sincere.” Taylor wondered if last night had surprised him as much as it had her. And if her memory was clear, she’d started the physical contact. She’d been the aggressor. He probably thought she was playing up to the new boss. The heat on her cheeks felt like fire now.
“You’re going to go. Fly out and be his road toy.”
Taylor started searching for a flight. “I’m not having sex with him. I’m getting this whole thing cleared up and past us, for the good of the gallery.” She looked at her assistant. “You have Angie to help out this afternoon and all day Saturday, right?”
Brit shook her head. “Tomorrow, yes. But Angie just called. She’s got an appointment or something today. This is the third one in the last week.”
“From what I’ve learned, Angie has a habit of being a flake. Maybe I shouldn’t go.” Taylor leaned back in her chair, turning her attention from the computer to Brit.
“You think I can’t handle the gallery by myself for,” she glanced at her watch, “four hours? I used to open and close on your days off by myself. What, you think I’ve become needy in the last day or so??”
“It’s not that I don’t think you can deal,” Taylor said. “Hell, I’m probably just trying to catch a lifeline here and talk myself out of going.”
“Then don’t go. You’re a smart, intelligent woman. You don’t need to be running off because Mr. Handsome Cowboy snaps his fingers.”
Taylor laughed. “I’m not going because Jesse snapped his fingers. I need to know more about him, especially if I’m going to stop my folks from selling to him before I can get the funding package set. Mike says he just needs a few weeks.”
A bell on the front door announced a new customer. Brit slipped out of her chair and went to greet the new arrival. Standing in the office door, she hesitated and waited until Taylor acknowledged her.
“What?”
Brit cocked her head and met Taylor’s eyes. “Go ahead, play secret agent. Just remember what I told you. Keep your heart locked up. I worry about you.”
Taylor watched her friend leave the office. Her fingers paused over the keyboard, wondering if this was totally stupid. Then she hit enter and picked up her purse. She had a plane to catch and she needed to pack an overnight bag.
She glanced at Marvin’s contract. No use messing with it today. She’d get it over to Mike first thing on Monday. Besides, as it was Jesse’s first contract, there were probably some legal things that they needed to set up.
• • •
Jesse paced in front of the arrival gate, waiting for her plane to land. Calling her had been stupid, impulsive, and ill-considered. Yet, he’d never been so sure of anything in his life. For years, he’d looked for the kind of love that James had with Lizzie. To love someone so much, well, he would give up anything to be with that person. He smiled as the thought came to him; he was more his mother’s son than he would like to admit.
Inviting Taylor down to Casper without taking the time to think through what had happened had been impulsive. It’s not like he hadn’t had drunken sex before. Or even a one-night stand. But he’d never woken up early and watched the angel sleeping next to him breathe. His fingers had itched to pick up a pencil and draw the curve of her arm as it had draped over her chest, her hand curling up toward her face. He caught a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror. Man, he had it bad. An announcement came over the loud speaker that the Salt Lake flight had just landed. He felt bad for her having to fly to SLC then out to Casper, but the airlines liked to route their planes through regional hubs rather than send direct flights. Taylor’s flight had taken four hours, but she almost could have driven the distance faster. Brit had been curt when he’d called the gallery to see what time Taylor’s flight would be landing. Brit had been hesitant to give him the details, even after he’d explained he
“You’re going to go. Fly out and be his road toy.”
Taylor started searching for a flight. “I’m not having sex with him. I’m getting this whole thing cleared up and past us, for the good of the gallery.” She looked at her assistant. “You have Angie to help out this afternoon and all day Saturday, right?”
Brit shook her head. “Tomorrow, yes. But Angie just called. She’s got an appointment or something today. This is the third one in the last week.”
“From what I’ve learned, Angie has a habit of being a flake. Maybe I shouldn’t go.” Taylor leaned back in her chair, turning her attention from the computer to Brit.
“You think I can’t handle the gallery by myself for,” she glanced at her watch, “four hours? I used to open and close on your days off by myself. What, you think I’ve become needy in the last day or so??”
“It’s not that I don’t think you can deal,” Taylor said. “Hell, I’m probably just trying to catch a lifeline here and talk myself out of going.”
“Then don’t go. You’re a smart, intelligent woman. You don’t need to be running off because Mr. Handsome Cowboy snaps his fingers.”
Taylor laughed. “I’m not going because Jesse snapped his fingers. I need to know more about him, especially if I’m going to stop my folks from selling to him before I can get the funding package set. Mike says he just needs a few weeks.”
A bell on the front door announced a new customer. Brit slipped out of her chair and went to greet the new arrival. Standing in the office door, she hesitated and waited until Taylor acknowledged her.
“What?”
Brit cocked her head and met Taylor’s eyes. “Go ahead, play secret agent. Just remember what I told you. Keep your heart locked up. I worry about you.”
Taylor watched her friend leave the office. Her fingers paused over the keyboard, wondering if this was totally stupid. Then she hit enter and picked up her purse. She had a plane to catch and she needed to pack an overnight bag.
She glanced at Marvin’s contract. No use messing with it today. She’d get it over to Mike first thing on Monday. Besides, as it was Jesse’s first contract, there were probably some legal things that they needed to set up.
• • •
Jesse paced in front of the arrival gate, waiting for her plane to land. Calling her had been stupid, impulsive, and ill-considered. Yet, he’d never been so sure of anything in his life. For years, he’d looked for the kind of love that James had with Lizzie. To love someone so much, well, he would give up anything to be with that person. He smiled as the thought came to him; he was more his mother’s son than he would like to admit.
Inviting Taylor down to Casper without taking the time to think through what had happened had been impulsive. It’s not like he hadn’t had drunken sex before. Or even a one-night stand. But he’d never woken up early and watched the angel sleeping next to him breathe. His fingers had itched to pick up a pencil and draw the curve of her arm as it had draped over her chest, her hand curling up toward her face. He caught a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror. Man, he had it bad. An announcement came over the loud speaker that the Salt Lake flight had just landed. He felt bad for her having to fly to SLC then out to Casper, but the airlines liked to route their planes through regional hubs rather than send direct flights. Taylor’s flight had taken four hours, but she almost could have driven the distance faster. Brit had been curt when he’d called the gallery to see what time Taylor’s flight would be landing. Brit had been hesitant to give him the details, even after he’d explained he
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