by Lori Wilde
Casey thumbed through the papers she’d gotten this morning from the seniors and added them to the pile she’d gotten the previous day. “The new ideas are for a carnival, a casino night, a chili cook-off...” She lifted the last paper and laughed. “And a really big bake sale.”
“Which one are we going to do?”
Casey placed the sheets of paper on her desk and smoothed the creases. “That’s up to the group. I don’t care, as long as it has the potential to make a lot of money. I’ll wait one more day to see what other ideas come in.”
Elmira regarded Casey with open curiosity. “Did you ask Michael what he thinks? He seems like a pretty smart guy.”
The older woman’s comment made the hair on the back of Casey’s neck stand up. Her internal radar said Elmira was in here to do a little lobbying for Michael. Which was laughable. Michael was the last person to need help with anything. She’d learned last night how capable he was...at a lot of things.
“I’ve mentioned that the center plans on having a fundraiser.” Casey studied the older woman and waited patiently for what she knew was coming. It didn’t take long. Elmira patted her hair, flashed Casey a tentative smile, then leaned forward.
“Dear, the real reason I’m here is because Dottie and I have been talking, and we think...” She gave Casey a sweet smile. “We think you should ask Michael out.”
Astonished, Casey stared at her. “Ask him out?”
“Yes. Women do it all the time, and we think you should ask him rather than waiting for him to ask you. You need to be assertive in today’s dating market.”
Casey bit back a smile. “Dating market?”
Elmira wagged one finger at Casey. “Don’t make fun of me. I read the paper. I know how hard it is to find a good man these days. You have to remember, men are like fish.”
“Fish? I thought they were like hats.”
With a little tsking sound, Elmira said, “They’re like fish. You can’t let them know you’re after them until you’ve caught them.”
“But if I ask him out, he’ll know I’m after him,” Casey pointed out, more amused than annoyed by this latest matchmaking attempt.
“Casey, you ask him out, then once he’s interested, you pretend you aren’t.”
Elmira delivered this advice slowly, as if she feared Casey wouldn’t understand it. Which, come to think of it, she didn’t.
“Seems kind of manipulative to me,” Casey said.
“No offense, but it isn’t exactly as if your way is working. And you can’t seriously want to spend your life alone. You need to get married and have your children before it’s too late.” Elmira leaned down and rooted through her large purse, which was sitting on the floor. When she straightened, she had a paperback book in her hand. “I borrowed this from one of my granddaughters. It has all sorts of suggestions you can use to land a fella.”
She laid the book on the desk and pushed it toward Casey. The bright orange cover claimed the book contained surefire methods for seducing a man. Casey regarded it like a venomous snake. Gingerly, she nudged it back toward Elmira.
“Thanks, really. But I’m not interested in Michael that way,” Casey said. She hated to lie, especially to Elmira, but in actuality, it wasn’t a lie. Well, not completely. She wasn’t interested in Michael, despite the kiss they’d shared. He was all wrong for her. Oh, he might have canceled one meeting, but he was still a man rooted to the fast track.
Now, in the light of day, she knew she must have been feeling weak last night. Yeah. That was it. She’d been so worried about the money that a fog had settled over her mind. And the kiss was just the result of too little sleep and an unexpectedly kind gesture from a handsome man.
Elmira rose, a serene smile gracing her face. She made no move to retrieve the paperback. “Keep the book just in case. You never know when you might change your mind. In my own case, it took me months before I’d even look at my husband. I never considered him the right sort for me.” She tipped her head and regarded Casey over the top of her glasses. “Then one day, he pulled up in a shiny new car, and something magical happened. I saw him for what he really was.”
“A good-looking man with a killer car?”
Elmira gave her one of those smug little looks she specialized in. “Amongst other things.”
With that, she left Casey’s office with her final words hanging in the air. Casey blew out a deep breath. Fine. Okay, so Elmira had been wrong, but she wasn’t. Michael Parker really wasn’t the right type for her. And last night had been one big, old fluke—a fluke that wouldn’t happen again.
She had way too much at stake to risk it all on a case of lust, regardless of how strong that lust was. She needed to keep her mind sharp and her senses focused on raising the money for the center. If she didn’t get a grip on herself soon, she’d end up pulling petals off flowers while saying, “He loves me, he loves me not.”
“You are such a sap,” she muttered. She picked up Elmira’s book, intending on shifting it in her desk, when temptation got the better of her. Slowly, she flipped through the pages, stopping when she reached the chapter on how to make sex interesting. The warmth of a blush crept up her cheeks. When she reached a particularly erotic illustration, she slammed the book closed and shoved it in her desk drawer.
Still agitated, she glanced out her open office door into the main room. She could see Michael talking to Al and Tommy. Today he had on his usual shark uniform—expensive suit, expensive shirt, expensive tie. Darn his hide, he looked incredibly...tempting. Especially when images from that book were still lodged in her mind.
As he moved through the room, he surprised her by stopping and talking to a few more seniors on his way to her office. Apparently, he’d made a couple of friends yesterday afternoon. Drat. Lust she could fight, but he’d better not turn out to be a nice guy after all.
