by Lori Wilde
6
Casey watched Michael walk away. Figured. Of course he’d leave her with this mess. He’d probably grab his expensive phone and hightail it home. A hotshot executive like him wouldn’t think twice about deserting her.
Exasperated, she continued to sop up water, twisting the sponge roughly over the bucket. After another few minutes passed, she’d still barely made a dent. At this rate, she’d be here most of the night. She heard the front door open again, then footsteps.
For a second, she thought Michael might have come back to help her. Instead, he walked in the opposite direction toward her office and the restrooms. Peachy-keen great. Thank goodness she’d been here tonight so he could get his phone back and use the bathroom.
Casey wiped a weary hand across her forehead, pushing back some stray strands of hair drooping in her eyes. If only Michael had offered to help. She might’ve had a chance at finishing in time to go home and get a few hours of sleep.
“What did you expect?” she muttered, wringing the sponge into the bucket and wishing it were his corporate shark neck.
A few minutes later, she heard the sound of footsteps approaching the kitchen. Casey spun around, barely preventing herself from slipping on the wet floor, and froze. Before her stood an amazing sight. Not only had Michael returned, but he’d changed his clothes. Casey rose slowly to her feet, wiping her wet hands on her jeans. Instead of a designer suit, Michael wore a faded red T-shirt and shorts.
He looked different. Less formal. Less forceful, but equally dangerous. Casey swallowed past a lump in her throat the size of a grapefruit. The man was gorgeous. She’d always thought he was handsome. But now he was a lonely lady’s midnight dream and far too good-looking to be alone with.
“Thanks for understanding, Ted,” Michael was saying into his cell phone, finally it was working. “How about we meet tomorrow? What time works for you?” After a moment, he said, “Great. See you then.”
Michael pushed the Off button on his phone, then looked at Casey. She narrowed her eyes. “Why did you come back?”
“To help.” He set his phone down on the counter. “Don’t you have a mop?”
“We did, but I can’t seem to find it.” Stunned, she continued to stare at him. Had she heard right? Did he just cancel a meeting to help her mop the floor?
“Your appointment sounded important.”
Michael shrugged. “Ted’s a good guy. He was happy to reschedule.”
Warmth pervaded her at his words. Wow. He’d canceled his meeting. Would wonders never cease?
Michael headed toward the supply cabinet, slipping a little on the wet floor. With a chuckle and a grin to Casey, he deliberately slid across the room, stopping himself by bumping lightly against the cabinet.
“Don’t I remind you of Tom Cruise in his underwear?” He shot her another killer grin.
“Um. I guess.” Casey felt her heart rate kick into overdrive. Oh, no. Michael was much, much cuter than Tom Cruise. Unable to stop herself, her gaze skimmed down his body, landing finally on his feet. They were bare like her own. Even his feet were attractive. It seemed so intimate to be looking at his bare feet, so personal. With effort, she pulled her gaze away and looked at his face.
Michael met and held her gaze, the single bulb from the overhead light throwing his face partly into shadow. She felt his look like a touch as it skimmed her body. Her breathing increased. Sheesh. She needed to get out more. She was acting like a dieter in a chocolate factory. Avoiding his gaze, she knelt and started sopping up water again. “You don’t have to help.”
A second later, he knelt next to her, a matching sponge in his hand. “Sure, I do. I know you don’t think much of me, but I wouldn’t leave you alone with this mess.”
Knowing it was risky but unable to stop herself, Casey turned her head so she could study him. This was a new and totally unexpected side to him. She would have expected him to pull out his checkbook and offer to pay someone to clean up. Anything but get down on his knees and help.
As if feeling her gaze, he stopped.
“What?” he asked softly, a quizzical smile gracing his handsome face.
“I’m surprised you came back,” she admitted, finding it difficult to concentrate when he was watching her with those hypnotic blue eyes of his.
“Even ogres have their moments.” He broke eye contact and went back to work.
