Shoving those unpleasant thoughts from my mind, I remember the last store we went into before going out to dinner. They’d been ready to close up shop, the employees irritated that we’d come in. Ivy had spotted a dress in the window she declared perfect for me to wear to the grand reopening and I’d reluctantly agreed.

The moment I put the magenta dress on, I knew Ivy had been right. It felt silky on my skin, with thin straps that wrapped over my shoulders and an almost completely exposed back. A deep V in the front showed off my cleavage, and the slightly fitted skirt hugged my h*ps and thighs stopping just above my knee. The dress was sophisticated and gorgeous and sexy. Marina and Ivy practically peed themselves they’d been so excited to see me in it when I emerged from the dressing room. I turned this way and that, smiling and laughing with them as I imagined what Matt might do when he saw me in it.

Then I slipped back into the dressing room, caught sight of the price tag and gasped in surprise.

It cost almost my entire month’s paycheck.

Immediately depressed, I took the dress off, slung it back on the hanger and fled the dressing room, leaving the dress inside, mumbling to both girls that I’d changed my mind and didn’t want it. Marina followed me outside in shocked disbelief, trying to convince me I needed to march right back in there and buy that dress.

I’d been too distraught to even wonder what Ivy might be doing.

Ivy joined us within moments, her expression serious and clutching a shopping bag. She thrust it toward me, her jaw set, her mouth thin.

“Don’t you dare refuse this. It’s my gift to you. For all the birthdays and Christmases you have coming up,” Ivy said.

I’d wanted to cry as I accepted the bag but held it together. Her kindness surprised me, especially from a woman I barely knew. My own mama wouldn’t look twice at me anymore since she was too busy out living her own life. I haven’t seen her since I graduated high school and she’d only come for the ceremony before she left again with her boyfriend. And my grandma would rather give me crap than a present.

It was the nicest thing anyone had ever done for me before, besides Matt repaying our bounced paychecks.

Now the dress is ready to be worn, sitting in my nearly empty closet. I can’t wait. I absolutely cannot wait to put it on and see what Matt does when he gets a gander of me.

Probably nothing. He’d probably say, “You look nice, Miss James,” and leave it at that.

My fist curls of its own volition, and I thump it on top of my desk, making everything sitting on the surface rattle. No. I refuse to accept another non-reaction from Matt. I know he’s my boss. I know I shouldn’t be doing anything like this. It’s risky, stupid, and I could potentially lose my job or at least ruin it forever.

I still want him. The consequences be damned. I want Matthew DeLuca.

And I’m starting to think I’ll do anything to make it happen.

Chapter Four

Bryn

“YOU WORK TOO hard.”

Matt glances up, his dark gaze meeting mine. Lines of exhaustion are around his eyes, his normally lush mouth turned into a slight frown. His dark brown hair is in complete, sexy disarray and his shirtsleeves are shoved up almost past his elbows, as if he’d done it impatiently.

Which he probably had, knowing him.

For the past two days, he’s been working constantly preparing for the grand reopening. Considering it’s already Wednesday, and we only have two days left to prepare, I’ve been here right along with him helping wherever I can.

He’s beautiful despite the air of tired frustration that hangs over him, and I realize in that moment that I’d love nothing more than to grab him. Slip in between his chair and the desk, settle on the edge and pull him into me by his tie. Kiss him until he forgot all about the winery and the grand reopening and the party and everything else.

Until all he could focus on was me, a more than willing woman with her tongue in his mouth and her hand in his hair, her other hand gripping his tie so he can’t get away. And he wouldn’t want to get away. He’d kiss me harder, grip my waist, push my skirt up and . . .

Yes. I want to kiss his troubles away. And he’d probably think I lost my mind if I even attempted it.

“I have to work hard,” he says with this rueful smile that doesn’t look real. No, it looks as tired as the rest of him. “Trying to make sure this all comes together properly, you know? We only have a few days left and it’s crunch time.”

