I frowned at the familiar name. “Mr. Briggs?”
Carter smiled, a smooth, bright smirk that hinted at silver-tongued assurances that ended in unkept promises. “Yes, my attorney. Do you know him?”
“Monty’s—Mr. Proffitt’s attorney was named Briggs,” I told him. “What a coincidence.”
“No coincidence at all,” Carter explained, leaning against the doorjamb. “It’s the same person. Mr. Briggs made a point of mentioning that he’d represented the late, great Mr. Proffitt.” His eyes took on a predatory look as his gaze slid along my body from head to foot and back again. His voice dropped, thick with insinuation. “Andyouare…?”
“Not interested.”
My attention shifted over Carter’s shoulder where Whit had come up behind him and was now glaring daggers at the man’s back. Carter, however, only smirked and leisurely turned to face him.
“Whit,” he drawled. “A pleasure.”
“What do you want?” Whit asked, stepping around Carter to stand in front of my door, putting himself between us.
“Well now,” Carter drawled, “youwoundme, Whit. I do not want anything at all except to introduce myself to thislovelywoman. We are neighbors after all.”
“Fine,” Whit snapped. “You’ve done what you came to do. No need to stay.”
Carter’s smile tightened, hostile beneath the charm. “I see you all have plans, so I will excuse myself. I need to go put my grandfather’s affairs in order anyway. You know how it goes, I’m sure, having so recently lost your daddy and all.”
“Best get at it,” Whit said, jerking his head toward the stairwell.
Carter turned back to me and gave a two-finger salute before sauntering away.
“Do you know him?” I asked. “He said he’s Mr. Dean’s grandson.”
“Yes,” Whit said, “I know him. He won’t bother you anymore. I’ll handle it.”
I studied Whit as he stared down the hall after Carter Dean. There was clearly no love lost between them, but there was something more…territorialin the tension.
“He’s not my type,” I assured him. “I prefer tall, dark, and handsome.”
A smile tugged at his mouth, and he gave a short laugh as he turned toward me. But the smile faded, and for a heartbeat I saw a flicker of light in his eyes, something primal and hungry in the way he looked at me.
It sent a shiver through me—part desire, part fear. “What’s wrong?”
“My God, you’re beautiful,” he breathed. He stepped closer and caught my hand, drawing me to him. “I don’t think I’ve told you that lately. I should have. I meant to.”
“Well,” I said, my face growing warmer from the desire I saw in his eyes, “you have now.”
He brushed a soft kiss to my lips then groaned and pressed his forehead to mine. “We should go now,” he murmured, his voice rough. “Otherwise, we might never leave.”
I smiled. “Never leaving sounds tempting. But I didn’t get all dressed up in Merilee’s borrowed clothes just to sit at home.” I took his hand and walked backward toward the elevator, pulling him along with me, lifting my brow in unspoken promise. “Come on, Mr. Proffitt. We can pick up this line of conversation later.”
That hungry look in his eyes bordered on ravenous as we entered the elevator. He pulled me to him, his lips hovering over mine as he whispered, “You’d better believe we will…”
Chapter nineteen
Ileaned my head back against the seat, my eyes closed, savoring the warmth of the evening sun on my face, pleasantly drowsy after an unbelievable meal at a restaurant that made me feel like the most important person in the room—something I’d never experienced until meeting Whit.
“You’re smiling,” Whit said after we’d been driving in contented silence for a while. “I hope that means you enjoyed dinner.”
I opened my eyes and turned toward him, my smile widening. “It was amazing. Thank you. But it was really the company I loved most.”
He brought my hand to his lips for a brief kiss. “Are you ready for your surprise?”
I sat up straighter, wondering what he could possibly have in store. “Absolutely!”
