She bit her lip, looking undecided.
“I play this weekend at the Troup. Why don’t you come see me and have a drink after? We’re pretty good.”
“I know,” she said. “I always enjoy your show.”
I smirked at her. “Always? I know you saw me once. You’ve been other times?”
Streaks of color highlighted her cheeks. “My friend, Judy, and I take turns once a month taking each other’s kids on the weekend. We get a break and the kids get along so well. Whenever I have Saturday night to myself and you’re playing, I come see you.”
I found myself on the floor in front of her, resting my hands on her thighs, gazing up at her. “Are you stalking me, Ms. Rourke?” I quirked my eyebrow suggestively. “Because I find it rather hot.”
“Maybe a little,” she whispered. “I’ve always liked you too, Van.”
I rose up on my knees, towering over her. “Then I suggest you call your friend and stalk me this weekend, Liv. I’ll play just for you.”
She whimpered, low and deep in her throat. Our gazes locked, feelings we were both admitting to simmering between us. Her golden eyes glimmered in the low light, and her soft scent surrounded me. My gaze fell to her mouth. Her tongue peeked out, moistening the plump bottom lip. Her breathing hitched, and mine deepened.
“I think I need to kiss you,” I murmured.
“Think or know?” she retorted.
“Know,” I groaned and pulled her into my arms, hauling her up tight to my chest. Our lips touched, separated, then joined again. Pressing, moving, learning.
When her tongue traced my bottom lip, I was lost. With a low growl, I pulled her closer and deepened the kiss.
She was everything I knew she would be and more. Sweet, giving, passionate. Our tongues stroked and tasted, our mouths melded as we discovered each other. She slid her hands into the hair at the nape of my neck, playing with the strands, her touch making me shiver. I caressed her everywhere. The length of her back, the bends and bows of her spine. The rounded slope of her shoulders. I ghosted my fingers along the delicate arch of her neck and wound them into her heavy hair. It was soft and silky under my touch. Her body aligned to mine perfectly. The quiet noises she made turned me on.
I wanted more. More of her.
I wanted to lay her out on her sofa and discover every hidden dip and curve of her body. Taste her everywhere. Find out what I could do to make her whimper. Gasp my name. I wanted to bury myself inside her and claim her.
Except… I had promised her slow. I knew I had already crossed every line with her, and I didn’t want to scare her by moving too fast. Regretfully, I tempered my kisses. Eased back the passion. Nuzzled her lips before drawing away.
She was a vision. Her hair a tangled mess from my hands. Her lips pink, wet, and swollen from my mouth. Her breathing rapid, the fast pants causing her breasts to rise and fall, her nipples hard under her sweater. I had to push myself away. I stood slowly, never breaking our gaze, letting her see the regret and lingering desire.
“You stopped,” she whispered.
I stooped and kissed her gently. “I’m not going to start our relationship off with a lie, Livvy. I said we’d go slow, and we will. You set the pace and I’ll follow.”
“Livvy?” she asked.
“Yeah, it’s how I think of you—if that’s okay.”
She slipped her hand into mine. “Yeah. It’s okay.”
I squeezed her fingers. “I have to go.” If I didn’t, she’d be under me on the sofa in five minutes, and regardless of the fact that Sammy was down the hall, I wouldn’t be able to stop.
Liv stood and walked me to the door. I was unable to resist tucking her into my arms again. She nestled against my chest as if she had always belonged there. I kissed the top of her head. “Lock the door and get some sleep.”
She looked up at me. “This is going to be complicated.”
“No, it won’t. It’ll be us, and we’ll figure out what that is as we go. Okay?”
She stretched up on her toes and kissed me.
“Okay.”
Van
I leaned back in my chair, tugging a hand through my hair. I shook my head in regret. “We’re stretched as it is, Bentley. I have no one I can put on another project.”
He grimaced. “We need to figure this out. I want this one done.” He looked at Jordan. “We have no one?”
Jordan chuckled under his breath. “Bentley, you are taking on projects faster than we can complete them. All of our crews are working, and we have three other projects waiting.”
Aiden laughed. “I told you, Bent. We need to put this one on hold.”
Bentley frowned. “No. The market is hot now. This is a great opportunity. A clean, fast in-and-out. The engineer agreed—the structures are solid. Three apartment buildings, each one needing the same thing—updating. We go in floor by floor, renovate, and move on. The values will increase, and we can make a huge profit.”
“Not if we don’t have the manpower.” I pointed out.
He tugged at his sleeves, staring down at the plans laid out in front of him. “We’ve hired temporary crews before. Why can’t we do it for this project?”
“The cost,” Jordan stated, matter-of-factly. “This is big.”
“But doable.” Bentley swung his gaze in my direction. “If we had more men, doable?”
“Yes.”
“Control,” Jordan added. “We lose control.”
Bentley tapped his fingers on the desk. “No. We do the plans, designs, and they work for us. Follow our guidelines. We need the manpower, nothing else.”
Beside me, Liv, who had been quiet up until this point, spoke. “What do you want from me, Bentley? What is your vision?”
“Play up the old-world charm. The buildings are sound and the layouts flow. Great bones, but they’re suffering from neglect. I want to highlight their beauty and make them come back to life.” He handed her a stack of photos. “See for yourself.”
“Okay,” she murmured, taking the photos. She flipped through them, nodding. I knew her mind was already coming up with ideas.
She was brilliant that way. It was hard to sit here and not stare at her. Or touch her. My fingers itched to feel her soft skin again. To taste her lips.
But I knew it wasn’t going to happen. Not at this moment.
Instead, I looked at the pictures Liv handed to me when she finished going through them. The three buildings sat on a cul-de-sac and had all been owned by one man. When he died, his family put them up for sale, and BAM jumped. Bentley had a vision.
Bentley always had a vision.
“Renting or condos?” I asked.
“Both. Our property management group will handle all of it,” Aiden said. “Occupancy rates are down because the buildings were being neglected. People living there get first dibs on staying. We’re clearing out one building, and as soon as it's done, moving people from the next one in, and again with the last building. We’ll have no problem finding both renters and buyers.”
“Time frame?”
“ASAP,” Aiden stated unapologetically. “Find the right company, hire the crews, and get on it.” He looked at Jordan. “You can hire the crews, right?”