That’s his new favorite phrase—crunch time. He’s been saying it since Monday, when he had a staff meeting and told everyone we needed to basically get our asses in gear and get this place in tip-top shape.

I’ve worked past six the last two evenings and tonight it’s almost seven. I’m starving but trying to ignore my growling stomach. I’m also wishing for my drab uniform of old because hey, dressing like you don’t care also means you dress comfortably.

Today I’m wearing a new black pencil skirt that makes it hard to take wide steps and a pretty, delicate white shirt that makes my boobs look huge, not that boss man has noticed. Oh, and I’m wearing the new damn shoes I’ve worn all week that I’ve somehow gotten used to—sort of.

My toes scream with joy every night when I slip the shoes off, and I might have Band-Aids on the back of my ankles, but I’m making them work. Matt’s appreciative looks every time his gaze drops to my feet for even the briefest moment make all the pain worth it.

Despite parading the new wardrobe in front of him for the last three days, it’s like he’s hardly noticed. I know Matt’s distracted, his brain completely preoccupied with this grand reopening party. It’s so important to him, for the winery to be successful, for him to do something other than play baseball. I think he’s afraid no one takes him seriously, and I totally get that.

But I’m dying for him to notice me. Really, really notice me. I’ve done just about everything I can to get him to see me, but it’s like he looks right past me.

Rather frustrating.

And I want him to like me for more than my looks too. I know he appreciates the work I do for him and admires “the way I handle things so efficiently”—this is a direct quote, one he said to me only yesterday. But what about me? Bryn James, the woman? I may be just some hick from Texas at the mere age of twenty-two who’s hardly lived, and I’m definitely not sophisticated like the women he probably prefers to date or screw or whatever, but damn it, I want a chance.

If I were bold and brave, I’d demand a chance.

I take care of the man, and he doesn’t even realize it. I make sure he eats. I make sure he goes home. I handle his schedule, knowing where he needs to be or what he needs to be doing at all times. I make sure all the little details that he might’ve missed are handled. I’m here for him always. Always.

And he doesn’t really care.

“Are you hungry?” I ask, my stomach grumbling yet again and reminding me that yes, indeed I certainly am.

He shrugs those impossibly broad shoulders. They look even broader when encased in starched white cotton. He’s still wearing a tie though it’s loosened around his neck, the first button undone, tempting me to unbutton his shirt even more and see what he’s hiding beneath the fabric.

Like I don’t know. I might’ve spent a few hours Googling Matt DeLuca. It was easy—the man has a ton of photos out there. Some of those pictures are mouthwateringly good because holy hell, the man’s body is perfection. He’s posed for a few magazines over the years wearing little, and I said a little prayer of thanks when I stumbled across those after I first started working for him.

I might’ve gone in search of those photos again last night. Staring and drooling and wondering what the heck I can do to garner this man’s attention. How much more obvious do I need to be?

He’d dressed to impress today because he met with reporters from a local news station for a video interview about the winery earlier this afternoon.

Matt most definitely impressed me. I love it when he wears suits or at least a dress shirt and tie, which is not often enough in my humble opinion.

“I’m kind of hungry, I guess,” he finally answers, his gaze locked on the computer screen as he taps away at the keyboard with his typical index-finger pecking. I have no idea what he’s working on, but it’s definitely holding his interest better than I am. “But I don’t have time to eat.”

“Want me to bring you something then?”

He looks at me once more, peering over the top of his monitor, his gaze narrowed, his expression skeptical. I’m sitting across from his desk, feeling a little rumpled, a lot tired and wishing I looked as perfectly sexy as he does. “You don’t need to do that,” he says carefully. “Maybe you should go on home, Miss James. It’s late. You’ve put in a long day.”

What, go home to an empty apartment and more Lean Cuisine? I don’t think so. “I don’t mind picking you up something to eat, Matt . . . er, Mr. DeLuca.” I try to keep it formal between us, and he does the same, but we both slip on occasion. There’s something a little fun about addressing him so properly. Makes my wicked thoughts of him all the more lurid. “I could call in an order from somewhere you like and have it here for you within thirty minutes.”

