“I’ll just bet.”
She slid into a booth and he sat across from her.
“What do you mean?” he asked.
“It’s a beautiful spot, Jake. Very romantic.”
“If you say so.”
“Pristine waters. Spanish moss hugging everything. Outdoor shower.”
He leaned over the table. “Have you been fantasizing about my shower, Claire?”
She pulled back, but he didn’t miss the telltale flush. “No! I just thought you’d have company out there once in a while.”
“I haven’t had any company out there.”
She looked relieved and he wanted to ask why. But he supposed that would overstep the ridiculous friendship rule.
“It does get lonely out there,” he said, leaning back to stretch out a bit. “Want to come keep me company? Maybe take a shower?”
Her eyes ran slowly over him, making his soft knit shirt feel a little too tight. He was grateful the table was hiding his groin right now.
“If my couch is dangerous I don’t want to think about your shower.”
He shook his head and just stared at her until she took out her tablet and brought up her notes. He’d play it her way. Stay in the friend zone without any extracurricular activities. She was thinking about him out there by the lake, though. Thinking about him in that shower. He was sure as hell going to think about her there now. And he was going to have to do something about it he hadn’t had to do in years.
They’d eaten before shooting pool but he ordered some potato skins anyway. As they ate he went over the plans again, illustrating the age groups and number of kids who could participate at a given time. The load the course could accommodate and how long each progression should take. Putting it to her that way helped her calculate returns based on a few different price structures and she suggested an annual pass which would be a great addition. The course would kick ass. There was no question.
Before long, the financial wizard inside her took over and he was bowled over by her attention to detail as she worked with the numbers he’d given her. She wore such focus on her face he was as turned on by that as he was by the sweet scent clinging to her.
“There’s no question the addition would prove profitable,” she said in conclusion, sitting back and raising her head. “Anyone can see that.”
“Because you made it crystal clear.”
She beamed at him and he felt that familiar jolt again.
“Thanks.”
“You’re good, Claire. Really good.”
She tucked everything back in her bag and slid out of the booth. “That’s why they pay me the big bucks.”
He knew she was only half kidding. Her salary had to be pretty good but from what he’d seen she didn’t live like it was. Her clothes were nice but not obviously pricey like Tammy’s. Her house was modest and that dinky electric car was super economical. Maybe she was saving for a rainy day. She was obviously a planner. Something he had no experience with himself.
He stood and waved her ahead of him toward the front doors. “Now, back to our bet.”
She shook her head at him. “I haven’t decided on my prize.”
He didn’t hide his open appreciation of her face and form. “I can think of a really good one.”
“N-nope.” Her voice was a little shaky and he knew she was turned on. “Not going to happen.”
He held the door open and she got into the Jeep. “We’ll see.” He walked around and got behind the wheel. “Now, where to?”
“Home.”
“Home?”
“Yes. I’ll email you all the worksheets, Jake. Then you can present them to Mr. Forbes and the Institute.”
“You should come with me.”
“Oh, no.” She waved her hand. “That’s not my thing.”
“Come on. You’ve never been in on the presentations? Not even in the Sales Center?”
“That’s Tammy’s gig. So not me.”
“That’s a shame, then. You should see your face when you’re talking numbers.”
She stared ahead, her shoulders slumped. “Yeah, that’s me. Math geek.”
Was that really how she saw herself? Amazing.
“No. You look hot when you get all focused, Claire. It’s something to see because it’s beautiful.”
Her head shot up and she pinned him with her gaze. “Really? Beautiful?”
“Oh, yeah.” He started the Jeep and put it in gear. “It’s a shame we’re stuck in the friend zone.”
He let that statement hang in the air between them until she was forced to answer.
“Why?” she asked.
“Because if you turn me on focusing that attention on your numbers you drive me out of my mind when you’re focusing that attention on me.”
The temperature inside the Jeep climbed but neither of them said anything until he pulled to a stop in front of her house fifteen minutes later.
“Um, good night,” Claire said.
Jake turned his head to look at her, then gripped the steering wheel to keep from grabbing her to him. “Good night.”
She let herself out and he watched as she climbed the front steps and disappeared into her house. He breathed in deep, slow and steady, until his body stopped throbbing enough so he could focus on driving back to the tent-cabin.
He hadn’t lied. Everything about her turned him on. Her face. Her body. Her mind. He was in trouble with this girl. Trouble he’d never been in before.
He cursed and pulled away from the curb. He had to get himself in control or he would lose what was building between the two of them.
Even if he didn’t know what the hell it was.
***
Claire stepped out onto the veranda wrapping around the Sales Center. It was Friday afternoon and the weather was at last holding a touch of autumn. Beyond the Clubhouse she could see the leaves on the trees lining the golf course were just starting to turn a little. The real show wouldn’t be until sometime in December, but fall was coming. There was no doubt about it. It was enough to make her crave one of those pumpkin lattes the coffee shop started serving this week. She’d saved a little bit on meals this week, what with Jake picking up the tab at the End Zone. The heck with it. Her day was waning and she wanted a pumpkin latte.
“Hello there, Claire!”
