the only one that will not report to the project manager.” Opening a drawer under the drafting table, Morgan took out a pad and wrote down a figure. “This is my offer.” He was hard pressed not to smile. Morgan was offering him a great deal more money than he anticipated. “I’ve factored in cost overruns for each line in the budget, so if you’re going to need more money, please let me know.”
This time Nate did smile. “It looks good, Mo.”
Her eyebrows lifted a fraction. “Are you sure?”
“Quite sure.”
She exhaled an audible sigh. “If that’s the case, then I’ll have David draw up a contract for you to go over with your attorney. The agreement will be between Nathaniel Shaw and the Angels Landing Plantation Preservation Foundation, and you’ll receive a one-quarter advance once the contract is executed. By the way, do you have a middle name?”
“It’s Phillip.”
Nate was going to tell Morgan that the agreement should be between Shaw Woodworking, Inc., and the preservation foundation, but quickly changed his mind because he didn’t want to commingle funds from two different enterprises. He realized his cautiousness came from not completely trusting Odessa.
When she’d first come to the Creek to care for his mother he’d overheard her asking their neighbor if there were any well-off single men on the island. He later learned she’d grown up dirt poor after her father was stabbed to death in a dice game. After that she swore she would never wear secondhand clothes or eat grits for breakfast, lunch, and dinner ever again.
Lucas wasn’t wealthy but he had always earned a good living crafting custom-made furniture. Nate’s suspicions about Odessa were confirmed when some of her relatives who’d come to the Creek for her wedding had whispered she’d always been a gold digger. He’d never interfered when it came to his father and stepmother’s relationship, but Nate didn’t intend for Odessa to inherit the monies he’d set aside for his niece and nephew’s college education.
Morgan extended her hand. “It’s nice to have you on board, Nathaniel Phillip Shaw.” He took her cool fingers, cradling them to his chest. “What are you doing?” she asked.
She tried extricating her hand as he tightened his hold. “Let me warm you up.”
“I’m not cold,” she countered. “In fact, I’m quite warm.”
Nate pressed his thumb to her wrist. Her pulse was beating in double time. “Are you afraid of me?” The query was out before he could censor himself.
A full minute passed before Morgan said, “Why would I be afraid of you, Nate?”
He dropped her hand. “I don’t know what it is, but I feel like you’re not always comfortable around me.”
She let out a nervous laugh. “You’re imagining things. I’m here with you alone. If I was uncomfortable I never would’ve asked you to become involved with this project.”
He attempted to conceal a mischievous grin, deciding to challenge her claim that she was comfortable with him. “Come have supper with me. I’d planned to eat at Jack’s, but if you want to go someplace a little more upscale, then I’ll go home and change.”
“It’s ironic you mention Jack’s because I was going to order a delivery from them.”
“Jack’s delivers?”
Throwing back her head, Morgan laughed, the low, sultry sound washing over Nate like the mist coming off the water. He stared at the graceful curve of her long neck and the silken skin on her throat, wondering what it would be like to press his mouth there. Again, his erotic thoughts returned, leaving him more shaken than he wanted when part of his anatomy reacted vigorously. He was grateful to be seated and that the drafting table concealed his growing erection.
Nate still didn’t know what there was about Morgan that had him entertaining licentious fantasies. He’d always related to her as the youngest daughter of the Drs. Dane, who’d trailed behind her grandfather whenever he
This time Nate did smile. “It looks good, Mo.”
Her eyebrows lifted a fraction. “Are you sure?”
“Quite sure.”
She exhaled an audible sigh. “If that’s the case, then I’ll have David draw up a contract for you to go over with your attorney. The agreement will be between Nathaniel Shaw and the Angels Landing Plantation Preservation Foundation, and you’ll receive a one-quarter advance once the contract is executed. By the way, do you have a middle name?”
“It’s Phillip.”
Nate was going to tell Morgan that the agreement should be between Shaw Woodworking, Inc., and the preservation foundation, but quickly changed his mind because he didn’t want to commingle funds from two different enterprises. He realized his cautiousness came from not completely trusting Odessa.
When she’d first come to the Creek to care for his mother he’d overheard her asking their neighbor if there were any well-off single men on the island. He later learned she’d grown up dirt poor after her father was stabbed to death in a dice game. After that she swore she would never wear secondhand clothes or eat grits for breakfast, lunch, and dinner ever again.
Lucas wasn’t wealthy but he had always earned a good living crafting custom-made furniture. Nate’s suspicions about Odessa were confirmed when some of her relatives who’d come to the Creek for her wedding had whispered she’d always been a gold digger. He’d never interfered when it came to his father and stepmother’s relationship, but Nate didn’t intend for Odessa to inherit the monies he’d set aside for his niece and nephew’s college education.
Morgan extended her hand. “It’s nice to have you on board, Nathaniel Phillip Shaw.” He took her cool fingers, cradling them to his chest. “What are you doing?” she asked.
She tried extricating her hand as he tightened his hold. “Let me warm you up.”
“I’m not cold,” she countered. “In fact, I’m quite warm.”
Nate pressed his thumb to her wrist. Her pulse was beating in double time. “Are you afraid of me?” The query was out before he could censor himself.
A full minute passed before Morgan said, “Why would I be afraid of you, Nate?”
He dropped her hand. “I don’t know what it is, but I feel like you’re not always comfortable around me.”
She let out a nervous laugh. “You’re imagining things. I’m here with you alone. If I was uncomfortable I never would’ve asked you to become involved with this project.”
He attempted to conceal a mischievous grin, deciding to challenge her claim that she was comfortable with him. “Come have supper with me. I’d planned to eat at Jack’s, but if you want to go someplace a little more upscale, then I’ll go home and change.”
“It’s ironic you mention Jack’s because I was going to order a delivery from them.”
“Jack’s delivers?”
Throwing back her head, Morgan laughed, the low, sultry sound washing over Nate like the mist coming off the water. He stared at the graceful curve of her long neck and the silken skin on her throat, wondering what it would be like to press his mouth there. Again, his erotic thoughts returned, leaving him more shaken than he wanted when part of his anatomy reacted vigorously. He was grateful to be seated and that the drafting table concealed his growing erection.
Nate still didn’t know what there was about Morgan that had him entertaining licentious fantasies. He’d always related to her as the youngest daughter of the Drs. Dane, who’d trailed behind her grandfather whenever he
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