Chapter 7

chapter

seven

Lizzie

I’ve worked side-by-side with Graham for two weeks now. I’ve lived in his pool house, but I’ve only ever seen him here, at his office. He’s been nothing but professional. Except when I catch him staring at my ass. Or my tits. Then his eyes heat and his jaw tightens, and he walks away.

We’ve had a relatively slow morning for a Friday, so I was able to leave the office and meet Annabelle for a quick lunch at Ruthie’s diner. I really hate to admit it—I hate even more that I feel it—but I love Saddle Creek.

I remember loving it as a girl, even if I didn’t have Greyson Hendricks as my best friend, like my sister did. But I’d had friends. I’ve been able to reconnect with Madison Crawford (now Burton) and Jade Larson (now Bishop). Because, of course, everyone is married. Everyone but me because I have crap taste in men.

I mean, at least Graham is a good man. Can’t say as much about Billy. But Graham is one hundred percent unattainable. Not only is he my boss, and landlord, I’ve heard talk around town about how dead-set he is on remaining a bachelor.

So yeah, Lizzie has shitty taste in men. I just have to keep reminding myself of that. Especially when Graham wears jeans to the office. It’s not an everyday occurrence, but when it does happen, it feels a bit like Christmas. I love how the denim molds to his tree-trunk thighs and his butt.

Speaking of Christmas, that’s exactly what I’m doing when we get back to the office. I’m putting up the tree that goes in the waiting room. It’s also the last thing Carol is working on before her retirement officially begins. She didn’t have to do much to train me other than to point me in the direction of the supplies and charts.

But when I get to the office, I see that Carol has gone for lunch. I poke my head into Graham’s office to let him know I’m back.

“Good. We have something we need to discuss. Come in and close the door,” he says. He gets up and leans his ass on the edge of his desk, crossing his meaty arms over his barrel chest.

He’s so virile and manly I think I might be drooling. I am in so far over my head.

“Did I do something wrong with my chart notes from this morning’s patients?” I ask, closing the door behind me.

“No. Nothing like that.” He motions to the chair in front of him. “Sit down.”

This is all feeling very official and weird and I think I might be about to get fired. Which, I know legally, he can’t do and I could sue his pants off for sexual harassment. Not that I’d ever do that. We met as strangers and fate or cruelty brought us together here at work.

“I got a call this morning,”he says. “From a doctor’s office in Fredericksburg.”

“Okay.”

“They were calling me for a reference, since this is your place of current employment.”

“I know I haven’t worked here long, but I thought you could speak to my skills in the office setting since I came here from working at an elementary school.”

“Giving the reference isn’t the problem. Of course, I gave you a glowing recommendation because you’re an excellent nurse, Lizzie.”

I swallow hard. “Then what is the problem?”

“You. You are my problem. Why the hell are you applying for another job? Am I not paying you enough? Do you need a break on your rent for a while until you and your kids are more established in town? What am I missing here?”

I come to my feet, fury pumping through my veins. “What are you missing? Have you forgotten that we’ve seen each other naked?”

“No, sugar, I could never forget that. Your body is imprinted on my brain.”

“Don’t call me that. You’re my boss. Working here with you every day. Seeing you.” I shake my head. “It’s driving me crazy. I can’t stop thinking about you and frankly, it pisses me off.” I poke him in the chest. “Do you know that my daughter nearly walked in on my last night with a vibrator between my legs? She’s not even eight yet, Graham. She does not need to see that!”

He stands to his full height, looming over me. “I think I might need to see that.”

His nostrils are flaring, and the silver of his eyes has nearly disappeared with his dilated pupils.

“I can’t stop thinking about you either.” He moves us so that instead, I’m up against his desk. He lifts me, just like he’d done that night, setting me on the edge of the wood. “I think there’s only one solution.”

I nod, trying not to stare at his lips or his throat. Or really any part of him because I really just want to crawl up his body and wrap myself around him.

“It’s why I applied for the other job. It’s not too far from here, so I’ll still be closer to my sister than I would be in Houston.”

He cups my face, his thick fingers threading into my short blonde locks. “No, sugar. The answer is that we just keep fucking each other.”

“What?”

“Pretty sure you heard me. And judging from the way your nipples are visible through your scrub shirt, you tits heard me too.”

“Graham, we can’t do that. We work together.”

“As long as I don’t fire you, then what we do outside of working hours is irrelevant.”

“So just fucking. Like co-workers with benefits? Is that what you’re proposing?” I hate how hard my heart is beating. How all I can think of is how much I want him to kiss me.

“Do we have to put a label on it? Can’t we just be together until?—”

“Until what? Until you get tired of me? Until you realize I come with too my baggage? I guess I didn’t tell you, but that night with you, that’s the first one-night-stand I’ve ever had. You’re only the second man I’ve ever slept without. You and my kid’s dad. That’s it. I’m not a casual sex kind of girl.”

“Are you saying you want to be my girlfriend?”

I shake my head. “No, that’s not what I’m saying at all. Neither of us are looking for a relationship, and I’m just not sure I can do that.”

He pulls my body close, hugging me to his chest. I close my eyes and inhale the scent of his aftershave or whatever that delicious smell is.

“You’re going to break my heart, Graham West, and I don’t think there’s anything I can do about it.”