“Understood,” he says. “I also want to roll out the new webinar programs next month.”

“That means extra video time,” I reply with a sigh and scratch my chin. “We’ll have to do that the week after I return to London.”

“That was my thought as well. Have you done any scouting for the retreat later this year?”

“I did yesterday,” I reply. “I’ll email you some information this afternoon. I think I found the perfect hotel, but they’re rather expensive. Let’s see if we can’t get them talked down. I don’t want to have to drive the price of the retreat up for the ladies coming. It’s already expensive for them.”

“I agree,” he says, and I can hear Kelly speaking in the background. “I’ll be right there, darling.”

“I can let you go. I think we’ve covered it all.”

“One last thing,” he says before I can hang up. “How are things going with Charly?”

I sigh and rub my eyes. I’m not ready to get into this with him yet.

“You don’t have to give me all the details, man, but I need to know something.”

“Things are good,” I reply. “We’re taking things slow.”

“Slow? For fucksake, mate, you’re only there for the week. Don’t take it too slow.”

“Thank you for that, relationship expert.”

“Hey, my best friend is a relationship expert. I’ve learned a few things over the years. Don’t take it too slow.”

“Have a good evening,” I reply, rather than entertain him further, and hang up the phone.

I actually haven’t seen as much of her as I was hoping since I’ve been here. Yesterday, after our breakfast together and I drove her to work, we went our separate ways. I did the retreat research, and by the time we were both finished last night, we simply spoke on the phone for an hour, then called it a night.

And again this morning, I had to take early calls from London because of the time difference and I wasn’t able to take her breakfast the way I did yesterday.

I miss her.

And Todd is right; I’m only here for a week. I need to make the most of it. Today is Charly’s Friday, as she takes Sunday and Mondays off, and I plan to take advantage of it. No more nights alone, no more only getting an hour here or there. I’m going to spend some true, quality time with her.

I knew I admired her, and was so fucking attracted to her I ached with it, but now that I’ve seen her at work and with her family, I’m just completely taken with her. I need to know more.

I’m quickly realizing that this isn’t just a job for me, or a casual relationship. I want it to be so much more. Where that might lead, I’m not sure, but it’s time I take the kid gloves off and begin actively pursuing this woman.

I set my tray from breakfast outside my door and gather my wallet, sunglasses, and keys and set off for Charly’s shop.

“Hey there, sugar,” she says with a big smile when she sees me walk through her door a short time later.

“Good morning.” Without skipping a beat, and not giving one fuck about the customers in the store, I walk to her and pull her in, kissing her firmly. My hands glide down her back to her ass and I grip her tightly for the brief embrace, and then I pull away. “I missed you yesterday.”

“I see that,” she says and covers her lips with her fingertips. “I might have missed you back.”

I cock a brow and feel my lips twitch.

“Such a sassy girl.”

“Do you sell those?” a young twenty-something asks, interrupting us.

“Do I sell what?” Charly asks.

“Hot men who kiss like that.”

The girls laugh and Charly looks up at me with happy hazel eyes. “No, sorry, this one is already claimed.”

Claimed.

I love the sound of that.

The customer shrugs and turns away. “A girl can try.”

“What can I do for you?” Charly asks me.

“I need your house key.”

She looks up at me in surprise. “What for?”

“Trust me.” I lean in and kiss her cheek, and then her ear. “Just trust me.”

“Okay.” She shrugs and pulls her keys out of her bag, twists her house key off the ring and hands it over. “You’re awfully mysterious today.”

“Not at all.” I kiss her once more and then pull away before I yank her into that stock room and strip her bare. “I’ll see you when you get home this evening.”

“It’s a date.” She winks and then returns to her customers. I walk outside and stand on the sidewalk, watching her for just a moment. She’s truly excellent at her job. It’s no wonder that her business is thriving.

Just before I turn to leave, she catches me staring and smiles, tossing me a wave, and then blows me a kiss.

I nod and leave, anxious to get my plan set in motion.

***

Candles lit? Check. Flowers? Check. Food on the way? Check.

I’m ready for her, and she is on her way home. For the first time since I was a boy, I’m nervous for a date with a woman.

I hear her car door slam, and a few moments later, she walks in and stops cold, staring around the room and then at me.

“Wow.”

I’ve turned the lights off, leaving the space cast in the glow from the two dozen candles scattered all over. Vases of roses in all different colors are also spread about, giving the room a rich flowery smell.

She walks over to me and hugs me around the waist, then looks up at me, leaning her chin on my chest.