She looked up as she crossed the street, seeing Lettie waving her over. Smiling, Claire approached her. Lettie, or Charlotte Fairfax, was a staple in the town center. She currently sat at what Claire knew was her favorite table beneath the purple crepe myrtle.
“Hi, Lettie. What’s up?”
Lettie shook her head, her silver bangs brushing over her brow. The woman wore a large straw hat, a flower-print smock, denim overalls, and a pair of bright green Crocs. She was outrageous and sweet, and knew every bit of gossip that could be found in Cypress. She was in her seventies but looked closer to fifty. She claimed this was due to healthy living, big hats and the liberal application of sunscreen.
“Now, don’t you just want to know?” Lettie countered.
Claire blinked. She knew the woman had the goods about any romantic entanglements in Cypress, and that she prided herself on her accuracy. She claimed to have hit the nail on the head regarding Harmony and Rick’s love and stated time and again that she was eager to ferret out another great love story. Since Claire didn’t consider herself a viable candidate for love stories great or small, she felt completely safe. There was no way Lettie would want to poke her little upturned nose into Claire’s decidedly dull business.
“I take it you’ve heard something?” Claire asked.
“Heard? No.” Lettie smiled coyly. “Seen? Oh, yes.”
Claire looked up and down the main street, then turned back to Lettie. “What did you see?”
“That delicious Jake Chapman, Claire. He jogged past here just about ten minutes ago.”
Claire fought to keep herself from looking down the street again. “Oh?”
“Yes. My, t
hat boy is fine.”
“Lettie!”
Lettie raised her brows. “What? A woman of a certain age can’t find a strong chest and tight butt attractive?”
Claire laughed. “All right. I’ll give in on that one.”
“Are you, what do the kids say, hitting that?”
Claire’s mouth dropped open. “I… I am not.”
Lettie clicked her tongue. “That’s a shame. Now, my late Mr. Fairfax could burn up the sheets but I bet that boy would make a fair show of it.”
Claire thought of how he’d set her on fire, twice, on her couch. His lips. His hands. His body.
“Yeah,” she murmured.
Catching herself, she shook off the image and faced Lettie. The woman was smirking as she lifted her glass of sweet tea.
“Seems to me I’m not the only one thinking about him in less than honorable terms.”
“We’re friends,” Claire rushed out.
“Friends?” Lettie sipped her tea, then placed her glass back on the table. “Seems to me your friendship could burn pretty hot if you fanned those flames I see in your cheeks.”
Claire covered her cheeks, then dropped her hands. “Well. I was just going to grab a latte before heading back to my office.”
“Don’t let me keep you.” Lettie’s eyes sparkled but she didn’t say anything more about Jake or heat or anything else.
“I’ll see you, Lettie,” Claire said as she turned to go into the coffee shop.
Oh, the woman was good. She could see straight through to Claire’s dirty little mind about Jake. After she got her pumpkin latte, she stepped back out onto the walk. And nearly ran right smack into him.
“Hey!”
She stepped back and ran her eyes over him. God, he looked good. He wore a sleeveless t-shirt over loose running shorts but the clothes clung to his sweaty body. His hair was half standing up, half plastered to his head, and his eyes were bright.
“Hi, Jake,” she choked out.
He grinned as he rested his hands on his knees and bent over. “I was just finishing up my run.” Straightening, he lifted his shirt and wiped his face with it. “It’s finally starting to cool off a little in the afternoons.”
She nodded, her tongue thick in her mouth. His abdomen and chest were visible as he wiped and, even after the shirt dropped back in place, she couldn’t get the delectable image out of her head.
“What are you up to?” he asked.
Holding her cup aloft, she shrugged. “Pumpkin latte.”
“Ah, another harbinger of fall.”
“Yeah.” Jeez, she sounded lame.
“I’m going to be meeting with the Institute on Monday. It would be great if you came along.”
“I don’t think so.”
He looked disappointed, but it couldn’t be because she wasn’t going to be there. He just wanted another ally. A friend. That was all.
“Okay.” He watched her for a long minute, then touched her shoulder. “I’m going to finish with a few laps in the pool.”
Oh, now that was an image she didn’t think she wanted to get out of her head.
“Enjoy.”
He turned and ran toward the swim club, his long legs eating up the sidewalk until he disappeared around the corner. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and counted to ten.
“Friends, huh?”
Lettie’s voice reached Claire and her eyes popped open. The woman was grinning ear to ear.
“Friends,” Claire said back to her.
Crossing back over to the Sales Center, she wondered if she should rethink this whole “friend” thing. Seeing Jake all sweaty had her thinking things that were definitely not friendly at all.
Chapter 14
About a week later, Jake was up at the Sales Center going over the final preparations before ordering materials for the start of the construction. The Chapman investors had come through, even on the addition of the kids’ course. It was just a matter of getting the best price quotes and having the land cleared.
He was using a vacant office off the hallway, and imagined he could almost smell Claire’s scent when she came in. He’d beaten her here, which was a feat in itself. When he hadn’t seen her Prius in the parking lot he’d felt a little smug himself. He didn’t want to think about what kept her on a Friday morning. He was just pleased he’d get to see her. As friends, of course.
