Love Lessons by Cathryn Fox Page A

skirt. 
    “Are you sure?”  He shrugged and drove his hands into his pockets.  “You just seem a little…out of sorts.”
    She gestured with a quick nod to her computer.  “Working on my strip.”
    His glance went from her to her computer, then back to her again.  He came closer, close enough that she caught his familiar scent.  She squeezed her thighs together. 
    “So you’re telling me you figured it out?” he asked, his voice a bit deeper than moments ago.  “Your Kate knows how to spot love when she sees it?”
    “Not quite.”  She was about to push past him, but he moved with her, blocking her path before she could reach the hall, and when a warm shiver moved through her, she hoped he hadn’t noticed.  She jabbed him in the stomach.  “Move it, or we’ll be late.” 
    “Gracie?” he said as he dipped his head, his mouth so damn close to hers she thought he was going to kiss her again.
    “Yeah?” she asked, suddenly breathless, as her hand itched to go back to his stomach, to explore his hardness. 
    “Will you be my Valentine?”
    “Your…Valentine?” She blinked twice and expected to find him smirking, but instead, he was staring at her without a hint of teasing on his face. “You want me to be your Valentine?” she asked again.
    “Yeah, I do.  Only thing is, we have to celebrate Thursday instead of Friday.”
    She angled her head and did a quick calculation of her days.  “But Valentine’s is Friday.”
    “I know, but that’s the day your strip is due.  So you have to have it all figured out Thursday night.”
    Her heart missed a beat as understanding dawned.  This was about work, and he likely had a real date for Valentines.  “Nate…” she began, although she didn’t have a clue as to what she wanted to say. 
    “The latest you can turn your article in is three am Friday morning, before the paper goes to print, right?”
    “Yeah, which means I should probably spend Thursday night working on it if I want to make my deadline.” 
    “You’ll make it.”
    “Nate—”
    “Just trust me on this, Gracie.”  He moved aside and gave a wave of his hand.  “Now come on before Audrey hands us our asses.”
    She stepped past him and strolled down the hall, feeling very self-conscious with him behind her.  She stole a glance over her shoulder, and when he lifted his head, like he’d been staring at her ass, a sheepish look came over his face.
    “What?” he asked.
    He couldn’t have been?  Could he?
    “Were you…?” She shook her head. “Nothing,” she said and turned her attention to those seated in the boardroom, waiting for them.  She walked inside and grabbed a chair.  Nate dropped down next to her.  
    Audrey shut the door behind them, and all eyes turned to their boss when she sat.  “I’d like everyone to meet Lexi Edmonds.” Audrey waved her hand toward the pretty blonde seated across the table from Grace.  Lexi gave everyone a smile and flipped her hair from her shoulders in a flirtatious way as her glance lingered on Nate.  And why wouldn’t she?  The guy was smart, hot…single. 
    Grace turned to see him and caught the way he was smiling back at Lexi.  When she felt a sharp stab of jealously, her insides clenched.  Oh God, this was so not good.  Nate had dated numerous women since she’d known him, and it had never bothered her before. Okay, that wasn’t entirely true.  It had bothered her, but now that she’d gotten a taste of him, felt his lips on hers, his body so close, she’d be lying if she said she didn’t want him all to herself. 
    “Lexi comes to us from the Halifax Gazette and brings a lot of experience,” Audrey went on to explain.
    Oh, I just bet she does!
    “Nate,” Audrey said.  “I’d like for you to show Lexi around, since you two will be working closely together.”
    “My pleasure,” he said, his gaze going back to Lexi.  
    Sexy Lexi, who clearly wanted to be Nate’s playmate…
    “Grace?”  Audrey