It worked. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d laughed like that. Amy always made him laugh and smile.
It feels good.
His laughter faded as he remembered seeing Robert and Amy leaving the diner again this afternoon. His cousin seemed to be staking a claim. Was she as interested in Robert as he was in her?
It doesn’t matter.Ben wasn’t interested in Amy. So why had he felt like a drowning man coming up for air when he kissed her?
He cleared his throat. “Okay, I’ll take your money, but please don’t hurt yourself. I’d hate to have you drop Kallie or throw your hip out or something.”
Amy dropped the charade. “Right. We both know I’m not that graceful.”
She may not be very coordinated, but she had plenty of other admirable qualities.Stop it!Ben located a folder on his desk and took out an invoice for the parts for her car.
Amy stepped closer to his desk. “How much was the labor?”
He shrugged. “I don’t remember how much time I spent working on it.”
“Is it just me, or are you like this with all women?” Amy asked, using his words from earlier.
Ben stared at her, his eyes drawn to her lips. His mouth went dry as he remembered their kiss. “L-like what?”
Color flooded her cheeks, and he knew her mind followed the same train of thought as his.
Amy cleared her throat. “If any other woman in town brought her car in for repairs, I bet you’d let her pay parts plus labor.” Her voice rose as she expressed her frustration. “But because you know I was in a difficult position, financially, you’re trying to give me a break by not making me pay my full obligation. I got paid today, and though I can’t afford to pay the full amount right now, I assure you I will pay every penny I owe you.”
He gave plenty of women a break on their car repairs, but he’d never seen one get this feisty for not charging enough.
Ben’s lips curved in admiration. “Fine.” He grabbed a pen and a blank service invoice and began to write. “Robert’s right. You’re cute when you’re riled up.”
Amy let out a dramatic huff and stomped her booted-foot. Judging by the fire in her eyes, it’s a good thing she was holding Kallie, or she might have found something to throw at him.
The scent of Amy’s perfume surrounded Ben as he filled out the invoice. His grip on the pen tightened, and he tried to block out how amazing it felt to hold and kiss her. A palpable tension filled the room.
He dropped his pen and cleared his throat. “Listen, Amy, I’m sorry for... what happened... last night.”
“Ben, it—”
“No, let me finish.” He raised a hand, cutting her off. “I shouldn’t have... attacked you like that.”
“I appreciate the apology, but you hardly attacked me. Besides, it didn’t really mean anything, did it? I mean... we were just caught up in the moment, after the sunset and all...”
Caught up in the moment.Did that mean she enjoyed it as much as he did? She’d definitely responded.
He resisted the urge to stick out his chest as a sense of pride swelled in him.Stop it.
“I thought...” Ben struggled to find the words to explain his behavior as memories of his wife filled his head. “I wanted...” He blew out his breath in a frustrated sigh. He didn’t have an explanation. He’d made a huge mistake. “I don’t know what came over me. You’re right, it didn’t mean anything. It was a mistake. One, I promise won’t happen again. Can we please forget it?”
She gave him an impish smile. “Forget what?”
Ben breathed a sigh of relief, then cringed as a fresh wave of guilt swept over him. Problem was, he wasn’t sure he could forget, nor could he forgive himself as easily. Especially since he wanted a repeat.
* * *
Amy lether gaze roam Ben’s office, trying to find something to focus on besides him.
Being near him raised the temperature in the cramped office, add in the lingering effects of last night’s kiss, and Amy felt the need to fan herself.
A photo on Ben’s desk caught her attention. She stared at the picture of Ben’s daughter—there was so mistaking Cassey’s blue eyes—in a puffy, pink snowsuit.
