His dark brown eyes flash with an unfamiliar gleam and my breath catches in the back of my throat. “Back so soon, I see.”

“You know I can’t resist you, Miss Harrison.” His smile is slow. Wolfish, if that’s really
a thing. I read it in a romance novel once, thought it was kind of silly, but right now, it’s working for Jared.

His entire demeanor right now reminds me of a predatory creature. His face is all hard lines—stern, straight nose, granite jaw, sharp cheekbones, steely eyes. Yet his mouth, his lips are soft. Full. Lush.

Kissable.

Shaking my head at the wayward thought, I return his smile, trying my best to remain
polite. Professional.

“Is there anything in particular you’re looking for this afternoon?” I’m surprised by how steady my voice is, considering I feel like my insides are sloshing back and forth, like I’m on a boat in the middle of the ocean.

“You don’t have anything pulled aside for my appointment?” He raises a single brow, the expression on his face practically daring me to say no.

Well, guess what? I’m about to say it.

“No, I didn’t pull anything aside.” I shrug when he glares at me. “You never told me the nature of your visit.”

He glances about, making sure no one is around, I’d assume. And lucky for him, there’s no one in the store currently. It’s the middle of the week, early afternoon. We normally don’t get too many customers at this time.

We are the only two people in here. Even Marlo has disappeared.

“Perhaps you can show me some of your newer items,” he suggests.

“I can do that.” All new arrivals are at the front of the store, so we’re in the right spot. I lead him to a table showcasing our latest bra and panty design. “Celestial is the theme for spring into summer.”

I point to the bras made of thin, sheer netting and pink silk, tiny pale pink stars stitched in a scattered pattern across the tulle fabric. They leave nothing to the imagination, and the panties are the same.

“They hide nothing.” He holds up a pair of brief-cut panties, turning them this way and that. Every time he holds underwear in those big hands of his, I melt a little inside. I don’t know why he affects me like this.

“You’re right. They don’t,” I agree, grabbing a thong and flipping it over to the thin
string of lace that makes up the backside. “But they’re terribly sweet.”

“Sweet?”

I glance up to find him watching me. “Sweet yet sexy,” I counter, my cheeks going hot
from the way he’s studying me so carefully.

“You like the celestial theme?”

I nod. Press my lips together so I don’t say something I regret. Like, I love this theme, or Do you want me to model the panties for you?

Yeah. That’s a bad idea.