“You’re not an ogre,” Casey said, amazed that she actually meant it.
His dry chuckle let her know he doubted her. “You didn’t think so earlier today. In fact, I bet you definitely considered me top ogre.”
A smile tugged at her lips. “Maybe not top ogre...” He raised an eyebrow, and she laughed. “But possibly vice ogre.”
The humor on his face faded, and his expression turned thoughtful. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you about your chances of raising that money in time.”
Casey twisted the sponge in her hand over the dented metal bucket and watched dirty water run through her fingers. “You didn’t offend me, exactly—”
“Just really ticked you off.”
She saw no point in denying the truth. “I don’t like people telling me there’s something I can’t do.”
“No one likes that.”
“Exactly.” She shifted so she faced him. “If only you understood—”
“Yeah, well, maybe I do. You know, there are things that are important to me, too.”
Casey froze. Could the shark actually be human? “Like what?”
Michael hesitated, and Casey found herself holding her breath, willing him to tell her his thoughts. But he didn’t. Instead, after long, agonizing moments, he shrugged.
“Did you get any ideas for your fundraiser?” he asked.
Well, drat. She sensed he’d been about to tell her something important about himself. Something she wanted to hear. But as much as Casey didn’t want to let him change the subject, she understood people well enough to know when not to push.
“The seniors are thinking about it. I’m not sure any of the ideas I’ve gotten so far will work.”
“Tell me about them.”
Casey debated whether he was truly interested or just humoring her. He seemed sincere, but still... “Why? You don’t think I can pull this off.”
For a heartbeat of time, he just looked at her, and Casey felt the impact of his intent gaze. Then he shrugged. “I had no right to say that.”
Warmth spread through Casey at his words. He was so different tonight, not at all like a boardroom bigwig. For starters, he’d admitted he’d made a mistake. Plus, now he was showing interest in her plans. How odd.
“Thank you for saying so,” she said. “I’ll admit it’s a long shot, but—”
“You have to try.” He nodded slowly, the light gleaming off his dark hair. “Yeah, I know.”
“You’d try, too,” Casey pointed out.
“Dam—” At her warning glance, he grinned and started over. “Sure. I love a challenge. So what were the ideas?”
“A walk-a-thon, a bazaar, and an auction—but rather than auctioning off items, the gentleman who suggested it thought we should auction off dates.”
“You mean like those bachelor auctions?” Casey smiled, enjoying this conversation with Michael.
“Yes. He thought the ladies at the center might be willing to part with serious cash to have a romantic night on the town.”
“You can’t blame a guy for trying.” He added a wink for emphasis, making Casey laugh. How could she ever have thought him stiff and unfriendly?
“Yeah, well, it might be the solution to his dating problem, but I don’t think it’s the solution the center needs. But whatever we come up with, it has to be soon. I need to run the plans by the city council.”
“You’re a smart lady. You’ll come up with something.” His confidence in her caused an erratic fluttering in her stomach.
“Thanks.”
“Once you decide, just tell the council this is what you’re
doing. Don’t ask them,” he said. “It’s always easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission.”
Michael’s lopsided grin did funny things to Casey’s metabolism. That grin invited her to share the joke, and she found she was smiling despite herself. She still couldn’t believe he’d canceled a meeting to help. Michael was so approachable tonight he was impossible to resist. He genuinely seemed interested in what she had to say.
Which was a potent aphrodisiac.
As she continued to watch him, his eyes darkened, and his smile faded. Casey sucked in her breath on a hiss and felt a wave of desire hit her.
Who would have thought a man like Michael Parker would affect her this way? But here, now, in this quiet building on this lonely night, she couldn’t remember ever finding a man as attractive as she found him.
Michael slowly set down his sponge, his heated gaze never leaving her face. With controlled, deliberate moves, he rose and extended his hand to her. Casey didn’t have to ask what he was doing. She knew. Just like he knew. The air vibrated with the tension between them.
