She blamed the entire thing on the shirt.
His shirt, to be precise.
Everything would have been fine, if heâd just kept it on.
But no. He had to go be the gentleman. Heâd known she was soaked through. And with no electricity thanks to the ice storm that had blanketed Seattle with hardly any warning, she had also been freezing.
So heâd given her a towel, threadbare as it was, to dry off as best she could.
And then heâd given her his shirt.
Really, thatâs when all the trouble started.
Thatâs when sheâd obviously lost every bit of common sense that sheâd ever possessed.
What else could possibly explain the fact that she was now lying on a pile of cushions on the floor of Merrick & Sullivan Yachting with Paxton Merrickâs sinewy arm over her waist as if he had every right to do so?
* * *
The Hunt for Cinderella:
Seeking Prince Charming
Chapter One
December
She blamed the entire thing on the shirt.
His shirt, to be precise.
Everything would have been fine, if heâd just kept it on.
But no. He had to go be the gentleman. Heâd known she was soaked through. And with no electricity thanks to the ice storm that had blanketed Seattle with hardly any warning, she also had been freezing.
So heâd given her a towel, threadbare as it was, to dry off as best she could.
And then heâd given her his shirt.
Really, thatâs when all the trouble started.
Thatâs when sheâd obviously lost every bit of common sense that sheâd ever possessed.
What else could possibly explain the fact that she was now lying on a pile of cushions on the floor of Merrick & Sullivan Yachting with Paxton Merrickâs sinewy arm over her waist, his big palm cupping her breast as if he had every right to do so?
Shea Weatherby chewed the inside of her lip as she lay motionless in hopes that he wouldnât wake up.
It was morning. Sunlight was filling the room. The wind that had howled and screamed and driven her into his office in the first place in search of shelter when her car wouldnât start was now silent. She couldnât see out the windows without turning over, though, and that was something she didnât want to do.
Because it would mean turning toward Pax too.
Bad enough she could feel the heat of his body burning down every inch of her backside. Because sheâd obviously lost her head after the whole shirt-offering incident, she clearly couldnât be trusted to look at his infernally attractive face or other...body parts.
She closed her eyes against the sunshine, wondering how on earth sheâd be able to salvage some dignity here.
Sheâd known Pax for well over two years. Had been regularly turning down his flirtatious overtures for just as long. But all it took was one night, stuck together because her bank account couldnât extend itself yet to replace her old junker of a car once and for all, and sheâd tumbled like a house of cards.
Heâd loaned her his shirt to wear when sheâd been soaked. Heâd wrapped his arms around her and kept her warm when the electricity had gone out because of the storm. And when, heaven help her, sheâd tasted the brush of his lips...
She wasnât even sure whoâd kissed who first, and Shea was more than a little afraid it had been her.
She curled her fingers into the cushion and blocked off the thoughts. Tried to, at least. It was hard, when her body still felt sated and warm andâmight as well just admit itâmore relaxed than it had been in years.
And more satisfied than ever, period.
Again, she shushed the voice inside her head.
She knew she should be grateful that Pax had been here at the leasing office at all. He spent a lot more time at the companyâs actual boat works location farther up the shore near the bridge than he did here, at the office that overlooked the marina where the sailboats they leased out were moored. If he hadnât been here, sheâd have been stuck sitting inside her car that refused to start and riding out the ice storm because sheâd had no way of getting back inside Corneliaâs building next door once sheâd let herself out. Shea had just started working for the woman a week ago and hadnât wanted the responsibility of an office key when sheâd been offered one. By the time the storm had struck yesterday afternoon, everyone else in the office had already left before the roads became impassable, leaving Shea to fend for herself.