The Charleston Trilogy Complete Collection: The Backup Plan ; Flirting with Disaster ; Waking Up in Charleston by Sherryl Woods

Author:Sherryl Woods [Woods, Sherryl]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781488099748
Publisher: MIRA Books
Published: 2018-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 15

Josh couldn’t imagine why he’d spent the afternoon tossing out dares designed to stir up the already simmering chemistry between him and Maggie. They both clearly understood that the attraction was hot enough to melt whatever resolve usually kept them safe without him pointing it out. Maybe he’d been taunting himself, as well as Maggie, which was a damn dangerous game.

He shrugged off the disconcerting subject as he trailed Maggie into Images, relieved to have something less provocative to focus on.

Once again, he was struck by the coziness of the gallery. It made him long for things he thought he’d gotten out of his system a long time ago. He’d never lived in the kind of place that had personal touches scattered around to turn it into a home. He and Nadine had been lucky if they stayed in a motel classy enough to have its own national brand name printed on the soap wrappers.

They’d traveled light, as well. He’d been fortunate if she’d let him bring along a favorite toy truck or a book, because too much baggage slowed down their often hasty retreats. The lack of possessions and the dingy surroundings of his childhood had pretty much kept his expectations low. Possessions simply weren’t something that mattered to him. But he was beginning to think that hominess meant more than he’d ever imagined.

At the door to her office, Maggie turned to him. “I’m here all safe and sound. You can go now.”

Her dismissal annoyed him. Mostly to exasperate her, he shoved his hands in his pockets and held her gaze. “I thought maybe I’d stick around for a bit.”

She gave him a perplexed look. “Why?”

“Because it’ll irritate you if I do,” he admitted with complete candor.

To his amusement, she deliberately shrugged as if it made no difference to her at all. Only the telltale pink in her cheeks gave away her exasperation.

“Suit yourself,” she said. “But I have work to do.”

“No problem. I’ll just keep Ellie company out front till you’re done. There are a few things I’d like to talk over with her, anyway.”

“What things?” she asked, instantly wary.

“I just want her take on how things are with Brian these days.”

“I’ve told you we have that situation under control,” she said impatiently.

He nodded. “That’s your perspective. Now I’d like hers.”

She regarded him incredulously. “You don’t believe me?”

“I believe that you’re convinced that what you’re saying is true. You may not be the best judge of Brian’s temperament.”

“And Ellie is?”

“She’s known him a long time, right? She dated him. And you, what? Met him for two minutes? Besides, she’s seen him more recently than you have.”

She frowned at his accurate summary. “Okay, fine. Talk to Ellie, and then what?”

“I’ll take you home.”

“I have my car,” she reminded him yet again. “Besides, I only live a few blocks away.”

His unyielding gaze locked with hers. “Then it shouldn’t take long to get there, should it?”

She looked as if her patience was at an end. But instead of arguing, she heaved a resigned sigh, went into her office and shut the door very firmly in his face.

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