Chapter Fifteen
At work the next morning, Aria couldn’t stop smiling. Two weeks ago, she wouldn’t have believed a simple dinner date with Reece would turn personal so quickly and brought with it the closure she sought for so long. A sense of relief washed over her body, mind, and soul.
“Hi.”
She glanced up from her paperwork to find Reece dropping into a chair on the other side of her desk. “Hi.”
“These are for you.” Reece presented her with the biggest bouquet she’d seen in a long time accompanied by a smile just as huge.
“Flowers?” Aria grinned. “You do know flowers are outdated, right?”
He uttered a throaty laugh. “Babe, where you’re concerned, nothin’s outdated. Quit making my life difficult and say thank you, will you?” He scowled.
Aria chuckled. “Thank you.” She sniffed the flowers and set the bouquet down on the credenza next to her table. “Gorgeous.”
“A kiss will convince me you think so.” He wiggled his brows playfully.
“Manipulate the moment, why don’t you.”
“Can’t blame a man for tryin’.” Reece chuckled. “Reckon I’d try my luck before I left.”
“You’re leaving?” The sudden divulgence caught her by surprise. Unbelievable. Although she fought the attraction, the idea of him leaving made her insides churn.
“Oh, you’re not gettin’ rid of me that easily.” He straightened in his seat and interrupted her train of thought. “I’m off to see the sights.” At her confused look, he shrugged. “Darryl’s heading out to Jackson for parts. He asked me to go with him. Two of the cutting saws are on the blink.” Reece referred to one of the yard engineers. “Reckon I’d kill two birds and check out the city. Join me?”
Aria snagged the hopeful look in his gaze, smiled, and shook her head. “Another time, maybe. Given your playboy status, I’m sure you’ll hook up with some pretty woman. Perhaps a married one,” she teased with a chuckle. He laughed, and despite his mirth, Aria swore his eyes told a different story. A strange promise, something bordering on warmth. He stood, and she quickly shoved aside her deliberations.
Reece moved. His palms flat on her table, he leaned forward. “The only woman I want is currently beyond my reach,” with each whispered word he drew closer. “But I assure you it’s a mountain I intend scaling even if it comes with the risk of me fallin’.” Barely an inch away, his lips widened in a slow, sensual smile.
Like an awestruck fool, the strange, sexy enigma he created, drew Aria. Heat, torrid, and weighty spread from her toes upward to settle within the core between her thighs. Without thinking, she crossed her legs. Her nipples tightened. The hardened buds thrust against the silky material of her bra, begging to be nipped by those full pink lips now a breath away.Kiss him. All she had to do was lean forward and claim his lips.
“Hey, Reece, ready to go.” Darryl walked in, squashing both her verbal and physical response.
Aria took a deep breath in an attempt to calm the erotic chaos churning within her body. She sat back in her seat. Before Reece turned away, she snagged the distinct taunt in his eyes. The man knew what he’d started. He winked, blew her a kiss, and followed Darryl out. Breathing hard, Aria shook her head in disgust at her wanton behavior. God, she’d met men before, but none had this insane effect on her. She wanted him. As simple as daylight needed the sun, she needed him. His presence, his body, his looks, and the sexy scent he left behind whenever he exited a room, drove her wild.
Her gaze fixed on his retreating frame, Aria bit her lower lip. She reminded herself looks could be deceiving. Pity, her husband had lacked the personality to go with his charming façade. She wondered what layers hid beneath Reece’s gorgeous face and natural smile. He seemed like a man who took each day as it dawned with no thought as to what tomorrow would bring. Idealism, she seriously needed. Where her mind was concerned, she was always thinking. If not about the past, then about the future and what it held for her and Prisha. With a final shake of her head, she turned her attention to the figures in front of her.
****
“SO. YOU AND ARIA?”
Reece glanced away from his study of the landscape outside the plane window and looked at Darryl. “Me and Aria, what?”
The other man shrugged. “You know? A thing?”
“What gave you that idea?”
“The whole yard’s talking about it.”
“That so.” Reece cocked a brow. “There’s nothin’ to talk about.”
“C’ mon, man, I’ve seen the looks between you two. Hot enough to burn down the entire fucking forest we live in.”
Reece laughed. He liked Darryl. Since his arrival, he’d joined Darryl for drinks on several occasions, and there was no bullshitting him. “Honestly, man, I don’t know.”
