Divine Phoenix(Divine Creek Ranch 10)(30)

“Clay, I’m so sorry. That was dumb. I should’ve knocked.”

He clambered back to his feet and wrapped the towel around his hips as he got a look at her long, shapely legs under her sleeping T-shirt. If she spent time in the sun, she’d be a deep bronze in no time. He squelched the thought of spreading tanning oil up and down those satiny thighs as his cock tingled and took notice of the direction his mind was going in. Down, boy. He stepped out of the tub and reached out to steady her before she bumped into anything else.

“It’s okay, Lily. I was nearly done.” Her cheeks were flushed dark pink, and he could feel the heat in them as he peeled back her hands. Her eyes were slammed shut, too. “You can open your eyes. I’m not naked anymore.”

She opened them, and her gaze slid as far as his chest before her cheeks went even darker, and she kept her eyes on his face.

Skittish little thing.

“I promise, I’ll be more careful next time.”

Her words were so sincere, and he smiled as he looked at her lovely eyes up close. They were brown, but all the gold striations made them appear much lighter. “I’ve always loved your eyes. They’re beautiful.”

Lily’s cheeks turned a deeper shade of pink, and she licked her full lower lip, so that it glistened. His cock reacted to the sight and he just barely held himself back from kissing her right then and there.

She pulled back and started to say something, but nothing came out at first. He felt suspended in the moment as she gazed at his mouth for a few seconds before seeming to come to herself. “Um.”

Clay released her and said, “Sorry. That was probably not appropriate. I know it’s hard for you.”

“I’m just not used to that.”

“What?”

“Compliments.”

Clay gritted his teeth to restrain the territorial surge of anger he felt toward her ex-husband. He wanted to beat the shit out of the bastard for the way King had beaten down his fiery, spirited Lily until a compliment felt foreign to her. Showing Lily that anger would only frighten her.

He knelt down and suppressed a groan as his hard-on made its presence known. He gathered her clothing and gently handed it to her. “Sorry about your clothes. If they’re ruined you can wear whatever you can manage today.”

Lily acted as though she hadn’t heard him while her gaze traveled the length of him from his chest, down his abs, to his towel-covered groin area. She must’ve seen his erection because her gaze immediately returned to his. And, yes, it was possible for her cheeks to turn even pinker.

“I’m sorry if I embarrassed you, Lil. I’ll let you get ready.” He left the bathroom without further comment. He looked down at his horny, thickening cock tenting his towel expectantly. What?

Twenty minutes later, she joined him in the kitchen, looking none the worse for wear. She’d salvaged her outfit and looked more than presentable in her black skirt, tan blouse, and black flats. He fantasized for a few seconds about how she’d look in black high heels.

“Does this look all right for my first day?” she asked as she turned for him. He still couldn’t understand why she seemed so concerned about her weight. Out of her loose-fitting jeans and dressed up a bit, her curves were more noticeable, and he liked them a lot. “I guess I’ve gained weight since I bought this outfit. It fits a little snug in places.”

“No, it fits you perfectly. And it’s very appropriate for the shop.” He placed a plate with scrambled eggs, buttered toast, and bacon in front of her as she seated herself at the bar. He put a second plate beside hers and joined her.

As she scooped up her first bite, she asked, “So what is on the agenda today?”

“You’ll learn your way around the showroom with Tabitha. She’ll teach you the register and how things work with the jewelry cases, the policies and whatnot.” He gave her a brief rundown of what to expect.

“Does she act like she’s ready for me?”

“It doesn’t matter. We’re on the verge of our busiest season and I have several pieces to finish. She’s proud and doesn’t think she needs the help. But she’s had nearly a week to get used to the idea. One thing…”

“Yes?” she asked as she put her fork on the plate and took it to the sink to rinse.

He wanted to arm her for dealing with Tabitha, but he didn’t want her to have the sense that her relationship with her coworker was going to be oppositional. They might do just fine together. Lily raised her eyebrows and started to look worried.

“She can be touchy sometimes. I usually hire temporary workers to help during the busy season but you’re permanently on the schedule. She may feel threatened.” Shit, I shouldn’t have said anything. Now Lily is going to worry. “She’s a nice person, don’t get me wrong. She just has…opinions.”