Page 31 of Help Wanted

“That sounds like fun,” she said.

“Would you want to spend a weekend looking at a bunch of boats?” He’d seen the frown when she thought she would be stuck in the office alone all the time.

“Sidney said she sometimes needed to go to take care of insurance issues and quotes. I’m prepared to learn how to do that. It is part of my job, right? I need to learn more about boats.”

He frowned at the table.

“I’m sorry this job hasn’t been what you expected. If you want to learn more, we can make that happen. I’ll take you to the boat show. It’s a two-day thing. I’m staying on my boat, but I’ll get you a hotel room. Well, you can book that yourself with my card.” He smiled. “I can show you what’s involved in appraising a vessel. If we buy one, I’ll be overseeing the project as a personal favor to my friend, Wes, but you can help me with it.”

“That sounds great.” She practically beamed with excitement and he felt even worse. She must be bored stiff if this prospect thrilled her so much.

“I’m sorry this job isn’t more exciting. Why do you think I travel so much?” he asked.

“To avoid me.”

Her honesty nearly made him choke on his drink. He set the glass down, his gaze on the table. He needed to make this right.

“That was beyond rude of me, Kenley. I’m so sorry.”

“Do you want to tell me what it is I did that made you want to avoid me?”

“It’s nothing you did. Nothing at all. I’ve not been dealing with things well. It won’t happen again. I promise you.”

“So I can stay?” she asked.

“Of course. You work circles around Sidney and you don’t yell at me. Who wouldn’t want to keep you?” Forever? Maybe in their bed? He was not desensitizing at the speed he would have liked.

When dinner was over they walked out into the chilly night air. Kenley pulled her jacket closer around her and turned to him with a smile.

“Thanks for dinner.”

“Thanks for giving me another chance,” he said. “Why don’t you wait here, and I’ll get my truck to drive you home.”

“No. It’s fine, really. I should walk.” If she meant she needed to walk because of her figure, she was wrong. She was perfect. She had nice womanly curves in all the right places. Curves he shouldn’t be noticing on his employee.

“I’m leaving tomorrow afternoon,” he told her with a frown. Now that he found he could talk to her without feeling like a stupid, shy boy, he wished he could stay.

“For real?”

“Yes.” He laughed at her expression. “I might be buying a small shop on Lake Erie. I’m meeting the inspector from the bank.”

“Expanding? That’s a good sign.” He nodded. He’d planned to grow his company before now. It just hadn’t worked out yet. He wouldn’t tell her that hiding from her had been the catalyst to get him moving on the plan.

“So I’ll see you in the morning before you head out?” She was still standing close to him, and when she looked up he saw it.

She licked her bottom lip. He swore he saw her gaze drift down to his lips before meeting his eyes again. He must have imagined it. His own gaze seemed trapped at her lips and then he abruptly turned away, cursing Brady for putting ideas into his head.

Whatever he thought he saw, or hoped he saw, he could be certain of one thing, Kenley Carmichael most certainly did not want to kiss him. And he surely could not kiss her.

He stepped back, chanting the word employee over and over in his head.

* * *

Oh God. She’d almost leaned in to kiss her boss. It felt like a magnet was pulling her in, and she couldn’t fight it. Fortunately, he’d turned away before she could make an even bigger ass of herself.

She practically skipped during her brisk trip home. As she lay in her bed, she couldn’t help but replay her dinner with Zane. He’d smiled a few times, and each time it struck her right in the chest.

Her new boss was as sweet as she thought he could be. And his kindness came in a beautiful, sexy package. Sexy? She couldn’t allow herself to think of him as sexy. He was her boss.