his way. Pulling into the back parking lot of Cassie’s shop, he hopped out and knocked on the door.
“Adam?” she said as she pulled open the door. Wearing yoga pants and a t-shirt, Cassie fidgeted with her pony tail as she stood there looking at the casual version of Adam Lawrence. In faded blue jeans and a sweater, it was the first time Cassie had seen him in anything but a suit. “Wow, twice in one week,” she said with a smile. “Come in.”
Adam walked through the door and into the massive kitchen and waited for her to close the door. “How are you feeling?”
“Much better, actually. Thanks. I’m getting a little antsy to get back to work but Katie has our event for this weekend covered and so I promised that I’d behave and stay out of the way.” She fidgeted some more with her shirt before adding, “It’s just about killing me.”
“I can relate to that completely,” He smiled and felt it broaden as Cassie smiled back. “Actually, I think I have something that can help.”
“Really?”
“I’m taking your advice and I’m going to host that retreat at my place on the Outer Banks. I’m on my way there now for the weekend and thought you might want to come along with me.”
“Um…”
Adam walked towards Cassie and fought the urge to take her hands in his. He could tell that her mind was racing with all kinds of questions – he was good at reading people like that – and knew that he should explain himself.
“This was your brainchild so I thought maybe you could come with me and help me plan it all out. Plus, the beach is a great place to recuperate and you’ll be able to relax and not be trying to stay away from your kitchen. What do you say?”
“Oh…I don’t know, Adam. I mean…”
“There’s nothing to know,” he said smoothly; ready to cut down all of her objections. “This was your creative idea and I would appreciate your help.”
He was being vague, Cassie thought. Was he just going to pick her brain for the weekend and then hire somebody else? She wanted to stamp her foot and demand to know but decided to act as casual as he and act as if it didn’t matter. “Well,” she began, “I guess it would be nice to get out of here for a few days.”
“Good girl.”
“I’ll just need about fifteen minutes to pack and get ready.” Cassie turned and headed for the stairs to her apartment not waiting to see if Adam would follow. She knew he would. Once upstairs, she made a beeline for her bedroom and pulled a small suitcase from her closet and began filling it with clothes. In minutes she was done. Pulling up the handle, she rolled the suitcase to the door and then turned to grab a sweatshirt to wear for the ride. “I’m all ready,” she said as she walked around and made sure that windows were locked and lights were turned off. “I’ll call Kate from the road and let her know where I’ll be.”
With disbelief, Adam looked at his watch. Only ten minutes had passed. “Are you sure you have everything?” He stared at her lone piece of luggage and then looked back at Cassie, one dark eyebrow arched.
“Sure. It’s only a weekend. I’m guessing we’ll be back sometime on Sunday, right?” Adam nodded. “Then I’ve got all that I need.”
They each reached for her suitcase at the same time, their hands grazing. Cassie pulled back, but not before she felt the heat of his touch and looked up and met his dark gaze. “I’ll get that,” he said, his tone deep and rich, like velvet washing over her skin. Their faces were mere inches apart and Cassie almost gave in to the need to lean into him and kiss him again.
Instead, reason returned and she stood and stepped aside for him to precede her down the stairs and joined him in the car.
The conversation flowed effortlessly during the three hour drive with Adam asking how she saw the plans for the retreat. She was an intelligent
“Adam?” she said as she pulled open the door. Wearing yoga pants and a t-shirt, Cassie fidgeted with her pony tail as she stood there looking at the casual version of Adam Lawrence. In faded blue jeans and a sweater, it was the first time Cassie had seen him in anything but a suit. “Wow, twice in one week,” she said with a smile. “Come in.”
Adam walked through the door and into the massive kitchen and waited for her to close the door. “How are you feeling?”
“Much better, actually. Thanks. I’m getting a little antsy to get back to work but Katie has our event for this weekend covered and so I promised that I’d behave and stay out of the way.” She fidgeted some more with her shirt before adding, “It’s just about killing me.”
“I can relate to that completely,” He smiled and felt it broaden as Cassie smiled back. “Actually, I think I have something that can help.”
“Really?”
“I’m taking your advice and I’m going to host that retreat at my place on the Outer Banks. I’m on my way there now for the weekend and thought you might want to come along with me.”
“Um…”
Adam walked towards Cassie and fought the urge to take her hands in his. He could tell that her mind was racing with all kinds of questions – he was good at reading people like that – and knew that he should explain himself.
“This was your brainchild so I thought maybe you could come with me and help me plan it all out. Plus, the beach is a great place to recuperate and you’ll be able to relax and not be trying to stay away from your kitchen. What do you say?”
“Oh…I don’t know, Adam. I mean…”
“There’s nothing to know,” he said smoothly; ready to cut down all of her objections. “This was your creative idea and I would appreciate your help.”
He was being vague, Cassie thought. Was he just going to pick her brain for the weekend and then hire somebody else? She wanted to stamp her foot and demand to know but decided to act as casual as he and act as if it didn’t matter. “Well,” she began, “I guess it would be nice to get out of here for a few days.”
“Good girl.”
“I’ll just need about fifteen minutes to pack and get ready.” Cassie turned and headed for the stairs to her apartment not waiting to see if Adam would follow. She knew he would. Once upstairs, she made a beeline for her bedroom and pulled a small suitcase from her closet and began filling it with clothes. In minutes she was done. Pulling up the handle, she rolled the suitcase to the door and then turned to grab a sweatshirt to wear for the ride. “I’m all ready,” she said as she walked around and made sure that windows were locked and lights were turned off. “I’ll call Kate from the road and let her know where I’ll be.”
With disbelief, Adam looked at his watch. Only ten minutes had passed. “Are you sure you have everything?” He stared at her lone piece of luggage and then looked back at Cassie, one dark eyebrow arched.
“Sure. It’s only a weekend. I’m guessing we’ll be back sometime on Sunday, right?” Adam nodded. “Then I’ve got all that I need.”
They each reached for her suitcase at the same time, their hands grazing. Cassie pulled back, but not before she felt the heat of his touch and looked up and met his dark gaze. “I’ll get that,” he said, his tone deep and rich, like velvet washing over her skin. Their faces were mere inches apart and Cassie almost gave in to the need to lean into him and kiss him again.
Instead, reason returned and she stood and stepped aside for him to precede her down the stairs and joined him in the car.
The conversation flowed effortlessly during the three hour drive with Adam asking how she saw the plans for the retreat. She was an intelligent
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