Can't Hardly Breathe (The Original Heartbreakers #4)

His vehemence thrilled her to the core. Which ticked her off! He was military, the need to protect branded in his bones. This wasn’t romance; this was White Knight Syndrome.

“Don’t act as if you care,” she said. “I’m too tired to sift through—”

His big hands framed her cheeks in a tight grip, silencing her. He leaned down, getting in her face. “You’re the woman I want in my bed. Of course I care.”

Her knees shook to the same rhythm as her jacked-up heart rate. Resist him!

This was a practiced move, had to be. And after Jazz, she was immune to moves. She was! “You need to let me go, Daniel. Anyone could walk in. If we’re seen like this, gossip will spread. Your dad—”

“Thinks we’re friends, nothing more.” His thumbs caressed the rise of her cheekbones. “Tonight’s our first date. The one you’re planning. Where are you taking me?”

Oh...crap. Their date! Yesterday she’d thought, Get it over with. Today she thought, I’m in trouble. He’d brought his A game.

Well, she would just have to ensure they were never alone. On tonight’s menu? The Scratching Post. And maybe Dorothea would use him. Not for pleasure, but for practice. Maybe she would attempt a few flirting techniques so that, when her Mr. Right finally came along, she would be ready.

Yeah, talk about a foolproof plan with zero flaws, she thought drily.

“I, uh, need to shower.” She hated the breathless quality to her voice. “And you need to get to work.”

He crossed his arms over his wide chest. “Before you go, tell me about my new duties.”

Right. She moved around him, careful not to touch him, and tapped the keyboard to wake up the computer. “Whenever a customer checks out, you do a quick survey. Like any good he-ceptionist would. Ask how they enjoyed their stay, how likely they are to return and, most important, what type of theme room they’d find most exciting.” Something Holly was supposed to have done.

“You considering doing theme rooms?” Daniel looked around, as if seeing the inn through new eyes. “That’s a brilliant idea. Both SV residents and out-of-towners will stay for the experience as much as the convenience.”

She tried not to flush with pleasure. Yeah, she tried. “One day, yes. Every room will have a different theme.”

“What’s stopping you today?”

“What else? Money.”

“You don’t need money to get started, sweetheart. Not much, anyway.” As she sputtered with incredulity, and secret pleasure that he’d called her sweetheart, he added, “What’s your favorite theme?”

Easy. “The four seasons. And I’m not talking about the hotel chain, but winter, spring, summer and fall.”

“Then that’s the one we’ll start with.”

Hope fizzed in her blood for the first time since taking over the inn. “How?”

“How else? We’ll barter with the locals.”

Barter. As in, offer overnight stays free of charge in exchange for goods and services? “That’s even more brilliant,” she admitted.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m an amazing person, and you can’t get enough of me. Stop fawning. You’re embarrassing us both.” Daniel gave her a little push toward the hallway. “Go take your shower. Let your assistant—”

“He-ceptionist.”

“—handle the details.”

*

DANIEL SPENT THE bulk of the morning on the phone. First he called Harlow Glass. Well, Harlow Ockley now. The woman created magic murals with her paintbrush.

He told her what he wanted—four different murals in a single room—and she said, “For Dottie Mathis? I’ll do anything. I’ll even buy the paints, and I’ll do the murals for free.”

The girl had certainly changed since high school. “First, her name is Dorothea. Second, how soon can you start?”

“How about tomorrow? Beck has been overprotective ever since we found out—”

“Even better,” he interjected, uninterested in swapping life stories. He had too much work to do. “Thanks.”

Her chuckle drifted over the line. “No small talk, huh? Got it. Have Dot—Dorothea call me so we can discuss her vision, okay?”

“Will do.” He hung up and called his supplier to order the parts he needed for the inn’s new security system. It would be his “I’m an ass, I’m sorry, but hopefully my actions speak louder than my words” gift to Thea. Romance at its finest. After listing everything he wanted mailed to the inn, he spent a little time in one of the unoccupied rooms, measuring walls and windows. Then he called Jessie Kay, who owned an online dress shop—Jessie Kay’s Closet. He gave her the specs and asked her to sew a king-size comforter and a set of curtains at no charge.

She threatened to charge double until she heard the pieces would be the crowning glory of the Strawberry Inn’s first theme room.

“If I can pick the theme of the second room,” she said, “I’ll sew two comforters and two sets of curtains at no charge.”

“Done.” He figured she’d want the second room to be themed Jessie Kay Rules the World. If Thea wasn’t on board, well, the two women could work something else out.

“Perfect. Send me links to the kind of material Dorothea wants, and I’ll get started on the comforter right away.”

“I’ll do better than that. I’ll bring you the material tonight.” After work, but before their date, he would drive Thea to the city. Fabric shopping wasn’t exactly his idea of a good time, but he couldn’t stop smiling as he imagined her surprise and delight. “And thank you.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Jessie Kay said. “I’m awesome. I know. And I already know how I’m going to theme my room. I’m calling it Daniel’s Downfall.”

Lord save me. He hung up on her.

During the next half hour, two people called about the reception job. So soon? He told both the woman and the man to call back in a week. And he didn’t feel guilty about it. He’d just started, and he needed more time to do his thing. Besides, Thea needed to save a little money.

Excited by the new developments, he jumped to his feet. He’d hunt her down, tell her all about the favors he’d done her. Maybe he’d catch her dancing...

Or maybe not. Word of his new job had already spread, and multiple people stopped by the inn to “check on” him.

Why you working here? You short on cash, boy?

Did your security business already fail? Bless your heart. I remember when Jed Goodfellow tried to open that fancy sour cream store. You ’member that? He called it yogurt, but I know sour cream when I taste it.

You rack up a big bill last time you stayed here? Them pay-to-view movies can be expensive. I reckon I should have asked to work the counter in exchange for that porno I accidentally ordered.

No one asked if he was sweet on Thea, at least, which he’d expected. And it pleased him that nobody asked, of course it pleased him, but it also troubled him. Could no one picture them together?