary paperwork on the counter and then take a few steps back, out of Susie’s reach.
Delaney is close enough to me that I can feel her upper body shaking as she laughs under her breath.
“Excuse me a moment, please,” she says, turning away from Susie and me. I’m still close enough to hear her take a few deep breaths, clearly trying to get a hold of herself.
Susie picks up the paperwork and flips through the pages.
“Harrison, can you just clarify this right here for me?”
“What is it?” There’s obvious suspicion in my voice.
“Come here, and I’ll show you.” Susie grins.
Ugh. This is a trick. I know it is. Still, we need to get back to the office, so I move forward and look at where she’s pointing. I make the mistake of placing a hand on the countertop, and Susie is quick to place hers on top of mine.
“Oh, silly me. My mistake. That makes sense now that I’m reading it again.”
“Okay, good. Is everything set? Is there any way to get this one rushed a little bit?”
She hasn’t let go of me, and when I gently try to pull away, her grip tightens.
“Well, you might be in luck. You’re aware Donnie retired, right? We have a new engineer. He’s much faster, among other things, than Donnie was.”
“What does that mean to me today?” I force a smile, knowing that a little sweetness goes a long way with her.
“Just that I can get him to check it today, if you’d like.”
“That would be wonderful. Could you do that?”
She squeezes my hand. “Yeah, I can do that for you.” Without releasing me, she picks up the phone, presses a button, and a few seconds later, she’s asking someone, who I assume is the new engineer, to come out and check the plan. Bingo.
At this point, Delaney has pulled herself together and leans up against the counter, close to Susie and me, smirking like a kid who knows something no one else does. She repeatedly glances down at my captive hand, then meets my eyes and wiggles her eyebrows.
My situation with Susie amuses her. But not me.
What’s probably only a minute later—but feels like an hour—a deep voice resonates from behind us.
“Good afternoon. I’m James, the new civil engineer.”
Delaney and I both turn at the same time, and I use it as an opportunity to tug my hand from Susie’s. Delaney instantly straightens up.
I was expecting a balding man with remnants of lunch on his short-sleeved, button-up shirt because Donnie was like that. Instead, there’s a man who is probably a few years younger than me standing in front of us. I’m a guy, but I can’t deny he’s damn good-looking. Great.
He shakes my hand, then turns his attention to Delaney.
“Now, I grew up here, and I’m one hundred percent sure I would remember you if you did. Are you new in town?”
He shakes Delaney’s hand, but instead of letting go immediately, he adds his other hand and holds onto hers with both of his. It irks me, especially because she’s staring up at him with wide eyes and a slightly open mouth. I want to slip a finger under her chin and press until those pretty lips touch. He doesn’t get to see her with that sexy mouth of hers looking so damn inviting.No oneelse does.
I reach over to pull Delaney closer to my side, but I stop myself. That would look weird.
“Iamnew in town. Just a few months, actually.”
The man is tall, just about my height, with wavy hair—a full head of it, slightly messy. It’s a look women seem to love these days. He smiles at her, and he has dimples.Freaking dimples. He’s wearing dress pants and a button-up shirt with a tie. No food on his shirt, either. I don’t like him already.
“Have you had a chance to explore much? Maybe the National Park? Or how about our pizza place? If you haven’t been to our pizza place, you need to go. It’s great.”
“No, with work and Mo—” Delaney interrupts herself, and the tension around her eyes in this moment implies whatever she was about to say is something that makes her sad or stressed. My chest constricts at the thought. “I haven’t had a chance to explore much. But I’d like to...”