That would be way too much for her to take.
“Hi,” Michael said, entering Casey’s office cautiously. She looked flustered, which only made him curse himself more. Damn. What if she expected him to ask her out? He didn’t want to hurt her feelings, but he also didn’t want to mislead her. He sat in the chair across from her and debated how to approach this talk. He’d been less nervous firing errant employees than he was telling this woman he couldn’t date her.
“Hi.” Casey twiddled with a paper clip, her gaze skimming over him but not stopping. “Thanks for your help last night.”
“No problem.” He watched her mutilate the paper clip for a few seconds, then cleared his throat. “Casey, about last night—”
“Oh, yeah.” She tossed the clip in the trash and flashed a too-bright smile at him. “We should just forget what happened.”
“You mean the kiss?”
That too-bright smile seemed to stretch even wider. “Exactly.”
Even though she was saying precisely what he’d planned on saying, she was strung like a tightrope. “I think that sounds like a good idea,” he said slowly, trying to get her to meet his gaze.
She picked up another paper clip, and he pitied the tiny thing. “I mean, it was only a kiss. Certainly not the end of the world.”
Soon, the twisted silver clip joined its mate in the trash. Michael shifted nervously in his chair. Was she upset they’d agreed to forget the kiss, or was she worried he might not be willing to let go of one of the best memories he’d had in years?
“Okay,” he said. “But you seem kind of upset.”
“I’m not.” Now even her voice sounded too bright. “I’m just not as good at this sort of thing as you are.”
“What sort of thing?”
“Flirting. You’ve probably kissed hundreds of women.”
What in the world? When she reached for another paper clip, he leaned forward and placed his hand over hers.
“Just for the record, I haven’t kissed hundreds of women.” He knew he might be digging his own grave, but he had to take a stand. “And I kissed you because I wanted to.”
Case
y finally met his gaze, and he felt his equilibrium rock. Of all the lame things to do. Why’d he have to admit something like that? He tried to backpedal, struggling to think what to say. He could hardly admit that she’d been kneeling there, looking incredibly sexy, and then the next thing he’d known, he had her in his arms and was kissing her. He had no choice. He had to finish this discussion. There was too much at stake. His job. His sanity.
“Casey, I think we both agree the kiss was more intense than we expected,” he said slowly, trying to gauge her reaction. “But I think we also agree we shouldn’t get involved.”
“We’re not involved. It was just one kiss.”
Michael knew he should feel relief at her agreement, but it had been one heck of a kiss. Wait a second. Which side was he on? Annoyed at himself, he pushed on. “I think we need to agree to avoid kissing each other in the future. I personally think it’s too dangerous, and we both have other things to concentrate on. So we need to be in complete agreement.”
Casey frowned. “That sounds official. Do you want me to sign a contract promising not to kiss you?”
So she wasn’t as cool as she pretended. He ran an unsteady hand through his hair. This was turning out to be incredibly difficult.
“Very funny. No. I just don’t want us to get distracted from what’s important. We need to work on the fundraiser.”
She had to know he was right. Deep down, she absolutely had to know he was right. They both had plans. Goals. They couldn’t give up now.
His idea made perfect sense.
Finally, she nodded. “Fine. No more kissing.”
“Great. No more kissing.” The words sounded hollow, and he realized he felt just as empty. What was wrong with him? He was getting what he wanted. He should be dancing on her desk.
“Do we need to shake hands on this deal?” Casey asked.
Michael stood, knowing his best bet was to accept the agreement and leave. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to touch right now.”
“Yes. You’re probably right.”
She picked up another clip, and Michael bit back a groan. Working here was going to be a nightmare.
“I guess we can try to be friends,” she said, then she yanked on the clip, distorting it. Destroying it.
Michael made a strangled sound. “I guess that’s the option we have.”
“Yes. I guess so.”
Friends.
Okay, so maybe it wasn’t perfect, but it was a lot better than getting involved. And even though he knew Casey would make an amazing lover, he was also certain she’d make a great friend.
And hey, couldn’t a guy always use another friend?
8
“So, how’s it going at the senior center?” Nathan asked as he entered Michael’s office the next morning.
Not bad for a bona fide, full-fledged, all-out disaster.
Michael pushed the thought away. “Fine.” Which was a huge lie. Yesterday he’d told Casey they should just be friends. And the day had turned out to be one of the longest of his life. Friends were guys you played football with.
They weren’t gorgeous, auburn-haired women with sexy eyes who watched your every move. They weren’t daydreams that turned around and haunted your nights as well. And they certainly didn’t drive you to distraction.
“Really?” Nathan asked.
“Yeah. It’s great.” He wasn’t about to tell Nathan the truth—that he was incredibly attracted to the center’s director.
Nathan chuckled and dropped into one of the chairs in front of Michael’s desk. “I think you’re full of it. Now tell me the truth.”
Michael avoided making eye contact with his boss. “The operation’s a lot bigger than I expected, but the director does an excellent job.”
“And what have you been doing?”
You mean, besides coming on to the director? Michael shifted in his chair and met Nathan’s inquisitive gaze dead-on. “Helping.”