She took his hand, rose to her feet, and stood anxiously before him.
“This is a really bad idea,” she said. But she made no move to resist when he placed his hands on her hips and pulled her forward until she pressed against him. This close, she could smell his tangy aftershave. He smelled like heaven, like temptation.
She was in big trouble.
“Yeah. I know.” He kissed her neck, and she shivered. “Do you want me to stop?”
Casey pulled back just far enough to look at him.
She could see his desire, and she knew it mirrored her own. Desire born not of loneliness. Or fatigue. But of something stronger. Deeper. Certain now of her decision, she placed her hand on the side of his face and urged him forward.
“Hell, no,” she murmured a second before her lips met his.
She expected Michael’s kiss to be forceful, taking more than it gave. But rather, with tenderness, he brushed his lips against hers.
He moved with agonizing slowness from side to side. Reaching the corner of her lip, he nibbled softly, lingering just long enough to drive her wild. Then he moved on, seeking, searching. When he continued to coax her with teasing brushes, she realized he wanted her to show him just how far he could go.
His thoughtfulness touched her. Most men she’d dated in recent memory kissed as if they were playing football. They turned a caress into a competition. But not Michael. Even though he no doubt possessed a keen killer instinct in business, he obviously understood that kissing was about pleasure, not conquest.
Tipping her head, she met his kiss more fully, wanting to savor the sensation. He made her feel not just desired but cherished. Michael slid his arms around her, cradling her body tightly against his own. The rhythm of the kiss made her pulse race with excitement A delicious ache settled on her, reminding her of how alone she’d been for so very long. This kiss was full of fire. And promise.
And magic.
Groaning, Michael cupped her face. Although his arms no longer held her, Casey felt herself pressing against his chest. In the back of her mind, she knew she stood in several inches of water in the battered kitchen of the center, kissing a man who was completely wrong for her. But she couldn’t help it. This embrace felt right. This kiss felt right.
Eventually, reluctantly, she pulled her head back, separating their lips. For a moment, she expected him to protest. She could read the banked frustration on his face. Then he stepped back and moved away from her. Within the harsh light of the kitchen, she stared at him. His hands were knotted into fists at his sides. His face was taut, the muscles pulled tight.
And his eyes burned with the same fire she felt flickering through her veins.
“I didn’t really intend that to happen,” he finally said.
Casey nodded wordlessly, the reality of the situation overwhelming her. Michael Parker had kissed her. Holy cow. Worse yet, she’d kissed him back. Really kissed him. And she’d enjoyed it. Immensely. Immeasurably.
And she wanted to kiss him again.
“Aren’t you going to say anything?” He had one dark eyebrow raised in question.
Great. Just what she wanted. A postmortem.
“What’s there to say? We only kissed because it’s late, and we’re both tired.” She moved past him and retrieved her sponge, ignoring the slight trembling in her hand. Talk about a dumb move. Kissing Michael ranked right up there with inviting a cannibal to brunch.
What had Elmira said? Men were like hats? Well, as far as Casey was concerned, she didn’t need a hat, thank you very much. Even a hat that kissed as well as Michael did.
Kneeling, she resumed sopping up water, wanting to do anything but look at the man standing behind her. With uneven strokes, she rubbed the floor and squeezed the sponge into the bucket. The tingling on the back of her neck reminded her that Michael stood watching her.
What did he expect her to say? Gee whiz, Mike, heck of a kiss you’ve got there? What was the big deal? Okay, they’d kissed, whether they should have or not. The downside was she could no longer look at him and see just the suit and the job. Not now, when she knew she desired Michael Parker and hated herself for that weakness.
“You owe the center a dollar,” Michael said.
Casey stopped in mid-mop and glanced at him over her shoulder.
“I what?”
Michael crouched next to her, a teasing gleam in his eyes. “You cursed.”
