Page 64 of Honey Be Mine
From the flare of the man’s nostrils, he didn’t like what he’d heard. “Can you excuse us for a minute?” James asked Everett.
“Rosebud?” Everett asked. “Your call.”
Which prompted an irritated huff from James.
She didn’t give a fig about the man’s irritation. Goodness knows he’d caused her plenty of irritation, plus frustration, sadness, anger, and more. And now he wanted to talk to her. “What exactly are we going to discuss?” she asked.
James glanced at Everett.
“Everett knows everything.” She’d rather hear what James had to say with Everett at her side. That way, if she totally lost it and launched herself at the backstabbing snake, Everett could hold her back.
James wasn’t happy about this. There was no trace of his usual smile or upbeat persona. “What does that mean?”
Rosemary swallowed, fully aware of the people milling around and how easily things could be overheard. She knew the truth, but she didn’t want to wind up in the middle of some he-said, she-said situation. “I think you know.”
James’s eyes narrowed. “I think there’s been a misunderstanding.”
Everett’s snort had James’s nostrils flaring wider.
“Rosemary, I know you. We spent four years together—working closely together, passionate about the same things and chasing down the same goals. We were a team. You’ve never been interested in accolades, not really.” He sighed. “Does it matter who is credited? As long as accurate, usable information is accessible to beekeepers, isn’t that what matters?”
She took a moment to absorb his words. First, he was either being willfully ignorant or the man was really truly stupid when it came to his breech of professional ethics. Second, he had a point about getting the information out there. Both factors helped her make a decision. “That’s why, as a member of the team, I’m happy to present with you tomorrow. Everett’s right, I could probably recite most of those data tables verbatim, without the PowerPoint I created, so we should be covered regardless of any technical glitches.”
James’s shoulders slumped, and he shook his head. “That’s not necessary.”
“It is. Getting accurate, useful information out there is in the best interest of this ongoing project. The more beekeepers contributing data, the better.” She paused, waiting for his next argument.
“Your sisters are flagging us down, Rosebud.” Everett applied the lightest pressure to her back.
“Right.” She scanned the crowd, smiling when she saw every one of her Honey family and friends watching the exchange. Luckily, Kerrielynn didn’t have her phone up and recording. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Dr. Voigt. Your speech today was very well written.”Because I wrote it.
Everett steered her around and away from the man. “I’ve never seen such a civilized ass-kicking, Rosebud. But I’m pretty sure that’s what just happened.”
She laughed, releasing some of the nervous energy the standoff had triggered. “I wouldn’t say that.” Her voice wobbled.
Everett’s hands clasped her shoulders and turned her to face him. “I would. You were far more generous with that bastard than he deserved, but you still managed to put him in his place. I’m amazed by you. And proud of you.” He tilted her chin up, forcing her to meet his gaze.
There was a spark in his brown eyes—something bright and heady and breathtaking. He was proud of her. Amazed by her. But could he love her again?
When his gaze drifted to her mouth, she stopped breathing altogether. Was it possible he felt the crackling hum between them? That this magnetic pull that demanded she stand too close and stare at him too long wasn’t one-sided? He might not love her, but was there a chance that Everett Taggert wanted her?
The way his smoldering brown eyes were fixed solely on her mouth suggested it was a possibility. That might be worth exploring. She’d very much like to do some exploring. With Everett.
EVERETTWASGOINGto kiss Rosebud. Right here and now. In front of her family, friends, and from the looks of it, every beekeeper in the state of Texas—and he didn’t give one damn.
He’d never wanted to kiss anyone the way he wanted to kiss her. Long and slow. Tasting her. Savoring her. Branding her with his mouth. He wanted her something fierce.
“Everett,” she whispered.
He nodded, unable to tear his gaze from her full lips.
“Everett.” There was a tremor in her voice.
When their gazes locked, he fought to swallow the groan that threatened to slip out. The look on her face was unexpected. It turned him upside down, shook him around, and pulled the ground out from under him. Even after years of dreaming of this very thing, he wasn’t prepared.She wants it, too.Rosebud. She wanted him to kiss her.Damn it all.
“Have dinner with me tonight.” His tongue felt thick, so his words were gruffer than he’d anticipated.
She nodded. “Okay. Yes.”
