Free The Love Knot by Maya Sheppard Page B

started her computer and started making notes. After writing down everything she had discussed with Jeff Travers, she entered office space rental information into a table for easy referencing, then started browsing different yarn and crafting vendors so she could get an idea of how much she might pay every month for ordering her stock. Pulling up the document she had been working on earlier, she entered the pricing information she found, then saved it.
    After finishing her work, Claire’s mind went back to the moment when Jeff’s hand had clasped hers. Feeling the same shiver of awareness along the nerves of her hand and arm, she clasped her arms around her middle. No! Love and sex will not be a part of my life! Not ever again!
     
    ***
    In his office, Jeff bent his head over the notes he had taken during his meeting with Claire Simms. Remembering his body’s reaction, he forced himself to return to business. Muttering to himself, he went over Claire’s plans for her store. “Hopefully, the $20,000 in interest will be sufficient for her needs. If she’s careful, she’ll have some left over for emergencies.” Once again, his mind wandered to the soft slightness of her hand. Tossing his pen down in exasperation, he got up and walked out to the hallway.
    “Melissa, I’m taking a break. I’ll be back shortly,” he tossed over his shoulder as he strode out of the suite of offices. Stopping at a coffee shop in the building, he slapped down cash for a steaming coffee (double shot of espresso with cream and a single packet of sweetener) and a bagel. Taking the snack back to his office, he was determined to focus on work and not his unexpected feeling of attraction for the slight, darkly beautiful Claire Simms.

Chapter 2
    Claire met her mother, Mindy for a shopping trip. Mindy wanted to buy new clothing for her only daughter – “After all, you’re becoming a business woman and you need to have the appropriate wardrobe. Having ‘a’ single dress suit is fine when you’re interviewing for jobs, but sweetheart, you need new clothing! You’ve been living in jeans, sneakers, t-shirts and sweatshirts for much too long. We’ll do lunch after,” she promised.
    Claire hated shopping. With a black-and-purple passion. But, she saw her mother’s point of view and decided she would bear the inevitable. Unless she was wandering through the yarn aisles of a store, she merely tolerated the experience, not understanding how other women managed to have fun.
    “Okay. Let’s go. But I warn you, mom. I’m going to buy only the minimum, then we’re outta there – got it?”
    “Got it. Let’s start at the mall, then we’ll go to Ross and Marshall’s. I’ve seen several really cute things that would suit you perfectly!”
    Claire rolled her eyes. Her mother was one of those who “enjoyed” the whole shopping experience. Sighing, she grabbed two bottles of water and strolled out of her apartment with her mother.
    Two hours later, she and her mother tossed several large clothing bags into the trunk of her mother’s stylish Accord and took off for the shopping center on East Lohman.
    “Mom, let me check just one thing here – I want to see if that space is . . . shoot! It’s not vacant any more. I’d better message Mr. Travers and let him know to strike that one from my list,” Claire said with a mourning tone in her voice.
    “So, how is it going with plans for your store? You’re still looking for spaces, obviously,” Mindy said.
    “It’s going well – other than losing the space I wanted the most. Let’s make the rest of this shopping trip fast, eat and get home so I can start nailing down a space. I don’t want to lose a good space to someone else. Then, I can start ordering supplies and hire a contractor to work on the interior. I’ll also need to design a sign for the outside and get a graphic designer to help me with business cards, letterhead and a website. I’ll go to the university for that.” As she