Casey blinked. What in the world was he talking about? She rarely cursed, only when... She gulped in a quick breath. He was right. She’d cursed. She turned back to her task, glad she no longer had to look at him.
“I did, so I’ll pay,” she said.
Michael moved to her side, picked up his sponge, and started wiping up water again. His movements were purposeful, his pace much faster than her own. Casey found herself watching his hands. The sure strokes. The wide swipes.
A bead of sweat trickled down her back. Suddenly, every move he made seemed seductive. His fingers flexed on the sponge, wringing the water into the pail. She couldn’t help wondering how it would feel to have those same fingers caress her skin.
“I’ll pay the dollar for you,” he said, interrupting her thoughts.
Casey moved her gaze back to the sponge in her hand. Good grief. She’d just worked herself into a lather watching him wring out a sponge. Talk about being a basket case.
She forced herself to look at him. “I can pay for myself.”
“No, really, I’d like to pay.” Michael placed one hand on her arm, but when she jumped, he released her immediately. “What’s wrong?”
Casey sighed. Why didn’t he just let it go? She was going insane. That was the only logical explanation. “Drop it, Michael.”
“But I really enjoyed that kiss, and it was worth a lot more than a dollar.”
She half groaned, half laughed. What was with this man? Wasn’t the male sex the one who hated to talk about things like kisses?
“Let it go,” she repeated. “Let’s finish with the floor.”
Her gaze met his, and she felt the same fluttering sensation she’d felt when he’d kissed her. Of all the men in the world, why did it have to be Michael who pushed her On button?
“Casey, I’m as confused as you are. It’s a bit like a dog finding out he’s got a crush on a cat.”
Absently, Casey smiled, but she had a sinking feeling a cat would fare better against a dog than she would fare with Michael. Suddenly, the mess of the floor seemed the least of her worries.
7
Michael sat in the meeting staring at the data projected on the screen. He hadn’t a clue what he’d spent the last ten minutes looking at. All he’d been able to do was think about Casey. And last night. After the kiss, they’d finished wiping up the floor, annoyingly awkward with each other.
Talk about a stupid move. He hadn’t even meant to kiss her, but once he had, he hadn’t wanted to stop. She’d been
soft and sweet and entirely too enticing in his arms. All sorts of great ideas had popped into his head.
But hey, he wasn’t that stupid. He couldn’t afford to get involved with Casey. Last night had shown him how easily he’d change work plans to be with her. If he didn’t watch himself, he’d end up like some of the other managers—constantly having to choose between their personal life and work. No matter what decision those poor saps made, something ended up suffering.
But not him. Michael had figured out this rat maze as a kid. If you busted your butt and worked long and hard, you could make something out of yourself. Anything else was merely spitting in the wind. He’d spent his childhood living hand to mouth on a dirt ranch in the middle of nowhere. Never again. Now he was only one tiny step away from being part of a major merger. This was not the time to start thinking with his hormones rather than his head.
Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to concentrate on the meeting. The project was off-schedule, and the key personnel were presenting alternatives. Normally, he thrived on this kind of pressure. Nothing gave him a bigger rush than pulling off the impossible. But today it wasn’t giving him the usual thrill.
Man, why had he gone and kissed Casey? That kiss could cause complications. Sure, last night she’d said the kiss didn’t mean anything to her, but what if she’d changed her mind? Well, he’d just have to tell her when he saw her this afternoon that they could never kiss again. Last night had been an aberration. A simple matter of satisfying curiosity. But now they both knew what they needed to know, so that was that.
Michael sighed, wondering if he had any chance of getting Casey to buy that load of crap. He sure wasn’t. The bottom line was he’d kissed Casey because he’d wanted to. But he wasn’t about to let that kiss mess up his plans. There would be no repeats of last night. None. Ever.
“So what kind of responses did you get?” Elmira asked, entering Casey’s office and sitting in the chair.
