Geo nodded. Though he was not happy with her demand, he would accept her terms. For now. He decided to take it a step further, and not speak unless spoken to. Carefully stepping around her, he opened the passenger door before stepping out of her way. Once she tossed her briefcase onto the bench seat and climbed in, he closed the door, then went around the truck and took his place behind the wheel.
When she tried to offer him money for the parking fee, he turned his head and just looked at her. There was no way he was going to ask her for money when he knew she was struggling. It took a few seconds before she shrugged and put her wallet away. Then she folded her hands in her lap, and laced her fingers together. Geo paid, and they were off. He drove like every other Texan, fast and aggressive.
He heard soft gasps and squeaks as he maneuvered through traffic, but she said not a word of complaint or criticism. By the time they reached the hotel, and he pulled into valet parking, his cock had finally relaxed enough that he could think with his big head instead of the one behind his zipper.
“Thank you,” she said softly just before he turned off the engine, “and I’m sorry.”
“You have nothing to apologize for. I’m sorry I came on too strong. I would like a chance, if we can manage it, to spend some time with you, get to know you beyond what I’ve read on Facebook and your website and what Gigi’s told me,” he said, fighting down a groan that came from his cock slamming back to rigid attention. “Because from what I know about you so far, I think we will fit together like puzzle pieces, both in bed and out.”
Chapter Two
“You’ve read about me?” She looked at him with those beautiful blue, blue eyes.
Before he could answer, one bellman opened her door while another opened his. By the time he had dealt with the paperwork necessary to leave his car with the valet for the next four days, she and her little suitcase had disappeared. He wanted to head to the lobby to track her down, but his sister blocked his path as soon as he entered the hotel. It was like she was waiting for him.
“Did you have any troubles?” Gigi asked, only half-aware of him as she nodded and smiled and waved at women coming down the hall.
“No, except she doesn’t want me touching her again,” he said with a smirk. “She feels the connection, but it scared the socks off of her.”
He was unprepared when Gigi slugged him. “Didn’t I tell you to keep your hands to yourself? Sunny Carlyle is not one of those chickies who hang out at bars and pick up men. Nor is she a buckle bunny like the ones you used to play with at the rodeo. Leave her the fuck alone, or I’ll be calling Mama.”
While he wanted to smack his older sister back, he knew she was right. His lovely Sunflower was a special creature, and at the moment he was not sure how he was going to get past his relatives, her friends, and the walls her shyness had built around her in order to woo and win her. But he had the next four and a half days to figure it out, and he was determined to win her heart, mind, and body. And once Geo Hartland set his mind to something, he always got his way.
Before he could escape Gigi, she looked at him with a critical eye. “You need to change and meet Kate in the ballroom. She wants to walk through your duties.”
Geo sighed. “Smile, don’t go commando during sessions, and be nice to the ladies. What else is there?”
“Oh, I’m sure there’s something,” Gigi said with a giggle. She had been reciting rules to him since he had agreed to step in for one of the dancers two weeks ago.
He was not an exotic dancer, or cover model like the other men at the conference. He was a rancher whose crazy sister was the best-selling author in charge of organizing this weekend for authors and readers to get together and have some fun. Though he enjoyed reading, he had never made time for it, until she told him about Shey’s friend who had just published her sixth book. She then gave him Sunny Carlyle’s first book.
After the first paragraph, he was hooked. He had stayed up all night reading, unable to stop until he reached the end. After a couple hours of sleep, he went into his office and spent the afternoon searching for every scrap of information he could on Sunny Carlyle. He even bought himself a computer tablet that day, which he then filled with every one of her books. Since that time six months ago, he had read those books over and over. With each read, he identified so closely with the heroes. He would end up stroking off to the sex scenes. He imagined himself as the hero with Sunny as the woman he was falling in love with.
“But, I have something I need to do,” he said.
“Later. Kate is waiting for you. And don’t forget to change your shirt,” Gigi said. She gave him the narrow-eye stare that she had perfected when they were children and she wanted him to give in to her will. Though he was six inches taller and fifty pounds heavier, they both knew she could whip his ass if it came to a fight, mainly because he had been taught not to hurt a woman. Gigi, on the other hand, had learned to fight dirty.