When she came in, he knew. Her steady steps. Her soft humming he didn’t even think she was aware of. It was the sound she made when she took the first sip of her latte. It was the same sound she made when he licked her right behind her ear.
“Good morning, Claire,” Mr. Forbes called from down the hall.
Her soft yet firm greeting in return set Jake’s pulse tripping. Damn. He’d been trying it her way. Keeping things friendly even after seeing her all hot and bothered the other day out on the walk. She’d practically drooled on him there in front of the coffee shop. When she turned her focus solely on him, it was a definite turn on.
Pulling up the bids he’d gotten, he thumbed through the possibilities. He’d try to focus himself on the job at hand. Then he could join the guys when building the thing commenced.
Grabbing up the phone, he called the best offer for grading and prep and accepted their offer. Taking a page from Claire’s book, he’d actually set up a spreadsheet of names, dates and prices to track his progress. He smiled. Wouldn’t his father shit his pants when he saw Jake was not only getting the job done but documenting it for the investors?
That task accomplished, he brought up the sites where he’d placed orders for the apparatus needed to augment the rough scape. They were still in process, but that was all right. It wasn’t even November yet, so his January first test runs shouldn’t be delayed.
“How’s it going, Jake?” Tammy asked from the open doorway.
He glanced up and saw her leaning a bit to show off her cleavage. She had pretty nice cleavage, if her skin was a little too tan for the recent change in his tastes. Nope. He preferred a pale creamy tone since getting a certain redheaded CPA naked.
“Great, Tammy. Have you made progress with the brochures?”
She nodded. “Yes! I have some formatting to go over but I wanted to run the content and photos by you.”
“Sure. Any time.”
Her smile was quick. “How about tonight?”
He met her gaze and saw the blatant interest there. If he wanted to he could have her tonight. That was clear. It had been clear on his last visit to Cypress and, apparently, she was still open to whatever he wanted. Pity he didn’t want it.
“I’m going to be busy tonight,” he told her.
“Oh?”
She wouldn’t leave it alone. He knew it and she knew he knew it.
“Going over to Rick and Harmony’s. We have to make our Halloween costumes for Saturday night.”
“Ooh, I love Halloween. I can’t decide if I want to be a sexy cat or a sexy nurse.”
“I don’t doubt you’d rock either one.”
She grinned. “Are you up to trick-or-treating after Nick gets put to bed?”
There was that offer again. He shook his head.
“I’m sure I’ll be pretty beat. The kid runs me ragged.”
She nodded. “Okay. Rain check?”
“Sure.”
“I’ll email you the brochure mock-ups, then.”
“Thanks.”
She left and he was relieved the tail end of their conversation had been back on the topic of business. He didn’t need her thinking anything more was possible. Not when he was tangled up with Claire and this friendship thing. He had to get out of that zone and fast. Before he went crazy trying to keep his dick in line with his head.
***
Claire finished her latte and turned from her desk to stare out the window. Her view wasn’t anything spectacular but she still liked looking out at the tall trees and lush landscape. The town center was very picturesque too. Though less than fifteen years old it
had the look and feel of an historic downtown in New England. It was nothing like the art deco pinks and yellows she’d grown up with in Melbourne but she found it was beginning to feel a lot like home.
“Jake’s working down the hall,” Tammy said behind her.
Claire took a breath, then turned in her chair. “Oh?”
“Working on the adventure courses. Construction should start by next week.”
“I know.”
“You know?”
Claire bit her lip. “Yes. Jake told me that was the plan. Last week. He told me last week.”
Tammy nodded. “When the two of you were going over the numbers.” She leaned against the doorjamb, her brow slightly furrowed. “Is there anything between you two, Claire? I know you’ve gone out a couple of times.”
“Yes. We’ve had dinner.”
“And?”
Claire couldn’t lie but she didn’t want the truth to get out. The fact of what she’d done with Jake before wising up.
“We had a good time. We’re friends.”
“Just friends?”
It was so much like her conversation with Lettie last week that she nearly growled with frustration. “We’re friends,” she said again.
“I just asked him out and he turned me down flat.”
That shouldn’t have given Claire a little flutter in her belly but it did. “Maybe he’s busy.”
“That’s what he said but I got the impression there was someone else.”
Claire held herself still. “You did?”
“He seems interested in somebody, Claire. Somebody he’s been palling around with lately maybe?”
“I don’t know what you’re asking me, Tammy.”
“Look.” Tammy stepped inside and leaned toward her. “If I’m off base tell me, but I think there’s something between you two.”
Claire stared at her. “Something?”
“He’s hot. Smoking hot, actually. I would be all over that if he gave me any encouragement. But I don’t want to come between whatever is happening between you two.”
“Nothing is happening.” Not anymore. “Nothing at all.”
“Whatever could happen then. You’re friends, right?”
“Yes.”
Tammy shrugged. “Friendship has been known to turn into something else. I’ve never had that happen but I don’t generally have any guy friends. Not without benefits, anyway.”
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