his head. He swallowed the boulder in his throat. Was she?
• • •
For a few weeks, Carter managed to throw himself so deep into work he barely looked up. The only thing he took time for was—more work. And he watered the damn plants. He hadn’t a clue why, but he did.
He also decided to keep chatting with the girl who loved dogs … but didn’t have one. She was a lot less complicated. Pretty witty too. He almost rolled in laugher when she told him about her siblings. He liked her attitude. In fact if he could match
her
personality to the physical attraction he had for Abby—well that would be interesting. Physical attraction only lasted so long, though.
At some point, Abby delivered the new order to the office accompanied by spy girl. Together they arranged the foliage quite well. He was gone then and every time since. The receptionist kept him aware of the scheduled visits and any questions or concerns she mentioned. There were few. One tree died and was replaced shortly after delivery. The ones in the kitchen had
issues
. Per the note, someone was dousing them with coffee, or some other beverage. If it continued, mold would grow and they’d have to replace them as well.
He didn’t care. In fact, he had half a mind to tell her to take them all back. He started to write the note several times but couldn’t finish. One such note glared at him from the desktop when she arrived for the weekly watering. Crap. He looked at his watch and realized he missed his escape. The rap on the door was shortly followed by the door easing open, and she popped in.
Her eyes widened. “Oops. Sorry, I thought you were out. I was just watering—”
He motioned her in. “Help yourself.” He returned to the computer screen, noting her movement in the reflection.
Shit.
Was this as awkward for her as him? It shouldn’t have been—they hadn’t done anything more than share a few kisses. A few searing-hot-nearly-took-her-clothes-off kisses. Yeah, no biggie.
With her back turned, he barely caught the words. “You’re wrong, you know, I haven’t … been … with anyone in over a year. A year and four months. Not that it’s any of your business. So, whatever you thought—it wasn’t right.”
The chair let out a squeal as he turned and leaned to stare at her back, which still made him want to touch her. Dammit.
“Seriously?” That was a hell of long time. So … if that were true, then anything between her and Jackson was ancient history. How could he hold that against her? Or him either.
“Seriously. And don’t think I’m proud of it either. I just don’t get involved that easily. Or deeply.”
Two more raps on the door announced they had a visitor. Holy shit. Speak of the devil. “Jackson. What are you doing here?”
Abby sucked in a quick gasp and turned her back, which caught Carter off balance. Her shoulders were stiff and she hunkered down. She was hiding from him? It had been that awkward?
“I thought we should talk. I know I probably should have done this earlier but I wanted to give you a little breathing time to digest the situation.” Jackson stood at the door as if ready to escape. His face was sullen. “It wasn’t like I meant it to happen.”
Carter glanced from Jackson’s face to Abby’s back. She was a post. He held up a hand in protest. “Let’s don’t talk about it, okay? I don’t want to know.”
“I met her a long time ago. Before you did, actually. It was just—random. We were having fun and then somewhere along the way everything changed.”
Carter hitched a brow. “Changed?”
Jackson shifted feet and glanced at Abby’s back. “Yeah. I would have told you but it all moved so fast and all of a sudden you were asking about a—”
Abby shoved an elbow in his back and spilled water down Jackson’s pants. Not just a little either—she doused him good.
Did she really do that? Wow.
“Oh, uh. Sorry about that, Jackson. You should probably go change or something, right?”
• • •
For a few weeks, Carter managed to throw himself so deep into work he barely looked up. The only thing he took time for was—more work. And he watered the damn plants. He hadn’t a clue why, but he did.
He also decided to keep chatting with the girl who loved dogs … but didn’t have one. She was a lot less complicated. Pretty witty too. He almost rolled in laugher when she told him about her siblings. He liked her attitude. In fact if he could match
her
personality to the physical attraction he had for Abby—well that would be interesting. Physical attraction only lasted so long, though.
At some point, Abby delivered the new order to the office accompanied by spy girl. Together they arranged the foliage quite well. He was gone then and every time since. The receptionist kept him aware of the scheduled visits and any questions or concerns she mentioned. There were few. One tree died and was replaced shortly after delivery. The ones in the kitchen had
issues
. Per the note, someone was dousing them with coffee, or some other beverage. If it continued, mold would grow and they’d have to replace them as well.
He didn’t care. In fact, he had half a mind to tell her to take them all back. He started to write the note several times but couldn’t finish. One such note glared at him from the desktop when she arrived for the weekly watering. Crap. He looked at his watch and realized he missed his escape. The rap on the door was shortly followed by the door easing open, and she popped in.
Her eyes widened. “Oops. Sorry, I thought you were out. I was just watering—”
He motioned her in. “Help yourself.” He returned to the computer screen, noting her movement in the reflection.
Shit.
Was this as awkward for her as him? It shouldn’t have been—they hadn’t done anything more than share a few kisses. A few searing-hot-nearly-took-her-clothes-off kisses. Yeah, no biggie.
With her back turned, he barely caught the words. “You’re wrong, you know, I haven’t … been … with anyone in over a year. A year and four months. Not that it’s any of your business. So, whatever you thought—it wasn’t right.”
The chair let out a squeal as he turned and leaned to stare at her back, which still made him want to touch her. Dammit.
“Seriously?” That was a hell of long time. So … if that were true, then anything between her and Jackson was ancient history. How could he hold that against her? Or him either.
“Seriously. And don’t think I’m proud of it either. I just don’t get involved that easily. Or deeply.”
Two more raps on the door announced they had a visitor. Holy shit. Speak of the devil. “Jackson. What are you doing here?”
Abby sucked in a quick gasp and turned her back, which caught Carter off balance. Her shoulders were stiff and she hunkered down. She was hiding from him? It had been that awkward?
“I thought we should talk. I know I probably should have done this earlier but I wanted to give you a little breathing time to digest the situation.” Jackson stood at the door as if ready to escape. His face was sullen. “It wasn’t like I meant it to happen.”
Carter glanced from Jackson’s face to Abby’s back. She was a post. He held up a hand in protest. “Let’s don’t talk about it, okay? I don’t want to know.”
“I met her a long time ago. Before you did, actually. It was just—random. We were having fun and then somewhere along the way everything changed.”
Carter hitched a brow. “Changed?”
Jackson shifted feet and glanced at Abby’s back. “Yeah. I would have told you but it all moved so fast and all of a sudden you were asking about a—”
Abby shoved an elbow in his back and spilled water down Jackson’s pants. Not just a little either—she doused him good.
Did she really do that? Wow.
“Oh, uh. Sorry about that, Jackson. You should probably go change or something, right?”
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