Was that a growl over the phone line? With a very audible sigh, she said, “All right, I’ll help you, but I want you to understand this is not a date.”
Oh yes, it was.
“Just so you know there’s nothing between us.”
Oh, but there would be.
“I’m only doing this because you need a woman to wear those boots.”
That was good enough for him.
Bam! He’d done it! “Great. What size are you?” When she told him, he suggested, “How about tomorrow, then?” It was supposed to be another beautiful June Saturday.
“Tomorrow would be fine,” she said, though he sensed hesitancy in her voice.
He wouldn’t let her back out now, so he pushed forward with definite plans. “Why don’t you choose a trail for us, and I’ll pick you up at eight tomorrow morning.”
“Okay,” she said as if she was still feeling hesitant. But then she added, “Meet me at my office. I’ll bring lunch.”
Oh yeah, he got it. She was trying to maintain a businesslike distance by making it the office instead of her home.
That didn’t matter. He felt his heart hammering at the thought of seeing her again. Of kissing her again.
Today, she might be denying it was a date, but tomorrow, after he kissed her the way he so desperately wanted to, she’d no longer be able to deny their attraction.
When Michaela had seen the name on her phone screen, her hand had twitched, and she couldn’t stop herself from answering.
She couldn’t believe she’d said yes to Troy’s hike tomorrow. But she knew exactly why she had. It was that kiss. Oh my God, that kiss. She touched her lips, thinking about it. She’d lain awake last night reliving it. Even when she’d finally fallen asleep, she’d dreamed of it.
And now they had another business engagement. She wouldn’t call it a date.
Her fingers caressing her lips, she murmured aloud, “I wonder if he’ll kiss me again.”
“Wait, who is the matchmaker finally matching herself with?”
The voice snapped her back to reality, to the meeting she was in. She’d completely forgotten about Gloria Madden sitting across from her, recalling only now that Gloria had been on the phone with her husband when Troy called.
Good Lord, she’d forgotten everything when his voice had purred in her ear.
This wasn’t like her at all.
Gloria was no longer a dating client. As Michaela had told Troy, she’d matched Gloria and Ivan Madden ten years ago, not only as the cofounders of FoodFast, but in love as well.
Now, she and Gloria were fast friends.
Ooh, she should to a search on that term. FastFriends could be a dating site Gloria and Ivan could build together. Right now, though, Michaela was doing some art matchmaking for the couple. She was sure they’d adore Rosie Jones’s paintings.
But first, she needed to address that kiss.
As with her mother, Michaela wasn’t ready to talk about it. Later, but not now. Not when her lips still tingled just thinking about that kiss. Not when her emotions felt all jumbled up.
She went into denial mode. “No, no, it’s just someone I’m helping out.” Which was true. She was helping Troy test the hiking boots.
Gloria eyed her with an all-seeing gaze. “I’ve never seen you blush like that before.” Michaela couldn’t help slumping in her chair when Gloria added, “So what’s this kiss you mentioned?”
She had no choice but to come clean, at least as far as she could.
“I swear, I’m not dating him.” Then the words slipped off her tongue. “But, oh my God, that kiss.”