anxious to get back home, so I’l do the best I can.”
“Take your time!” When she drew back in surprise at his vehemence, he added, “I wouldn’t want you to push yourself, and I could use a few days of rest and relaxation anyway.”
She laughed, a rich, sweet-sounding noise. “You certainly came to the right place for R and R, Mr. Bentley. You won’t have any trouble finding absolutely nothing to do in Mudvil e.”
She took his breath away. It scared and thril ed him at the same time. “Ian.”
Her smile wavered. “Pardon me?”
“Cal me Ian.”
Her gaze darted away, then back. “Okay…Ian. C-cal me Piper.” She swung her foot to the ground and rose awkwardly, then extended her hand. “I’l meet you back here tomorrow afternoon…Ian. We’l have more to discuss at that time.”
A clear dismissal…exactly what he needed. But the disappointment he felt shook him. The ring on his left hand scraped against the table as he pushed himself to his feet,
squeezing his finger painful y. With his good hand, he reached across and shook hers, resisting the urge to pul her toward him. “Don’t put in any overtime on my account, Piper.”
Her pointed chin came up. For a second, he thought he’d hit a nerve, then she smiled. “Blythe wants your business, sir, and so do I.”
IAN STOPPED by Edmund’s office to thank him for the tour, then exited the building and exhaled noisily. What a morning…and what a woman. He felt strangely drained and exhilarated at the same time—he couldn’t remember a similar experience. It must be the altitude or the humidity or something environmental, he decided. Indeed, the rain had moved on, taking the clouds, but leaving a blanket of the most cloying humidity Ian had ever endured—and it was barely midmorning.
He loosened his tie, snagging the expensive silk with the increasingly irritating ring. Biting back a curse, he yanked the tie out of his shirt col ar and stuffed it in a pocket, then slung his jacket over his shoulder. He fingered the heavy gold band and removed fuzz and fibers from the prongs of the setting, which had accumulated from getting caught on every fabric surface he came in contact with.
Frustrated anew at the way it weighed down his hand, he tried to twist the ring into a more comfortable position, but he could barely move it. Damn, it was tight! How on earth did one get used to wearing such an encumbrance? A frown pul ed at his mouth. Of course, getting used to the ring was undoubtedly a negligible exercise compared to getting used to having a woman around permanently. Day in, and day out. Night after night, year after year, decade after decade…
Ian shivered in the Southern heat and shook off the disturbing line of thought. He had the rest of the day free, and intended to relax. Chicago, Meredith and his decision to accept or reject her proposal were far, far away.
Retracing his steps through the parking lot, he chuckled, remembering the morning’s events. Piper Shepherd had turned out to be the most entertaining person he’d met in a
long time, although he felt relatively sure she wouldn’t take that as a compliment. Thoughts of her gamin good looks and slim figure taunted him, but this had happened to him once before. Ten years ago a woman he’d been dating had suddenly pressed him for a commitment. In his immaturity, he’d panicked and picked up the next attractive woman who had
crossed his path, effectively ruining a perfectly good relationship. No, this time he was determined to make up his mind about his future without the distraction of a comely stranger.
He climbed into his rental sports car and headed toward the little motel where he’d registered last night. Funny how one’s attitude affected their perception of day-to-day events.
Last week, being cooped up in a tiny room without cable news or an extra phone jack for his laptop computer would have driven him nuts, but now…now he hadn’t the slightest urge to retrieve
“Take your time!” When she drew back in surprise at his vehemence, he added, “I wouldn’t want you to push yourself, and I could use a few days of rest and relaxation anyway.”
She laughed, a rich, sweet-sounding noise. “You certainly came to the right place for R and R, Mr. Bentley. You won’t have any trouble finding absolutely nothing to do in Mudvil e.”
She took his breath away. It scared and thril ed him at the same time. “Ian.”
Her smile wavered. “Pardon me?”
“Cal me Ian.”
Her gaze darted away, then back. “Okay…Ian. C-cal me Piper.” She swung her foot to the ground and rose awkwardly, then extended her hand. “I’l meet you back here tomorrow afternoon…Ian. We’l have more to discuss at that time.”
A clear dismissal…exactly what he needed. But the disappointment he felt shook him. The ring on his left hand scraped against the table as he pushed himself to his feet,
squeezing his finger painful y. With his good hand, he reached across and shook hers, resisting the urge to pul her toward him. “Don’t put in any overtime on my account, Piper.”
Her pointed chin came up. For a second, he thought he’d hit a nerve, then she smiled. “Blythe wants your business, sir, and so do I.”
IAN STOPPED by Edmund’s office to thank him for the tour, then exited the building and exhaled noisily. What a morning…and what a woman. He felt strangely drained and exhilarated at the same time—he couldn’t remember a similar experience. It must be the altitude or the humidity or something environmental, he decided. Indeed, the rain had moved on, taking the clouds, but leaving a blanket of the most cloying humidity Ian had ever endured—and it was barely midmorning.
He loosened his tie, snagging the expensive silk with the increasingly irritating ring. Biting back a curse, he yanked the tie out of his shirt col ar and stuffed it in a pocket, then slung his jacket over his shoulder. He fingered the heavy gold band and removed fuzz and fibers from the prongs of the setting, which had accumulated from getting caught on every fabric surface he came in contact with.
Frustrated anew at the way it weighed down his hand, he tried to twist the ring into a more comfortable position, but he could barely move it. Damn, it was tight! How on earth did one get used to wearing such an encumbrance? A frown pul ed at his mouth. Of course, getting used to the ring was undoubtedly a negligible exercise compared to getting used to having a woman around permanently. Day in, and day out. Night after night, year after year, decade after decade…
Ian shivered in the Southern heat and shook off the disturbing line of thought. He had the rest of the day free, and intended to relax. Chicago, Meredith and his decision to accept or reject her proposal were far, far away.
Retracing his steps through the parking lot, he chuckled, remembering the morning’s events. Piper Shepherd had turned out to be the most entertaining person he’d met in a
long time, although he felt relatively sure she wouldn’t take that as a compliment. Thoughts of her gamin good looks and slim figure taunted him, but this had happened to him once before. Ten years ago a woman he’d been dating had suddenly pressed him for a commitment. In his immaturity, he’d panicked and picked up the next attractive woman who had
crossed his path, effectively ruining a perfectly good relationship. No, this time he was determined to make up his mind about his future without the distraction of a comely stranger.
He climbed into his rental sports car and headed toward the little motel where he’d registered last night. Funny how one’s attitude affected their perception of day-to-day events.
Last week, being cooped up in a tiny room without cable news or an extra phone jack for his laptop computer would have driven him nuts, but now…now he hadn’t the slightest urge to retrieve
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