and sky blue camp shirt as she slipped out the door. She glanced up and down the empty hallway, biting her lip. Her boss wasn’t prone to hallucinations. Someone, Nick or not, must have been there.
She strode down the corridor toward the school’s entrance. The sight of her ex-husband pacing outside the glass doors in jeans and a black polo shirt stole her breath.
Oh, jeez. He really was here. And, damn him, he looked even better than she’d feared.
The slight executive paunch he’d begun to develop before they split up had not only completely disappeared, but he was even leaner now than the day she’d married him. Judging from the bulge in his biceps, his flat-as-a-book stomach, and the way the denim stretched over his muscular thighs, he must have been working out at a gym.
Or in the boudoir, doing push-ups over Bimbo Bethany , the little green monster in her suggested.
Knowing Nick, he would undoubtedly choose the bedroom.
He glanced toward the building and a dazzling smile spread across his sweaty face. The door swung open, and he stepped inside, bringing a gust of heat with him. “Hey, Sammy-Bee.”
For the last two days, the East Coast had been enjoying unusually warm weather for the first week in October. “What are you doing here already, Nick? And why are you standing outside? It must be over eighty degrees out there.”
“You forget I’ve been living in southern California. I told you I’d be home ASAP.” A few strands of silver threaded through his hair now, which only made him look distinguished.
“I didn’t think you meant in less than two weeks. Didn’t you have a lot to finalize?”
“I did. But then Swann’s board of directors came out for the store’s ribbon cutting ceremony. When Ethan and his dad heard about our situation with Dani, Ken offered to stay and wrap things up so I could come right home. You’re looking at the new VP of Sales. The position will involve some travel several times a year but only for a few nights at a time.”
“That’s wonderful.” Swann’s founder and chairman of the board had always treated Nick more like a favorite nephew than an employee. Even though Nick now worked for Ken’s son, Ethan, he still spent several weekends every year fishing with his mentor.
“Bethany wanted to stay in the apartment,” he continued, “so on Tuesday morning, I packed up my car and started driving east.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t bring your sweet young thing with you.”
He hesitated a second. “I told you, Bethany and I are just friends.” His gaze dropped to Sam’s stomach. When she folded her arms over her midriff to hide the weight she’d gained, he blurted, “Please tell me you didn’t let Dr. Adonis knock you up.”
Nice way to poke fun at her flab. Although, after her nasty crack about Bethany, she probably deserved it. “Why would you suggest such an indecent thing?”
He stared at the center of her chest. “Because, the last time the buttons on your blouse strained like that was right after we lost....” The muscles in his throat visibly convulsed and apparently prevented him from finishing his sentence.
Oh, Lord. He hadn’t been insulting her. He’d been genuinely concerned. And now she felt like a total beeyotch. Even so, she couldn’t handle discussing how huge her breasts had grown after they’d lost the baby she’d ached to hold and nurse. Otherwise, she’d never be able to go back to work.
Sucking in a deep breath, she mentally steeled herself. “You’ll be happy to hear I’ve simply put on a few pounds.”
A relieved breath whooshed out of him as he walked around her and spent several moments studying her from the rear. “Well, you’ve put them on in all the right places,” he pronounced, stepping close behind her. Darn him, he smelled good—even with his musky sweat mingling with his aftershave. His breath tickled her ear as he whispered, “You’ve never looked sexier, cariño . Doctors could pass out
She strode down the corridor toward the school’s entrance. The sight of her ex-husband pacing outside the glass doors in jeans and a black polo shirt stole her breath.
Oh, jeez. He really was here. And, damn him, he looked even better than she’d feared.
The slight executive paunch he’d begun to develop before they split up had not only completely disappeared, but he was even leaner now than the day she’d married him. Judging from the bulge in his biceps, his flat-as-a-book stomach, and the way the denim stretched over his muscular thighs, he must have been working out at a gym.
Or in the boudoir, doing push-ups over Bimbo Bethany , the little green monster in her suggested.
Knowing Nick, he would undoubtedly choose the bedroom.
He glanced toward the building and a dazzling smile spread across his sweaty face. The door swung open, and he stepped inside, bringing a gust of heat with him. “Hey, Sammy-Bee.”
For the last two days, the East Coast had been enjoying unusually warm weather for the first week in October. “What are you doing here already, Nick? And why are you standing outside? It must be over eighty degrees out there.”
“You forget I’ve been living in southern California. I told you I’d be home ASAP.” A few strands of silver threaded through his hair now, which only made him look distinguished.
“I didn’t think you meant in less than two weeks. Didn’t you have a lot to finalize?”
“I did. But then Swann’s board of directors came out for the store’s ribbon cutting ceremony. When Ethan and his dad heard about our situation with Dani, Ken offered to stay and wrap things up so I could come right home. You’re looking at the new VP of Sales. The position will involve some travel several times a year but only for a few nights at a time.”
“That’s wonderful.” Swann’s founder and chairman of the board had always treated Nick more like a favorite nephew than an employee. Even though Nick now worked for Ken’s son, Ethan, he still spent several weekends every year fishing with his mentor.
“Bethany wanted to stay in the apartment,” he continued, “so on Tuesday morning, I packed up my car and started driving east.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t bring your sweet young thing with you.”
He hesitated a second. “I told you, Bethany and I are just friends.” His gaze dropped to Sam’s stomach. When she folded her arms over her midriff to hide the weight she’d gained, he blurted, “Please tell me you didn’t let Dr. Adonis knock you up.”
Nice way to poke fun at her flab. Although, after her nasty crack about Bethany, she probably deserved it. “Why would you suggest such an indecent thing?”
He stared at the center of her chest. “Because, the last time the buttons on your blouse strained like that was right after we lost....” The muscles in his throat visibly convulsed and apparently prevented him from finishing his sentence.
Oh, Lord. He hadn’t been insulting her. He’d been genuinely concerned. And now she felt like a total beeyotch. Even so, she couldn’t handle discussing how huge her breasts had grown after they’d lost the baby she’d ached to hold and nurse. Otherwise, she’d never be able to go back to work.
Sucking in a deep breath, she mentally steeled herself. “You’ll be happy to hear I’ve simply put on a few pounds.”
A relieved breath whooshed out of him as he walked around her and spent several moments studying her from the rear. “Well, you’ve put them on in all the right places,” he pronounced, stepping close behind her. Darn him, he smelled good—even with his musky sweat mingling with his aftershave. His breath tickled her ear as he whispered, “You’ve never looked sexier, cariño . Doctors could pass out
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