Free Love Me Forever by Ari Thatcher Page B

squeeing like a teenage girl, she dug her purse out of the desk drawer and ran a brush through her hair. Matt was here .
    She wished she’d worn a suit with a jacket so she had pockets to shove her hands into, to keep him from seeing how badly they shook. What should she say? How could she ever apologize for leaving the way she did?
    Turning the corner to the entry, she steeled herself and put on a practiced smile. She could do this. He was just an ex-boyfriend. No, really, a vacation fling. That was all.
    Who was she kidding?
    Matt glanced up as she approached, his face relaxing before breaking into that smile that melted her…everything, whenever she saw it.
    “What a surprise. It’s good to see you again.” She stopped a few feet from him, not trusting herself to get close enough to smell him. That would be the final assault needed to make her throw herself at him and beg him to take her back.
    “You’re as beautiful as ever. I see the sunburn has faded on your nose.” He wore a Hawaiian shirt and khakis, but he might as well be naked. His beautifully toned body filled out the fabric, practically bragging about his physique. His eyes held a humorous glint, not laughing at her but sharing a joke.
    Behind Jen, Kelly subtly cleared her throat, bringing Jen back to her surroundings. What should she say? Where could they go to talk? She couldn’t just take the afternoon off on the spur of the moment. Why was he here? “Ah, well, do you want to come back to my office?”
    “Actually, I was hoping we could go to lunch. I had a craving for a Kansas City steak and Maui was fresh out.” He held out the bouquet. “These are for you, by the way.”
    Accepting the bundle, Jen buried her nose in the assortment of tropical blooms. “They’re beautiful. I guess I need to put them in water. Come. My office is back here.”
    She led the way, not giving him a chance to catch up with her. If he got too close she was likely to throw herself at him, wrap her legs around his waist and kiss him breathless. That probably wasn’t a wise move while still in her probationary period at her job.
    The staff offices were in a converted apartment with a kitchen where they kept snacks, leftover vases, dishes and glasses for whatever might arise. She opened cupboards until she found a pretty glass vase, and prepared the flowers for arrangement.
    The actions kept her hands busy, so he couldn’t see them shake, but she knew she needed to talk. “How was your flight?” So lame .
    “Uneventful. I was surprised by how warm it was here.”
    “Yes, we’re having an early start to summer. You’re lucky the humidity hasn’t hit yet.” She snipped the end off another bloom and placed it in the vase. “Did you fly into St. Louis or Kansas City?”
    “St. Louis.”
    “That’s such a beautiful drive, isn’t it? St. Louis to Joplin?” God, she might as well be talking with a resident’s family. Why did she become brain-dead just because Matt was in her vicinity?
    He cared enough to fly out here to talk. Shit, why didn’t she realize he cared that much? How did she get so fucked up where men were concerned?
    “Jen, I’m not going to make a scene. You don’t need to put up a front. We don’t have to talk about anything important until tonight. I won’t embarrass you.”
    Damn, he was too perfect. Why hadn’t some woman snapped him up? She thought only losers like her were still single, or single again, at their age. Why couldn’t he be an ass, so she could walk away and not look back?
    Placing the last bit of greenery in the flower arrangement, she took a deep breath. She glanced over her shoulder to see him leaning back against the counter. As always, his essence filled the small space. “Thank you. I’m still fighting inner doubts that I have what it takes to do this job. I mean, I know I can do it but those insecurities are hard to kill off.”
    His expression softened. Something in his eyes tugged at her. “Just be yourself.