Cherry on Top by Kathleen Long

Author:Kathleen Long [Long, Kathleen]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Tags: Contemporary, Fiction, Romance, Women's Fiction
ISBN: 9780821778494
Google: HCmjPGBPwmYC
Amazon: B0085H0NJ8
Publisher: Steele House Press
Published: 2005-06-14T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Luke opened the door to the deck and hurled the bucket of fish out into the darkness. The bucket landed with a dull thud. Good riddance. He didn’t want a single reminder of Cherry anywhere in sight.

How could he have been so stupid? Luke slammed the door and slapped his palm against the doorframe. He crossed to the kitchen, yanked a cold beer from the fridge, twisted off the cap and drained half the bottle in three gulps.

A truce .

What a fool he’d become. He’d been ready to make love to the woman. Not sex. Love .

How could he have let himself feel anything for her? She ran more hot and cold than the plumbing in this damned apartment. One thing was for certain. He wouldn’t let himself be sucked into her sexy little web again.

No way.

The phone rang and he snatched the receiver from the wall.

“What?” he barked out.

“Luke?”

He flinched, instantly recognizing the Youth Center director’s voice. “Sorry. Thought you might be someone else. What’s going on?”

“We got turned down by two more funding sources tonight. I need you to step to the plate.”

Luke set the beer bottle on the kitchen counter, fighting the dread clawing its way up his throat. “Such as?”

“Cherry Harte.” The director paused. “I saw you leaving with her today. She’s our only hope of getting the money we need in time.”

Luke leaned hard against the counter, drawing in a slow, steadying breath. Tonight he’d let himself be derailed by the temptation of Cherry, and in doing so he’d forgotten the real reason he’d invited her to the pier. He’d planned to use the occasion to demonstrate how important the Youth Center project was. He’d hoped to persuade her to offer funding without having to ask for it.

Their angry parting exchange flashed through his mind. “I might have blown that already. Sorry.”

“Did she say no?” The director’s palpable disappointment echoed through the phone.

Luke thought about saying she had. Maybe then he could avoid seeing her again, but he’d never been much for speaking anything but the truth. “Not exactly.”

“Luke. The entire project depends on this.”

Luke swallowed, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose. “Damn it,” he muttered.

“What was that?”

“Nothing.” He shook his head. His life had been so...easy...before the blond package from hell had pranced into his shop on her ridiculous little shoes.

“So you’ll make the request?”

“Let me think about it.”

“There’s nothing to think about.” The director’s stern tone rattled Luke’s head, and he reached for his beer. “If you don’t do this, the Youth Center project will fail. Come see me tomorrow and we can go over your pitch.”

What choice did Luke have? He couldn’t let down the board, and he sure as hell wasn’t going to let down the kids. He patted his pocket, hoping to find some gum. Empty. Just like the pit of his stomach.

“I’ll be there after lunch.”

As he hung up the phone, he drained the last of his beer.

He’d just gotten done telling Cherry he’d never ask for a handout.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.