âLin, youâre not thinking straight.â
âIâm not looking for forever.â She placed her hand tentatively against his chest.
Though it pained him to do so, he grasped her hand and pulled it away before he did something irreversible. âYouâre not a fling sort of woman.â
She looked up at him, and he saw a yearning in her eyes that was going to be damn hard to resist if he didnât get her back inside where his dad and Garrett could serve as a barrier.
âMaybe a fling is exactly what I need.â
The woman was trying to kill him.
âI think we should go in.â
âWhy?â She took a deep breath. âWeâre both adults, Owen.â She paused again before continuing. âOnes with needs.â
He shook his head. âThere are other ways to deal with those needs. Trust me.â
Linnea lowered her gaze. âIâm sorry. I evidently read things wrong.â
Chapter One
Linnea Holland only had five minutes before opening time for her bridal boutique and a busy day of catering to the romantic dreams of Dallas brides-to-be. Still, that was enough time for one more peek.
She hurried to the back of the building, to the room that held the most gorgeous wedding gown Linnea had ever seen. And it was hers. In two weeks, she would wear the Ellen Clare original design as she walked down the aisle toward her very own prince.
Okay, so Michael wasnât an actual prince, but he certainly treated her like a queen. The past six months together had been a whirlwind of fancy dinners in fine restaurants, beautiful flower bouquets delivered to her at the store when he had to go out of town on business and an engagement ring that had taken her breath away. As she stood and stared at the dress with lace so delicate it looked as if it might float away into mist if she touched it, she still couldnât believe she was going to be Mrs. Michael Benson. Sometimes she pinched herself to make sure she wasnât in the longest, most realistic dream imaginable.
Not only was Michael a successful executive with a big investment firm and drop-dead gorgeous, but somehow out of all the women he could have, heâd chosen her, the middle daughter of two teachers. And it had all started when she accidentally bumped into him coming out of a coffee shop, dousing his crisp white shirt and designer suit with a caramel latte. Sheâd been mortified, and heâd asked her out on the spot, stunning her speechless. Heâd just smiled until sheâd remembered how to utter a âYes.â
It had been the kind of first meeting you saw in movies, and the moment he asked her to marry him sheâd been determined to make her wedding like something out of a fairy tale.
She glanced at the clock and hurried out of the room. She might have a fairy-tale wedding on the horizon, but until then she had a business to run. She reached the front door just as she heard Katrina, her business partner, coming in the back.
âSorry Iâm late,â Katrina called out.
Linnea turned the lock on the door, then headed toward the curved white counter in the middle of the store. âYouâre not late.â
âWell, late for me,â Katrina said as she shoved her purse into a drawer behind the counter.
Linnea smiled at Katrina. âConsidering youâre here at least half an hour early every day, I think one day of right on time isnât going to mar your record.â
The truth was, Linnea couldnât have asked for a better partner in her business. Katrina possessed a lot of business savvy, loved the boutique as much as Linnea did and was an excellent salesperson. Michael liked to tease them by calling them the odd couple because Katrina was petite with a stylish black bob, while Linnea stood several inches taller and had long, wavy red hair. They might look different, but in all the ways that mattered they were a perfect business match.
âSo, how many times have you been back to stare at your dress this morning?â Katrina asked before taking a drink of her coffee.
âOnly once.â
Katrina laughed a little. âGoing into withdrawal yet?â
Linnea bumped Katrinaâs shoulder with her own. Before she could think of an appropriate response, however, their first appointment of the day arrivedâ Rena Cavendish and her very demanding mother. Linnea put on her best smile and went to work.