“I don’t know. I’m not even sure what I’d want.” He rubs his hand along his jaw. I can hear the rasp of stubble against his palm, and my knees literally go weak. I would love to know what that slightly rough face would feel like against mine, or even better—how it would feel between my thighs.

Thank goodness I’m sitting down, or I swear I’d collapse because my legs are so wobbly.

“I’ll take care of everything,” I say, my mind scrambling as I stand. “I’ll order some food and deliver it to you before I leave for the night.” I start to leave the office, wondering if he prefers Italian or Chinese when he says my name in that deep, delicious voice of his.

I stop and slowly turn to find him looking at me, his expression one of pure gratitude. “Thanks a lot for taking care of me these last few days. I know I’ve kept you far busier than you should be.”

Smiling, I try to ignore the mass of butterflies fluttering in my stomach at his words. “You’re welcome. And it’s my job, right? I’m just doing what I’m supposed to.”

“Not necessarily a part of your formal job description, but I suppose.” He smiles. “You should join me.” At my confused look he explains further. “For dinner.”

“Oh, I-I couldn’t.” I shake my head at the same exact moment my stomach decides to grumble loudly, and I rest my hand over my front, horribly embarrassed. I can feel my cheeks heat, and I’m tempted to duck and run.

But I stand my ground instead, trying to pretend it didn’t happen.

Soft laughter escapes him as he quirks an eyebrow at me. “Not hungry, huh?”

“Fine. I’m starving.” I roll my eyes. Are we flirting? It feels like it but . . . not. Ugh, he’s so confusing. “But I’m sure you don’t want to eat with me. We spend enough time together, don’t you think?”

“Do you want to eat with me?” he asks, his dying laughter replaced with this foreign gleam in his eyes. “I don’t mind if you don’t. Come on, Bryn. Let’s have dinner together at my desk. It’ll be exciting.” He laughs. “We can go over the caterer menu one more time. Exciting right?”

“All right,” I agree, trying my best to stomp down the giddy sensation that wants to take over but it’s so hard. It’s bubbling to the surface ready to burst out all over Matt. “Let me find a restaurant. What do you prefer, Italian or Chinese?”

“Italian, of course,” he says, and I’m thankful.

I prefer Italian too—especially the DeLuca variety.

“DAMN, THIS IS good,” Matt says as he eats another forkful of lobster ravioli. “And you said the restaurant is nearby?”

Enraptured with watching him eat, I nod silently, but realize he’s not even paying attention to me, so I answer, “Yes, they’re not too far from here. Little place that doesn’t look like much but is packed inside.”

So packed, I drew quite a few stares as I went to the register and purchased the food, waiting for the bag to be brought out. I could tell they weren’t tourists. They were probably wondering who the heck I was and not like I could announce it to everyone. I stood there, smiling shyly at everyone who was blatant enough to check me out.

This city, the entire area, has a very small town feel. I understood. Whenever a stranger showed up in Cactus, everyone went crazy wondering who they were. It set the gossips buzzing for days.

That’s what I’ve turned into. I’m the girl who sparks gossip and makes people wonder who the heck I am. Even when I was trying my best not to get any attention whatsoever, it still happened.

“What did you get?” Matt points his black plastic fork at me. His eyes are alight with interest.

We’re sitting at his desk just as he said, eating quietly and occasionally making conversation. These low sounds of complete male satisfaction leave him every once in a while, setting my blood on fire, but I try to ignore them. My dinner is delicious too, something I rarely indulge in because Italian food goes straight to my h*ps but who cares?

Tonight—not me.

“Mushroom ravioli,” I answer just before I take another bite of crusty, warm bread.

“Are you a vegetarian?” he asks.

“Please, I’m from Texas.” Oh crap. That was sort of a sarcastic and shitty thing to say. I need to watch my mouth.