He’d have to. Either that, or he’d have to leave a whole lot sooner than he’d planned.
“Sure.” Cody shook his head, chuckling mostly to himself. “This I gotta see. I might just have to stop by the office more often. Just to make sure you’re not crossing a line.”
Carson glared at him. He wondered, not for the first time, what it would be like to be an only child.
“I saw the way you were watching her.” Cody wasn’t finished. “I saw the way she was watching you. You can talk the talk, but you’re going to have a hard time walking the walk, bro. You’re going to have a hard time just walking.”
“Shut up.”
“Look, if it’s too much temptation for you,” Cody kept at it. “I can take her off your hands.”
“No one’s going to take her anywhere.”
“Lighten up, bro. I’m just kidding.”
“There’s something new.”
“Yeah, you want to see how serious I can get?” Cody squared up, ready for a challenge. “I can get just as serious as the next guy. I can get just as serious as you.”
Sure. Why didn’t they just trade places? Cody could take over making sure the bills were paid, the employees got their checks, and the septic tank wasn’t backed up. And Carson would be the one to make Lily laugh. He’d be the one to show her the local sights. He’d be the one to capture her heart.
Chapter 5
“If I’d known you’d be here so early, I would have brought you a cup of coffee.” Carson held the door for her, and she had to tell her heart to settle down. This was a job, not a date. She’d been awake since before dawn. First day jitters and the prospect of spending time with the twins—specifically one of them—had her insides churning like the biggest rapids they’d run yesterday.
“That’s okay, I had two cups already. More than that and I get a little jumpy.” Lily steadied her breathing and followed him into the small office. Maybe she was making a huge mistake by going to work for a man she was clearly attracted to. And then there was Cody. Even though he was over the top, she couldn’t help but like him. Cody was good for her ego. He made her feel pretty and flirtatious and fun.
“I know the feeling.” He was trying to make her feel at ease, but it would work better if he didn’t talk. His voice sent her heart racing like twelve double-shots of espresso.
“This will be your desk.” He indicated the one closest to the door. The other desk was pushed up against it, so they were facing each other. “Technically, Cody and I share the other one, but he rarely comes in here.”
“Great.” She was here to do a job. One she was good at. It felt good to be useful again. While it was nice to feel wanted, it was quite another thing to be needed.
Lily looked around the office. Along one wall, the copier/printer/scanner sat on top of a small metal cabinet. A bookcase and two tall filing cabinets stood on the far side. High windows let in plenty of light, but she’d have to stand on a chair to look outside. She had enough distractions already, she didn’t need a view.
“I’ll be in and out, depending on my trip schedule.” Carson held the chair for her and she plopped down in the seat that was a little low for her comfort.
“Sorry.” Carson pressed the lever to raise the seat. “I have to lower it all the way, otherwise my legs don’t fit.”
Lily’s eyes were drawn to his long, lean, and powerful legs. He had to be at least six-three. Maybe six-four. And solid. His legs were tan and muscular and covered in silky golden hair. She already knew his strength. She owed her life to it.
“I usually like to check in first thing in the morning, even on days I’m not on the river. So the best time to catch me, if you have questions or something, would be before eight-thirty.” He sounded like he was making apologies for not being around all day long. “If I’m not on the river, I stop in throughout the day. But if I’m on a trip you’ll
“Sure.” Cody shook his head, chuckling mostly to himself. “This I gotta see. I might just have to stop by the office more often. Just to make sure you’re not crossing a line.”
Carson glared at him. He wondered, not for the first time, what it would be like to be an only child.
“I saw the way you were watching her.” Cody wasn’t finished. “I saw the way she was watching you. You can talk the talk, but you’re going to have a hard time walking the walk, bro. You’re going to have a hard time just walking.”
“Shut up.”
“Look, if it’s too much temptation for you,” Cody kept at it. “I can take her off your hands.”
“No one’s going to take her anywhere.”
“Lighten up, bro. I’m just kidding.”
“There’s something new.”
“Yeah, you want to see how serious I can get?” Cody squared up, ready for a challenge. “I can get just as serious as the next guy. I can get just as serious as you.”
Sure. Why didn’t they just trade places? Cody could take over making sure the bills were paid, the employees got their checks, and the septic tank wasn’t backed up. And Carson would be the one to make Lily laugh. He’d be the one to show her the local sights. He’d be the one to capture her heart.
Chapter 5
“If I’d known you’d be here so early, I would have brought you a cup of coffee.” Carson held the door for her, and she had to tell her heart to settle down. This was a job, not a date. She’d been awake since before dawn. First day jitters and the prospect of spending time with the twins—specifically one of them—had her insides churning like the biggest rapids they’d run yesterday.
“That’s okay, I had two cups already. More than that and I get a little jumpy.” Lily steadied her breathing and followed him into the small office. Maybe she was making a huge mistake by going to work for a man she was clearly attracted to. And then there was Cody. Even though he was over the top, she couldn’t help but like him. Cody was good for her ego. He made her feel pretty and flirtatious and fun.
“I know the feeling.” He was trying to make her feel at ease, but it would work better if he didn’t talk. His voice sent her heart racing like twelve double-shots of espresso.
“This will be your desk.” He indicated the one closest to the door. The other desk was pushed up against it, so they were facing each other. “Technically, Cody and I share the other one, but he rarely comes in here.”
“Great.” She was here to do a job. One she was good at. It felt good to be useful again. While it was nice to feel wanted, it was quite another thing to be needed.
Lily looked around the office. Along one wall, the copier/printer/scanner sat on top of a small metal cabinet. A bookcase and two tall filing cabinets stood on the far side. High windows let in plenty of light, but she’d have to stand on a chair to look outside. She had enough distractions already, she didn’t need a view.
“I’ll be in and out, depending on my trip schedule.” Carson held the chair for her and she plopped down in the seat that was a little low for her comfort.
“Sorry.” Carson pressed the lever to raise the seat. “I have to lower it all the way, otherwise my legs don’t fit.”
Lily’s eyes were drawn to his long, lean, and powerful legs. He had to be at least six-three. Maybe six-four. And solid. His legs were tan and muscular and covered in silky golden hair. She already knew his strength. She owed her life to it.
“I usually like to check in first thing in the morning, even on days I’m not on the river. So the best time to catch me, if you have questions or something, would be before eight-thirty.” He sounded like he was making apologies for not being around all day long. “If I’m not on the river, I stop in throughout the day. But if I’m on a trip you’ll
Similar Books
