Series: Paige Michaels
Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 44664 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 223(@200wpm)___ 179(@250wpm)___ 149(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44664 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 223(@200wpm)___ 179(@250wpm)___ 149(@300wpm)
“Tracy doesn’t like anything clingy, so let’s take that one out,” Anton said, pointing at a slim-fitted shirt.
Gemma agreed completely with his assessment. Tracy seemed to prefer to be comfortable in her clothing.
“The deep V isn’t good in that one. Tracy will spend all her time yanking that up,” Anton commented, eliminating a second one.
They looked at the two remaining shirts. They were both nice—both totally Tracy’s style. Gemma was flipping a coin in her head to suggest which one he should choose when Anton surprised her.
“Tracy loves this shade and looks so good in it. I’ll just buy both. Are these her size?” he asked.
“Yes. These should both fit Tracy perfectly. I’ll leave the tags on and she can return or exchange them if she needs to,” Gemma offered.
“She won’t,” Anton responded.
“No, she won’t. You picked the two I would have chosen for her. You know your sister’s taste.”
“We’ve always been close. She’s busy now with her family, but we still get together at least once a month.”
“That’s amazing. Most families aren’t that close when everyone grows up,” Gemma commented as she carried the shirts to the counter.
Her mind whirled inside her head. Damn! He seemed to have it all. Devastating good looks, cared for his family, and nice. He was really nice. She forced herself back into professional shopkeeper mode and quickly rang up the purchases and charged his credit card.
“Can I wrap these for you?”
“Please. I absolutely never have mastered holding the paper in place as I rip that darn tape off,” Anton confessed.
Before she thought about what she was saying, “I’m glad you have some flaws,” popped out of her mouth. Gemma watched his eyebrow rise, and she replayed that statement in her mind.
“I meant...” She struggled with how to get herself out of the hole she’d dug for herself implying that he seemed perfect.
“Tell me about yourself, Gemma. Are you married?”
“No. I had someone special in my life, but that time is over,” she said. His change of topic threw her off balance, and she was more honest than she would normally have been with a customer.
“I’m sorry, Gemma. I don’t suppose you would take pity on a guy going to a family event alone and go to Tracy’s birthday party with me.”
“Oh, to save you from a million questions?” she said with a laugh as she folded the shirts into boxes.
“No. To save me from being alone and wondering just how Little you are,” he said softly.
“Little?” She panicked inside. She wasn’t acting Little. How did he know? Quickly, she picked up scissors to cut the paper. “Ouch!”
In a flash, he was around the counter and held her hand up for inspection. “It’s red. I bet that hurt. Thank goodness, you didn’t cut yourself.”
“I’m just klutzy. It’s okay,” she said, quietly absorbing the allure of having him close and holding her hand.
“Let’s see if this helps.” He lifted her finger to his lips and kissed it.
Startled, her gaze rose from her injury to meet his. “Did you just kiss me?”
“I kissed your booboo. That’s always the best medicine. You can tell me to back off, Little girl, if I’m reading you wrong.” Anton’s deep voice seemed to resonate inside her.
She stared at him as her brain struggled to function. Gemma whispered, “How did you know?”
“Small things: the bows on your shoes, the adorable clothes on the mannequins, the stickers on the calendar, and the wasp hiding by the cash register.”
“Buzzy is a bumblebee,” she blurted before saying, “Oops!” when he smiled fondly at her.
“I would very much like to meet Buzzy.”
“He’s—napping.”
The merriment reached his blue eyes, making them sparkle. How could he get more attractive?
“I will wait until another day to meet Buzzy,” he assured her. “How’s your injury?”
“What injury?” she asked.
“Perfect. Are you able to wrap Tracy’s present for me?”
“Oh, yes.”
She needed some distance from him to concentrate. He made her brain all wacky. “You’ll have to move to the other side of the counter, please, so I can work.”
“Got it. This is an employee-only zone.”
Working slower than she usually did, Gemma kept it together to get the packages wrapped for him. She slid them across the counter for him. “There you go. Is there anything else you need today?”
“An answer,” he reminded her.
Totally blank, she stared at him.
“Will you come to Tracy’s birthday party with me? I’d like to get to know you better, and you’ll meet my family to know I’m a good guy.”
“When is it?” Gemma asked the first question that came to mind.
“Tomorrow evening at seven.”
“Oh, I don’t close until seven. I won’t be able to make it,” Gemma said, wiggling out of the invitation.
“If you don’t want to spend time with me, be honest. If you’re brave and you’ll take a chance, I’ll be glad to pick you up a bit after seven so you can close up, and I’ll let Tracy know we’ll be late.”