SEAL the Deal(3)

Odd, though. Lacey hadn’t discovered a son in her research.

Mrs. Baker patted Lacey on the arm. “You’ll have that one day, too, my dear. Thank you for reminding me of such a wonderful memory.”

“It was my pleasure. I’ve taken more of your time than I intended, though. I’m sorry I caused such a disruption.”

“I’m just glad the color has returned to your cheeks, my dear.”

Lacey smiled, moving in for the kill. “And please, if you ever need a volunteer for your charity work at the hospital, I’d love to help in any way I can.” She adeptly reached into her purse and passed the woman a business card.

“Thank you. I will. Are you sure you are all right?”

Lacey was taken aback, so engrossed in her smooth business transaction that she had nearly forgotten her head-on collision with the floor. “I’m fine. I think I will slip out now though, rather than staying for the service. You don’t mind?” Lacey directed the question to the woman, but could not help glancing at the hulking man next to her. She wondered if he had to turn sideways to fit through doorways with shoulders like that.

“Of course not. You’re all right to drive?”

“Absolutely. Thank you for your concern,” Lacey said, and quickly turned to walk out the door.

A voice behind her sent a tingling up her spine. “I’ll walk you to your car.” She felt a warm hand touching the lower part of her back and another gently gripping her elbow.

Her heart fluttered a moment until panic set in. She had detected some skepticism from him as she was talking to Mrs. Baker. Was he onto her real estate scheme? “You really don’t have to follow me to my car.”

“I want to make sure you’re all right. I’d feel better if I could put you in a cab.”

“I’m fine, really. Please don’t make such a big deal of this. I’m embarrassed enough.”

With a slight grin, he held up his hands. “Okay. I’ll stop.”

Lacey couldn’t resist glancing down at his left hand. No ring. And such nice strong hands.

She gave herself a light shake to snap out of it. Strong hands or not, he was not worth the risk of losing a possible listing. With her husband now deceased, Edith Baker was the sole owner of a waterfront home too large for one woman to live in alone. There was a good chance Mrs. Baker would consider selling her home soon, and every real estate agent within a fifty-mile radius would be flooding the old woman’s mailbox with slick brochures, full-color calendars, and handy refrigerator magnets—agents with bigger advertising budgets than Lacey’s.

But Lacey’s business card was already snug in Mrs. Baker’s pocket, and the fondly-remembered scent of stargazer lilies was wafting past her nose. Lacey’s foot was in the door. She had no intention of messing up now by getting too friendly with this mystery-in-a-suit, no matter how nicely he filled it out.

“So are you a family member?” she asked lightly.

“Not by blood. But I love them like my parents. I’d do anything for them.” He said it with such conviction that he might as well have said, “I’d kill for them.”

His tone made Lacey’s eyes widen. Definitely too defensive. He must suspect something. Every instinct told her to escape him as quickly as possible, except for that primal instinct that wanted to tear open his shirt with her teeth.

“She seems like such a lovely woman,” she said instead, trying to shake his half-naked image from her mind.

“She is. And you’re a real estate agent?”

“Mmhm.” Lacey’s hands trembled as she fumbled through her purse looking for her keys. He was definitely onto her. She could see the potential listing slipping through her fingers, and her name being blacklisted from the best funeral home in town.

“I might need to buy property one day.” His voice was so smooth it could butter toast. “Can I have your card?”

“I, uh, actually think I gave my last one to Mrs. Baker. I wasn’t really expecting to do business at a funeral.” She let out a little laugh.

He seemed taken aback.

Lacey babbled, “I can’t believe I slipped and fell at her husband’s funeral. Talk about making a scene.”

“Those were slick floors for such high heels.” He looked down at her shoes and pointedly let his gaze linger a little too long on her legs. “And you were definitely walking too fast.”

Lacey bristled, quickening her pace. “I wouldn’t have fallen if I hadn’t walked into someone. You, if I remember correctly.”

When he smiled, she couldn’t help wondering how his teeth got so white. They looked positively…delicious.