Chasing the Runaway Bride by Susan Meier Page B

rose slowly to meet his. “You mean like how we both shouldn’t have to be at the store at the same time?”
    He laughed. Wow, no subtlety to this woman. “You don’t like working with me? I’m crushed.”
    “It’s not that.”
    His laugh was smooth and easy. “Oh, I know exactly what it is.” He inched closer. Feigning innocence, he egged her on. “It’s the whole feud thing.”
    She edged away. “It’s not that either. It’s more about efficiency.”
    “Right.”
    She boldly caught his gaze. “I mean it. No store needs two managers in-house at the same time.”
    He slid down the desk again, angling his legs next to hers, almost touching but not quite. “What if we get a delivery?”
    She swallowed hard. “Huh?”
    The devil currently residing where his common sense should be laughed with glee. She was so attracted to him that she was silly with it. Like a teenager. Almost as if she’d never really been attracted to a man before. If she wasn’t the sworn enemy of his family, he could have her blouse off in one good, wet kiss.
    “You know…” He nudged her shoe with the toe of his. “You weren’t this eager to get away from me on Saturday.”
    That seemed to bring her back to reality, and she laughed. “Yes I was.”
    “Maybe after you figured out who I was. But before that…if I remember correctly, we talked about a stripper pole.”
    “Temporary lapse of sanity.”
    He chuckled. “Right. You keep telling yourself that.”
    She rose so she was standing in front of him. “What’s the matter? Can’t handle dealing with a woman who doesn’t find you irresistible?”
    With her delectable body inches away, it was hard to keep his hands at his sides. He wrapped them around the edge of the desk. “Oh, you find me irresistible. You might be able to tough talk your way through this, but it won’t make what you feel go away.”
    “What I feel is stupid.”
    He frowned. “Really? ’Cause to me it feels like nothing but fun.”
    She snorted. “Maybe that’s why you’re the Donovan who got stuck running the store.”
    “What?”
    “Maybe if you thought about more than fun, your grandfather wouldn’t have exiled you here. Devon’s a lawyer. Finn’s the most successful small-business owner in Harmony Hills, and you…” She tapped her chin. “What is it you do? Aren’t you a cowboy or something?”
    “I’m a ranch foreman.” He rose, putting them toe-to-toe. “And as soon as my work here is done, I’m buying the Double K.”
    Her eyes widened. “Oh. That’s great.”
    Her instant reaction made him chuckle. “You’re not really impressed by my job?”
    “Sure I am.”
    He laughed. “Ah, darlin’. You’ve got to learn to watch your eyes. You cannot lie as long as your eyes are telling a different story. And right now they’re telling me that you like standing this close.”
    She pushed away from him. “You think you’re so smart. That you know everything.”
    “I can read when a woman’s attracted to me…and maybe scared of it.”
    “Scared because of gossip.”
    His eyebrows rose. No denial of the attraction? She just didn’t like gossip?
    “We’re enemies, Cade. We shouldn’t even be able to run this store together, but we have to. If you think I’m going to risk my reputation for a cute guy, you’re crazy.”
    She turned and marched to the door, but when she caught the handle, she blew her breath out on a sigh and faced him. “I honestly believe we shouldn’t work the same shifts. And not because of this stupid attraction. Because it’s a waste of both of our time. Do you agree?”
    He pushed away from the desk. “Whatever you want is fine.”
    “No. I think we should make decisions equally.”
    The softness of her voice seeped into his blood. No matter what their status, she was a beautiful, sexy, very feminine woman. No matter what town they were in, he would want to sleep with her.
    And right at this minute, with the scent of her shampoo riding the air, her