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I closed my eyes, biting back rage. How dare she tell me dating was against the rules when her words were full of innuendo.
“Actually,” Tyler said, “I need to get back to the job site. Henrietta, can you give me a ride? I know Janessa is so busy with work. That’s one of the things I admire about you, J. So dedicated to your role.”
Janessa barely concealed her giddy smile at his compliment and the nickname. “Are you sure? I don’t mind taking some extra time. So Hen can have her day off.”
“It’s on my way,” I offered. “No big deal.”
Before Janessa could argue, Tyler said, “Thanks, Hen. Janessa, thanks for lunch. Hope you have a great day.”
He hurried us out of the office and got into my car so fast, you’d think Janessa was a cheetah on a hunt instead of a thirty-something blonde in middle management.
As soon as we pulled out of the parking lot, he was laughing.
“Your plant needed to come home?” he teased.
I glared at him. “The deck needed looked at?”
He reached across the console and grabbed my hand. “I still feel like I win for getting an extra few minutes with you today.”
Butterfly wings tickled my insides.
“How are you?” he asked, bringing me back down to earth.
“I feel guilty,” I answered honestly. “On one hand, I’m letting down my grandma by going away with my friends, and on the other hand, I’m missing out on my best friend’s wedding week. There’s no winning.”
“I know I just met your family, but I can tell she won’t be alone for even a minute at that hospital.”
A smile touched my lips. “You’re right.”
“So go with your friends and have a good time.” He drew my hand to his lips, making it hard to focus on the road. “Although selfishly, I do wish you could stay so I could take you out before the wedding.”
My cheeks warmed. “I’d like that too.”
He glanced toward the clock. “I do have a few minutes before I have to be back...”
“What did you have in mind?”
31
Tyler
“Pull over up there,” I said, gesturing toward a stand of trees I’d noticed before on my drives to work. As far as I could tell, it was an empty lot, and right now, I couldn’t stop thinking of kissing Henrietta senseless. Of helping her forget her worries for the day, if only for a few stolen moments.
She swiveled the wheel, following the overgrown trail into a space between tall sycamore trees. With the car parked, I could hear the music more clearly. I reached for the keys and twisted them off. “So we don’t start a fire in the grass,” I explained.
Her dark eyes were on me as she nodded, her breasts moving up and down with her breath. It was sexy as hell, especially with the lacy dress she had on over a swimsuit.
I trailed my finger from her shoulder to the spot where her suit began to dip into her cleavage. “I like this.”
Her voice was quiet as she said, “I meant to wear it to the beach.”
“I’d like to see that,” I said, coming closer, pressing my lips to hers.
She softened into my kiss, her hands coming to my head and weaving through the short hair above my neck.
Already turned on, I kissed her cheek, tipped her chin back and kissed along her jaw, her neck, the top of her breasts where they began to swell. She kept her hands in my hair, her breath coming in a gasp as I gently bit down.
“Tyler,” she breathed.