The Bluff (Love Stories in Sheet Cake, Texas, #2)

by Emma St. Clair

Who wears high heels on a street with more potholes than pavement, anyway? SHE does.

From the first moment we met, she seemed completely wary of me for no good reason, like I offended her before

even speaking. Which in turn offended me.

This woman will be the death of me. Literally, figuratively, maybe both.

lips painted a red that begs to be kissed off that smart mouth.

My attraction to her is a reflex, one I plan to eradicate. So far, it’s like trying to stop myself from sneezing.

I shouldn’t like the way she’s looking at me. But I do, and I want more, even as I tell myself it’s a bad idea.

As much as I want Winnie gone, I also hate for her to leave.

Fun is the very last word I would consider to describe what working with Winnie will be like. Torture is a more apt choice.

I absolutely should always listen to my friends. Val’s expression turns a little wicked. “Now you’re freed up for a little workplace romance.” Forget what I said. I should absolutely NEVER listen to my friends.

I have a feeling if it were up to James, my presence would be better never than late. Or at all.

I punctuate this by tossing the book at the door. I hear the gasp of book lovers everywhere,

But real boyfriends suck.

Whereas fictional ones never let me down. They come complete with a grand gesture and an HEA every dang time.

But on a level I’d rather not think about, I know at least on my end, the heat between us is not simply dislike.

Forget what I said. I deeply, truly dislike James Graham.

Don’t get your panties in a twist,”

“I don’t wear panties.”

Without electricity, the shadows pool inside the building, and I use them to hide from sight, for the first time all day allowing myself the indulgence of watching her.

Winnie is impossible to ignore,

Call me selfish, call me a total Neanderthal, but I want those blue eyes on ME. I grab the gloves but take Winnie’s hand too.

I also would like to press her up against any available surface and kiss the smart words right off her lips.

This kid has me wrapped around her finger.

I remember a time when for a week straight, my brothers and I watched The Incredibles twice a day. Tank finally banned it after we kept yelling, “Where is my super suit?” any time one of us couldn’t find a shoe or jersey or favorite pair of jeans.

The smile he flashes me is disarming, and if I weren't already struggling to tame my love/hate thing with one Graham brother, Collin would have me in a puddle on the floor.

My feelings are already confusing enough when he’s being a jerk. I don’t need him suddenly handing out smiles.

Looks like I have some groveling to do.

Winnie is my employee. Nothing more. Never more.

That’s the thing about big brothers. We’ll never stop being overprotective.

“I’m sure she could handle you on her own. But that doesn’t mean she should have to. Leave.”

If I liked the way James stepped in to physically protect me, I love his verbal defense even more.

I have a theory. It’s that every woman has two fantasies—one where she’...

hero, and one where she doesn’t need a hero at all and rescues herself. James just delivered both these fanta...

Jealousy is a look I like a little too much on her. Especially when it’s jealousy involving me. I stay quiet, happy to watch this play out.

“Honey, you may not have seen him, but James Graham had his eye on you all day. He was like some kind of ghoul, hanging in the shadows, always with you in his sights.”

Every time I saw him, he was totally focused on something across the room. You were that something, Winnie.”

“I’m sorry, Winnie,” he says again, and I could listen to him say my name with that sweetness all day, every day, for the rest of my life.

His eyes drop to my mouth, and all the air leaves my lungs. “May I—” he starts to ask. “Please.” And then my eyes flutter closed as James drags one hand into my hair and fuses his lips to mine.

Bliss. The kiss is sheer, complete perfection.

James Graham is kissing me. After apologizing.

“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve thought about kissing your smart mouth.”

“Since you met, the two of you’ve been pushing and pulling like a couple of magnets that can’t decide which way to point.”

“But I was going to say you can’t control everything. You have to take the risk. You have to try. Even if sometimes you lose.”

I kissed those lips,

The best kiss of my life.

Winnie is not a regret. She could never be.

Just seeing a flash of her blond hair across the room, a sliver of her smile, the nervous way she pushes up her glasses. It amused me more than I care to admit

It’s then I hear familiar voices cheering and shouting, making entirely

too much noise. There’s a whole row in back standing on chairs, clapping wildly and making an inappropriate amount of noise. I do a double take when I realize who they are. It’s my family: Tank, Collin, Harper, and Chase. I squint as I come down the stairs. They’re all wearing matching black shirts with the Dark Horse logo Winnie designed for the site mock-up. The real logo. Not the unicorns.

I don’t need anyone to tell me Winnie is responsible. She did this. She got my family here. She made T-shirts. I realize when I catch her eye that she’s ditched the flannel, and...