glanced up at his closed door. “He’s on a conference call. But I’ll tell him you called.”
“Oh, okay. I know you’re busy so I won’t keep you. Promise you’ll give Rick a big kiss from me. Love you lots. Bye.”
“Claudia!” Savannah protested.
But her sister hung up, leaving Savannah with the image of kissing Rick. A visual she really didn’t need. After the incident with Troy yesterday it was easy, way too easy, to imagine how he’d taste, how he’d feel against her.
She’d never known a man like him, so physically fit, so stern in demeanor. All male, he made the men she’d dated seem like boys in comparison. Not that there’d been that many boys. Her high-school years had been spent caring for her mother instead of flirting.
Savannah never quite recaptured those flirty, experimental years. And, ever since, she’d felt one step behind in the game of love.
Unfortunately, Rick really made her wonder what she’d been missing.
A few minutes after Rick’s conference call wrapped up a knock sounded at his door. He looked up as Savannah peeked around the edge.
“Good, you’re free,” she said, stepping into his office. Her fitted skirt showed her legs to advantage as she made her way toward her usual chair in front of his desk.
Even then she didn’t stop. She kept coming, clear around the desk.
At the determined look in her eyes, he surged to his feet. When she leaned toward him, he leaned away. But she kept on coming, lifting onto her toes to touch her lips to his cheek. Instead of pulling away, he bent over her, breathing in the soft scent of honeysuckle.
Now why hadn’t he guessed she’d start the afternoon with a kiss?
“That’s from Claudia,” she said, now intent on avoiding his gaze as she rose on her toes again and her lips caressed his other cheek. “And that’s from me.”
Her hair brushed his cheek as she moved back. He clenched his fist to keep from pulling her closer.
“You Sullivans have been incredibly good to her. She’s over the top about the bonus money for returning to Paradise Pines.”
Ahh. Rick resisted the urge to shift restlessly as he resumed his seat. “The scholarships are my grandmother’s purview.”
“And she told me you always participate in the final decision,” she countered.
Caught, he shrugged. “Paradise Pines needs young professionals. We’re just doing what’s good for the community.”
“Claudia will be great for the community and she’d be returning to Paradise without the incentive, but thank you.” She hesitated, as if she might say something more. Or kiss him again. Instead, she nodded and turned to return to her desk.
Today she was calm, collected, with no sign of the flustered woman from yesterday.
Perfect. Cool and distant were good.
He could use a little indifference himself. Watching her long-legged retreat on red-hot heels, he fought the urge to loosen his tie, the airy room feeling suddenly overly warm.
He should be happy to be back on a professional footing, but for some reason he wasn’t.
“Savannah.”
“Yes.” She stopped at the door to look back at him, her leaf-green gaze wary.
Right. No point in embarrassing them both. Which meant no more inappropriate thoughts of Savannah, short skirts and his desktop.
He pulled a legal pad toward himself. “I’m glad your sister is happy.”
CHAPTER THREE
“YOUR DESIGN IS LOVELY.”
The next Monday after work, Savannah stood in Rett’s pristine workshop for their regularly scheduled lesson, watching as he held her sketch, turning it this way and that to view it from all angles.
“The setting will look great in gold, intertwined but independent with the classic emerald anchoring the middle. The symmetry is aesthetically beautiful. Your sister is going to love this piece,” he told her.
“Thank you.” Satisfaction and excitement made her giddy. But anxiety kept her grounded. She intended the pendant and earrings as a gift for Claudia’s graduation, so Savannah needed it to be perfect. “You don’t think it’s too ambitious?”
He hit her with amused blue eyes. “You passed ambitious when you decided to design the pieces in the first place, so don’t get wimpy on me now.”
“I’m not.” His approval of her design only made her more determined to finish the project. “But my skills are pretty new. I played around with beading when I was younger but this is the first time I’ve worked with precious gems.”
“Relax, you’re a natural. Your designs are busy enough to have interest but simple enough to have classic appeal. Plus I’ll be doing the actual gem work.”
“I know and I really appreciate it.” She smiled sheepishly at him; it was strange relying on someone else’s opinion of her work. His praise felt good, but at the same time it was hard being judged. She focused on the positive. “Someday I want to learn to facet, too.”
“Why don’t you take it one step at a time? Here, let me show you something.” He walked across his workroom and unlocked a drawer under the counter running the length of the wall. He pulled out a small, clear box and brought it over to her.
“Open it.” He placed the box in her hands.
Through the clear container she saw a brilliant green. Curious, she flipped the lid. Inside nestled a set of emerald earrings. Round cuts in an intricate swirl of yellow gold.
“This is my design!” Her gaze flew up to meet his.
He nodded. “You left your drawing on the counter last week.”
“You made my design into real jewelry?” she demanded, both surprised and proud.
“That is what we do here at Sullivans’ Jewels,” he reminded her with a smile.
“Yeah, but I’m an amateur.”
“Yes, it is, and yes, you are,” a deep voice said from the doorway. Rick wove his way around the worktables in the middle of the workshop to reach them. “You’re working with novices now?” he asked his brother in disbelief.
“We all start somewhere. But don’t worry. She’s good. See for yourself.” Rett handed Rick the earrings. Turning back to Savannah he assured her, “This is a great design, but you may want to wait to make a decision on which design you use until after we’ve had a few more lessons.”
“Good idea.” Chewing her bottom lip, she watched Rick as he inspected her work. Talk about being judged. Rett, at least, was an artist, but Rick was all business, he’d look at her work from an entirely different perspective.
