Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 56799 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 227(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56799 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 227(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
He walked over, his easy stride yet another attractive thing about him. “Fallon, hi.”
“Hi! This is a nice surprise.”
He glanced around the busy showroom. “But it doesn’t seem like a good time.”
She sighed. “Clara and Sylvie are both out sick. I’m worried about my boss. She’s usually spry and ready to do anything. Meanwhile, I have a party in an hour that I need to set up for, the electrician was late and is now making a mess in the middle of the showroom, and we’re packed with people who seem interested in buying. I’m just one person and—”
He braced his hands on her shoulders. “Breathe.”
She listened and drew in some much-needed air, letting it out again.
“Good. Now, what’s the priority? And no, you can’t say everything.” An almost-smile tugged at his lips.
God, she wanted to kiss him again, she mused, then shook her head. “Setting up for the party.”
He nodded. “Then go. I’ll wrangle things in here.”
She raised her eyebrows, certain she was so surprised, they’d hit the roof. “You can’t—”
He squeezed one shoulder. “I can.”
“You have work!”
He shrugged. “I can take the afternoon off.”
“But the girls?” She tried again to find a reason he couldn’t possibly stay and help, no matter how much she needed the hand.
“Are with my brother, Liam. I promise you, I can help out.”
Her lips parted and he leaned in just as Karl yelled out, “Can someone hang onto the ladder?”
She swung out of Noah’s grasp as he clasped one hand in hers and redirected her toward the painting room. “You go set up. I’ll get him out of here and do what I can to help some of your customers.”
Unable to stop herself, she hugged him tight, inhaling his warm, musky scented cologne. “Thanks, Noah. I owe you one.”
He squeezed her waist and said, “Don’t worry. I plan to collect.”
Thanks to his husky voice and assertive touch, her sex pulsed with need. Not the time, she warned herself, and rushed into the other room, leaving Noah to handle the chaos she left behind.
* * *
Noah had a new admiration for Fallon’s work. His days were spent behind a desk. Hers were on her feet, and he jumped from potential buyer to potential buyer, only able to help the ones who didn’t want a full understanding of the artist behind the sculpture or painting they were interested in.
Still, he sold one, took another’s information so Fallon could make an appointment for them to come back another time, and sent a few women into the painting side for their class. At the end of the day, he walked into the classroom side and saw Fallon was wrapping up the class, so he sat down on a chair in the back and groaned in exhaustion.
What did it say about his feelings for Fallon that he’d skipped an entire half day of his own job to help her out? Before he could muse on that question, she strode into the back and joined him.
“You’re still here! I wouldn’t have blamed you if you locked up the gallery and snuck out while I was busy with the women next door.”
Her soft smile and the gratitude in her voice made his entire day worthwhile. That answered his question. He was falling hard for this woman and it was time to step things up. Other than watching out for the twins’ feelings, he was finished tiptoeing around his own.
“I said I’d stick around and help.”
“And I cannot thank you enough.” She dropped into the seat beside him, letting her shoulders slump and the day’s exhaustion catch up with her. “But you never did say why you walked in here in the first place.”
“Oh, that.”
She laughed. “Yes, that.”
“The girls and I are going to a family birthday party for my mom on Saturday. It’s a casual thing at my parents’ house and we’d like it if you came along.”
Her eyebrows rose high. “Come to your parents’?”
He swallowed a laugh. He’d hoped by using the twins, he’d soften that point and make it less a date when in his mind, it was every bit one. “Like I said, it’s casual and we’d all really like it if you joined us.”
She changed from her relaxed pose, sitting up straighter in her chair and leaning toward him, her gaze focused on his. “Noah, is this a date or bring the woman the twins are currently obsessed with to a fun family gathering, no stress?”
He respected her need for honesty and he could give her no less in return. “It’s a bit of both.” He leaned in closer. “I want to spend time with you. And if you can get past the older guy thing, I want… more.” He couldn’t say what that meant right now other than being with her and seeing where things between them went.