Three Little Words (Fool's Gold #12)

Once she’d figured out the whole point of sex, she hadn’t been able to get enough. They’d reached for each other again and again in the night. And that morning—talk about hot.

What he couldn’t believe was that no one had bothered to take the time to figure out how to please her. She wasn’t especially difficult; she was just inexperienced. He supposed Eric had something of an excuse, but what about the other guys?

Idiots, he told himself.

He should go online and find her some toys. Nothing that would freak her out, but a few fun things. He had a feeling she would enjoy playing, as would he.

Angel crumpled up his notes and made a basket into the trash can. Justice snapped his laptop shut.

“What about the meeting?” Consuelo asked.

“There’s an assembly at Lillie’s school. I’d rather be there than dealing with these two.” He motioned to Ford and Angel.

“So I’m in charge?” Consuelo asked, sounding pleased.

“No blood, no dead bodies, no broken bones.”

“You’re limiting my fun.”

“We’re still business partners. If you kill them, it’s more work for you.” Justice walked out of the conference room.

Ford heard footsteps in the hallway; then Justice said, “He’s back in there.”

Was Isabel looking for him? He got up and hurried out the door, only to find Leonard walking toward him.

“Hey,” he said, nodding at his friend. “What’s up?”

“Is there a place we can talk?”

“Sure.” He motioned to his office, two doors down. “Everything okay?”

“Fine.”

Leonard followed him inside, then shut the door. He pushed up his glasses and cleared his throat. “I want to start working out.”

Ford leaned against his desk. “Sure. That’s easy. Have you joined a gym?”

“I’m going to, but I thought maybe you could give me some lessons or something. Tell me what I need to be doing.” Leonard’s face crumpled. “Maeve mentioned that you looked good. When I pressed her, she made a comment about...” He swallowed. “Your butt.”

Ford raised his eyebrows and held up his hands. “Look, there’s absolutely nothing going on between Maeve and me. I haven’t seen her since you were in the hospital.”

“I know that,” his friend told him. “I’m not saying there is. But look at you. You’re a SEAL and I’m an accountant. I want her to talk about my butt.”

Ford saw the combination of love and worry in Leonard’s eyes. “Easy enough. You don’t look like you need to lose any weight.”

Leonard slapped his stomach. “I could lose ten. Maybe fifteen, but what I mostly need is to put on some muscle. Can you help with that?”

Ford walked over and patted him on the back. “I sure can. We’ll make a schedule and I’ll get you started. Just remember, it’s not a good workout if you don’t puke.”

Leonard’s eyes widened slightly. “You’re kidding, right?”

“You’re going to have to wait and see.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

“YOU HAVE TO LET GO of the door handle,” Ford said.

“Technically, I don’t.”

Isabel hung on to the Jeep with both hands. If she stayed where she was, she didn’t have to go into the house. She didn’t have to see anyone and she didn’t have to lie. If she let go, Ford was going to make her walk into the family dinner. And then what? Denise would take one look at them and know they’d had sex.

Ford stood in front of her. “What’s the problem? You know everyone in the family. We’re all friendly. They like you.”

“I glow.”

He smiled slowly, looking more than a little self-satisfied.

“Stop it!” She glared at him. “Denise is your mother.”

“She thinks we’re together, so why is your glowing a bad thing?”

“It’s tacky. And I don’t want to talk about it.”

He moved close, crowding her. “That’s not what you said this morning.”

Isabel kept her chin up and refused to blush. It wasn’t as though she was exaggerating. Now that she’d discovered what all the fuss was really about, she couldn’t seem to stop wanting Ford. While he hadn’t moved in or anything, he was spending every night in her bed.

“What I said this morning has nothing to do with your family. Especially your mother.” She drew in a breath. “Fine. I can do this. Just don’t look at me that way.”

His gaze turned predatory.

“That way. You know you’re doing it. Just stop.”

He chuckled and pulled her hands free of the handle, then lightly kissed her knuckles. “Just know that in three hours we’ll be able to leave. We’ll head home and you can be on top.”

The image of what happened when she was on top quickened her breathing. “Don’t do that!” she pleaded.

“Kittens,” he told her. “Think about kittens. It really helps.”

They walked up to the front of the house. The door opened before they got there.

“You made it,” Denise said with a smile. “Welcome, Isabel.”

“Thanks for inviting me,” Isabel said as Denise pulled her son close and hugged him. Then she was hugged as well, and they all went into the house.