“No.” He looked around. “It’s the middle of the day. I have work to do.”
“But, there’s lots more tasting to do.”
“We’re in my office.”
She looked pointedly at the desk. “Yeah. And?”
“Do I seem like the type to have sex in my office on my desk?”
She thought about that. And took in the maps and charts on the walls around them. And the planner set to the side of the desk with the perfectly penciled in lines. And the pencil cup. And the file folders stacked up neatly.
And sighed. “No. You really don’t.”
“I told you I needed just a taste.”
Her eyes rounded. “And that’s really all you want?”
“Well, I need to be sure you’re comin’ back for those otters,” he said.
And damn if the corner of his mouth didn’t tip up just a bit.
“You think that little taste is going to bring me back?” she asked.
“Yes.”
He wasn’t wrong.
Fiona ran a hand through her tousled hair, tugged on the bottom of her vest, straightening it, licked her very-well-kissed lips, and lifted her chin. “Guess we’ll see about that.”
He full-on smirked then. And she almost fell over. Knox very seldom did much more than frown or glower or roll his eyes.
“Yeah, we’ll see,” he agreed, clearly not believing there was any doubt.
That full-of-himself look was really working for her.
“Merry Christmas, Knox.” She rounded the desk and headed for the door.
“Merry Christmas, Fi.”
God, she loved when he called her that.
She paused with her hand on the door. “Don’t kill my otters.”
“Trust me when I say I do not want to deal with you if you show up and those otters aren’t totally healthy and happy,” he told her.
She studied him. The hair that fell past his shirt collar. The full beard. The ink on his left forearm that dove under the rolled-up shirt sleeve. The biceps that made those shirt sleeves fit snug against his upper arms. All of those things didn’t seem to jive with the perfectly-stacked-folders-and-sharpened-pencils-guy, but it just made him all the more interesting.
And then there were those eyes that seemed to see her—not just the things she did, but what those things meant to her and how they affected her. And that mouth…that said bossy, sarcastic, protective, even flirty things, and then kissed her like it was what he’d been put on earth to do.
Yeah, she didn’t care if he passed those otters off to someone else while she was gone. She was still going to hurry back.
“See you soon, Fernando.”
“I know you will.”
Damn. He made her hot when he was a grump. When he was cocky? She was so in trouble.
“And Fi?” he called as she was pulling the door shut.
“Yeah?”
“Wear some panties with shamrocks on them next time. It’ll remind me we have some talkin’ to do when I see those on my bedroom floor in the morning.”
Heat swept through her. But that also made her pause. He was going to get interested in her personal life after all? Well, at least it sounded like she was going to get an orgasm before she told him a thing or two that might send the likes-everything-neat-and-tidy-and-under-control grumpy, nerdy bayou boy running in the opposite direction.
“Sure thing, Felix. And hey…” She swallowed. “…don’t hang out under any mistletoe, okay?”
That was as close as she was going to get to admitting that she was kind of crazy about him and would maybe be a little jealous of any other kissing he might do.
His expression softened slightly and Fiona felt her heart trip.
“No interest in mistletoe if you’re not under it.”
That made her heart flip all the way over. She gave him a simple nod. “Ditto.”
Then she pulled the door shut between them… just as the baby otters woke up and started squeaking for their afternoon feeding.
The mischievous grin on her face as she left Autre City Hall would probably get her on the naughty list.
But there was no way Knox would be surprised about that.
Thank you for reading Zander and Caroline’s story! I hope you loved it!
* * *
And don’t miss the next book, Kiss My Giraffe, Knox and Fiona’s book!
Enemies to friends to almost lovers then back to enemies…to lovers.
* * *
She's got a lot of baggage...literally and figuratively. And an entourage. And a freaking giraffe. For real.
For a guy who wants to keep things simple, this is anything but.
So why can't he stay away?
* * *
Knox and Fiona's story! Finally!
Get it here!
* * *
And yes! Spencer and Max are getting a book!
Look for book one in the Badges of the Bayou book, Gotta Be Bayou, coming fall 2022!
* * *
Sign up for my newsletter for that news or join my Super Fan page on Facebook where you get all the behind-the-scenes looks and first peeks!
If you love Autre and the Landrys…
If you love the Boys of the Bayou Gone Wild, you can’t miss the Boys of the Bayou series! All available now!
* * *
My Best Friend’s Mardi Gras Wedding (Josh & Tori)
Sweet Home Louisiana (Owen & Maddie)
Beauty and the Bayou (Sawyer & Juliet)
Crazy Rich Cajuns (Bennett & Kennedy)
Must Love Alligators (Chase & Bailey)
Four Weddings and a Swamp Boat Tour (Mitch & Paige)
And be sure to check out the connected series, Boys of the Big Easy!
* * *
Easy Going (prequel novella)-Gabe & Addison
Going Down Easy- Gabe & Addison
Taking It Easy - Logan & Dana
Eggnog Makes Her Easy - Matt & Lindsey
Nice and Easy - Caleb & Lexi
Getting Off Easy - James & Harper
If you’re looking for more sexy, small town rom com fun, check out the
* * *
The Hot Cakes Series
One small Iowa town.
Two rival baking companies.
A three-generation old family feud.
And six guys who are going to be heating up a lot more than the kitchen.
* * *
Sugar Rush (prequel)
Sugarcoated
Forking Around
Making Whoopie
Semi-Sweet On You
Oh, Fudge
Gimme S’more
And much more—
including my printable booklist— at
ErinNicholas.com
About Erin
Erin Nicholas is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over forty sexy contemporary romances. Her stories have been described as toe-curling, enchanting, steamy and fun. She loves to write about reluctant heroes, imperfect heroines and happily ever afters. She lives in the Midwest with her husband who only wants to read the sex scenes in her books, her kids who will never read the sex scenes in her books, and family and friends who say they’re shocked by the sex scenes in her books (yeah, right!).