But they both knew this casual stuff was a way to diffuse the shocking intensity of what had just happened.
“I... I... have to go,” she said. She was already backing away. “My other job... the Misty Cat... afternoon shift... have to get to it...”
“Sure,” he said lightly. “You want to leave the key? I’ll lock up.”
She fished it out of her pocket and handed it over to him, and even though they’d been naked savage lovers a moment ago, the feel of his big hot hand against hers as she handed him the key made her blush all over again. And their hands lingered.
“I’ll see you, Britt,” he said softly.
And she left.
Quickly.
She did have somewhere to be. Though in truth she was kind of running away.
At least she left backward.
And she walked backward for as long as she could, so she could see his smile until she got into her car.
CHAPTER10
Oh my God oh my God oh my God oh my God.
A hosanna, a prayer, three useful little words that could be used to express anything huge and inexpressible. They were a song in her head as she drove down the hill again.
Then she turned the radio up, because the universe knew the perfect Led Zeppelin song for this moment and here it was, all about levees breaking, replete with thundering drums and squealing harmonicas.
It was safe to say the levee had broken. And how.
She supposed there was a chance her incredible glow of self-satisfaction and well-being that might fade into shame and self-recrimination when she pictured herself spread-eagled on a big wooden table with J. T.’s face over her, intent, shining with sweat...
Nope. Nope. Nope. That wasn’t shame she felt.
Shame might kick in later.
But for now it was a fresh, new, great unfettered wave of undammed lust and she needed to get a grip or she’d drive her car off the road.
She had just turned onto the road that led to town when her phone rang. Mozart.
She fumbled with her Bluetooth and shouted over her noisy air conditioner.
“Hi Gary!”
“Mr. McCord just called. He’s not going to rent that place.”
Huh.
But Gary’s voice was vibrating with glee, so she waited for the rest.
“No. He’s going to buy it. He’s going to have his accountant wire the money to us this afternoon. His accountant! Wire it! Has anyone with an accountant ever wired anything to me? No. No, they have not. He wants to take possession of that place today! You’re a genius, Britt. I always said that house had great bones.”
She was stunned silent.
“I’ll shoot you over a little bonus, Britt. Maybe I’ll even wire it. Enough so that you can buy a shiny new rope to hold your car door shut.”
“Ha ha.”
“Whatever you did to sell him on it, keep doing it.”
