Page 10 of No Rings Attached
It was all just in my head. It was time for me to pump the brakes on this stupid crush.
Let’s face it. Today sucked. Like, really and truly sucked. And I was not just talking about my car. As much as I was an independent woman, the sudden need to soak up his strength to make it through the day, for just a few seconds, overwhelmed my senses. I loved and hated how my emotions kept twisting back and forth about wanting to rely on him and being strong enough to not need that kind of support.
“Ooookay.” A slow smile tipped up the corners of Adam’s lips. He stared at Drew for a few seconds before giving him a chin nod in acknowledgment. “Why don’t you help get Ellie’s things from her car then?”
Drew grunted an acknowledgment.
The tradeoff to Drew discovering I was an overpacker was seeing his muscles bulge when he collected my two heavy suitcases and hefted them along with my smaller carry-on into the back of his truck.
I grabbed my work bag that held my prized possessions: my laptop and my notebook. My fingers itched to take out my journal and jot down my thoughts of tonight. Embarrassing situations and my impressions of the Kingsley cousins.
I was in the middle of writing my very first romance novel after years of studying the craft and talking to other indie authors. That was the other draw of visiting Ruby River. I had set my story in a small-town and the only experience I had with that was from the books I’d read. This was a research trip of sorts, and I needed to remember every detail.
Adam loaded my car onto the flatbed and bid us goodbye. Drew held the door for me as I climbed into his older model, Ford F-150. It seemed to suit this rough, mountain man side of him.
My anxiety kicked into full swing as we drove into town, as if my nerves weren’t already at an all time high.
What should I say to him? I definitely didn’t want to make things any worse.
I ran my pointer finger in a figure eight design on my denim-clad thigh. It helped me focus on my next thoughts. “I’m, uh, sorry about earlier.”
“You have nothing to apologize for. It certainly made for an interesting night.”
I grimaced. “Not the first impression I wanted to make, though.”
Drew silenced me with a shake of his head. “I get it. You were on the side of the road by yourself and wanted to stay safe. My sister probably would’ve pepper sprayed someone for getting too close just because she felt like it.”
I gave an awkward laugh. From the interactions I’d had with Grace, who also worked at Kingsley Jewelry, that sounded like her.
My cheeks burned again at the thought of all the fear induced “weapons” I brandished when I thought he was a stranger. “I don’t know if I should be mortified by my choices of weapons.” I used finger quotes to emphasize the word. “Or be thrilled that you thought they really might have been something that could do damage.”
“No to the embarrassment.” His tone was more like a command than a comment, and I squirmed as the rumble of his voice shot straight to my core. I squeezed my knees together, not sure how to banish my next thought of wondering if he used that same voice in the bedroom.
Drew was calm. Decisive. Power rolled off of him in our everyday interaction. He was also kind and thoughtful. I’d been sick one day and he ordered a food delivery service to bring me soup, water, and crackers when I’d been too wiped to do it myself. This was why he was the perfect boss. The perfect man. The perfect everything. And while I was in his orbit, for however long that might last, I could pretend that I was just as put together as he was.
During the workday, he was exacting. He expected a lot from me, but no more than what was necessary to push the company to the next level. He was fair, had a sarcastic sense of humor that he’d let slip into our correspondence sometimes, and he was incredibly insightful in long-term planning.
It had taken us a little time to find our rhythm. I loved that he’d never become frustrated as I learned different aspects of the business. He was patient and treated me like I was a valued member of the team.
So far, this had been the best position I’d had since I graduated college six years ago. And now at twenty-eight years old, I finally had a steady job. One that gave me the freedom to take a leap and finish writing the romance novel I’d been drafting on and off over the past few years.
Which is why I needed to keep this job. Otherwise, I’d have to move in with my parents so I could write. And that wasn’t a good idea. Not at all.
I couldn’t stop the full body shudder that overtook me at the thought of them.
They were also part of the reason I left so quickly.
Chapter Three
DREW
What in the caveman hell was wrong with me?
The second Adam mentioned taking Ellie to the B&B and showing her around town, red hot anger flashed through me. I’d barely held back wrapping my arms around Ellie’s waist, tugging her to me, and growlingmine.
Ellie was my employee.
She was off limits.
