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“You don’t have to worry, Lara, I won’t take advantage of your friend.”
Norris Converse smiled brightly at the friend in question. Had he not met the gorgeous Dahlia Sinclair on his own two months
earlier, he’d be giving his best friend’s wife big thanks for sending Dahlia and her business his way. “I’ll
see you and Ryan later. Bye.”
Norris hung up the phone and approached his lovely companion. “Lara’s afraid I’m going to disturb your fragile
sensibilities.” He laughed. “Little does she know.”
“Thanks for not saying anything to her.” Dahlia smoothed out her skirt, which was slightly wrinkled from their
torrid encounter on his desk. “I don’t think she’ll understand our arrangement,” she said, combing
her fingers through her short, perfectly coiffed dark hair.
"Our
arrangement?” He pulled her close to him. Her curvy body fit perfectly against his, and at a couple inchesshy of his
six feet of height, she was a woman he didn’t have to strain his neck to kiss. It was like she was madefor him. “You
mean hot, guilt-free, no strings sex? What’s not to understand? It’s my prescription for a full and happy life.” A hint of rouge toasted Dahlia’s rich brown cheeks. Norris smiled.
He enjoyed teasing her about their arrangement. He enjoyed everything about Dahlia the dazzling divorcée, a fact he found exciting and unsettling. He didn’t get this excited
about women. They generally came and went. But not Dahlia. And as much as it scared him, he rather liked it.
Agnes, his trusted assistant and self-proclaimed
mother in Denburg, South Carolina, had announced Dahlia and shown her in more than half an hour before. Less than two minutes
later, Dahlia lay atop his desk withher glorious long legs wrapped about his waist, moaning her pleasure.
A very proud and notorious playboy, Norris had never allowed his extra-curricular activities to cross into his business life.
To indulge a woman in his workplace was a staunch no-no. At least it used to be. Thinking of what he and Dahlia had just shared
aroused him all over again. He pressed up against her. A deep groan rumbled in his throat. “Uh, uh, uh.” Dahlia took a step back. “We need to
move on to other things, Norris. This meeting is about my audit.”
“You saying we need to get down to business?” He grinned.
“Yes, real business.” She walked over to the leather couch and picked up the portfolio she had set down on her
way in. “I think I have everything you need.”
Norris stared at her as she rifled through the papers. If only she knew. He remembered the
night they met. Valentine’s evening, a holiday along with Thanksgiving and Christmas that comprised his no-women days.
Those holidays gave women the wrong impressions, and he wasn’t trying to dole out false
hope. That night, he and Dahlia had both reached for the last copy of Shrek in the video rental store. After some silly
bantering over who should get the rental, and realizing they knew some of the same people, they wound up watching together
at her place. And before the movie ended they were in each other’s arms. He hadn’t been with another woman since then, and had no desire to be. Dahlia’s
beautiful heart-shaped face, brown eyes, and full lips kept him transfixed, and her impressive business mind was an aphrodisiac
in itself. Thoughts of her filled his days and nights, drawing him dangerously close to a line he never wanted to cross. Norris shook his head. The singing birds and blossoming
flowers of springtime must have gone to his head. He didn’t do relationships and Dahlia didn’t do them anymore.
That’s how they both wanted it, and that’s why they worked so well. He buttoned his shirt and moved behind his desk. “I know audit is a scary
word, but from what you told me, you kept pretty accurate records for the day spas you sold, and I’m sure the same is
the case for the salon you still own, so this should be a breeze.”
“I hope so. The last couple of years have been a bit trying. Which might explain this audit.” She sighed, handing
over the portfolio. “Try not to
worry. More often than not it’s minor calculation errors. And this is just an audit of the year before last. I’ll
take a look at all this, see where we stand, and go from there.” “Thanks for your help, Norris.” She flashed her beguiling
smile. “If you need anything else, don’t hesitate to call.” Sensing a hidden meaning in her statement, Norris met her gaze and approached.
“The same applies to you,” he said.
Dahlia trailed her finger down the buttons of his shirt. She sighed. “I keep trying to tell myself if nobody knows about
our arrangement, it doesn’t make me a skank.” Her head dropped. “I should know better. My grandma taught
me better.” She looked deeply into his eyes. “Why don’t I feel ashamed?” Norris’s heart pounded. Was Dahlia asking him or herself that
question? Could she feel the change their relationship had taken? It wasn’t just feel-good sex. It was so much more.
He saw something in her eyes. Something that made him want to open up about feelings he never wanted to feel. “Dahlia,
I . . .” A feathery soft finger
touched his lips, silencing him. His breath lodged in his throat. Her touch was his undoing. “I know what it is,” she said. “It’s the sexy
waves in your jet-black hair, and the devilish twinkle in those sparkling gray eyes that render women helpless. Tall, dark
. . . Well, at least as dark as your Greek-Anglo ancestry will allow.” She laughed. “And handsome.”
Her fingers brushed his cheek. “You’re irresistible, Norris Converse.” “You’re irresistible.” Norris softly kissed her lips,
all too aware he was heading down a slippery slope with no way of stopping himself. “I’ll call you.” ~*~
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