Nathan laughed again. “Could you be a little more specific?”
“Why don’t you drop by the center and see for yourself?”
A twinkle settled in Nathan’s eyes. “Great idea. I think I’ll do just that.” He considered Michael, then he said, “You still think the time there is hurting the company?”
“Yes. You know as well as I do that this merger is really important,” Michael said.
Nathan leaned forward in his chair. “So what do you suggest we do? Back out of our commitment to the community?”
Now that was a good question. Thoughts of Casey and the seniors filtered through Michael’s mind. He was torn. Yes, he wanted out of the assignment. Boy, did he ever, especially since he’d kissed Casey. He’d like nothing better than to spend twelve uncomplicated hours a day at the office.
Aw, but he couldn’t just walk away. Maybe it was his past, his father. Or maybe it was the seniors themselves...or Casey. Hell, maybe it was all of that rolled up into one big muddled mess.
“They do need money,” Michael said slowly. “So they’re making plans to hold a fundraiser at the end of the month.”
“What for?”
“Renovations on a new facility.”
Nathan nodded. “So help them raise the money.”
“I’m going to, but there isn’t much time.”
With a chuckle, Nathan said, “They need a major miracle—just up your alley. Tell you what, you help with the fundraiser, pull it off, and you’re off the hook.”
Nathan’s pronouncement caught Michael like a swift uppercut to the jaw. “Off the hook?”
“Yep. No more volunteering. You can spend the rest of your days glued to your desk without interruption, if that’s what you want.” Nathan stood and headed toward the door. “There you go, Michael. You’ll be a free man in a matter of weeks.”
With that verbal wave of his magic wand, the other man walked out of Michael’s office.
A free man. Great. Terrific. Just what he wanted. He ought to be one happy guy.
So why wasn’t he?
“Dammit,” Michael muttered, slamming shut the middle drawer on his desk. He was going to be happy about this if it killed him. He’d help with the fundraiser, and when it was over, he’d wish the seniors and Casey well. He might drop by from time to time on his way to a meeting just to say hi. But that would be the extent of it. After the fundraiser ended, he was out of there quicker than a sinner leaving Sunday service.
Casey always knew the moment Michael entered the center, and this afternoon was no exception. The seniors seemed to liven, the volume in the main room increased, and Casey was filled with...expectation.
She glanced out the door of her office and saw him walk across the room, joking and smiling at several of the people. Her heart had developed a funny, flippy rhythm that she’d come to associate with Michael.
She wanted to think of him as simply a friend. A volunteer who would provide invaluable help with the fundraiser, which was good since he’d proven to be a disaster at helping with repairs around the place.
Now if she could only forget the kiss they’d shared. But it lingered in her mind, taunting her senses. And darn it, she wanted to kiss him again. She longed for the same feeling of oneness she’d experienced briefly in his arms.
Michael appealed to her on a lot of levels, not the least of which was the way he’d fit into the center. She glanced out the door again and saw him sitting at his now usual spot at the men’s table with a few of the guys.
Casey had observed the same scene several times over the past few days. She had no idea what the group talked about, but yesterday, Al Terford brought her a handful of money for the swear jar. He muttered an apology, gave her a shy smile, then left.
She’d give the group a few minutes before she gathered them to discuss the fundraiser. Time was running out. Just yesterday, she’d gotten two phone calls from city council members who wanted to know if she could raise the money.
Crossing her fingers, she’d assured them the fundraiser would be
a success. Thankfully, neither had pressed her for details, which was either a sign of their supreme confidence in her success or their absolute belief she was going to fall flat on her face. Either way, she owed it to the seniors to find a solution to this problem.
Unfortunately, her mind had turned to a big puddle of mush. Every time she sat down, determined to map out a plan, she’d ended up thinking about Michael. Repeatedly, she reminded herself how friendship offered them a perfect solution.
As friends, they could work beside each other day after day without worrying about emotions getting in the way.
But she knew the plan was worth zip. She couldn’t be friends with this man. He made her stomach swarm with butterflies, her palms sweat, and her breathing get shallow and rapid. She either was developing some really serious illness or an equally bad case of lust. More and more, she got the feeling that friendship just wasn’t going to work.
Which left her with...what?
One heck of a problem. She needed to get her priorities straight. Okay, so he was handsome. And he could kiss. But she had to get over this infatuation she felt for him. She had to, so the only solution was to keep busy with the fundraiser. Then she’d have no time to think about Michael Parker. That should do the trick.
At least she sure hoped so.
“So if we just got a band that could play the right sort of music, then I’m sure we could make lots of money,” Al said.
“Let it go. You brought that up yesterday, and I told you, we can’t get a band if we don’t have any money to hire one.” Tommy leaned forward and added a swirl of red paint to the ceramic bowl he was painting.
“Yeah, well, it’s a good idea anyway.” Al turned to Michael. “Don’t you think so?”
Michael looked from Al to Tommy and then back again. These two men might be the best of friends, but they fought like old enemies. And Michael liked them both. A lot.
Michael shrugged. “I don’t know. Outline your plan.”
Al slapped the table, causing Tommy to jump. “Michael, I knew you were a smart man.”
