Page 60 of Good Directions

“Five minutes,” I tell her, holding out my hands.

“We’re reviewing the data⁠—”

“Two minutes, Sawyer.”

“No minutes.”

Damn it, does her feisty side turn me on. I bite back my smirk, wanting nothing more than to stand here and continue to push her buttons. Except, I do actually have something important to discuss with her.

“Eh, we can take a break,” Cary says. I don’t know if he sees the urgency in my eyes or something else, but I’ve never wanted to hug him so bad in my entire life. “I gotta call Tizzy; she’s called like five times since lunch. So either the world is ending, or she made the most perfect truffle and can’t wait to tell me.”

Or that. I’ll take it.

“Sawyer?”

I nod toward the greenhouse, indicating that we’ll head out there to give Cary a minute to make his call. Sawyer rolls her eyes, not bothering to hide that she’s annoyed with me. My barging in here and disturbing her meeting was not on her bingo card.

Holding the door open, I let her walk through, then shut it behind me, quickly grabbing her hand and dragging her down the first row we come to.

“What are you⁠—”

I cut her off, yanking her into me and kissing her. Hard.

And my world stops.

Sawyer whimpers, relaxing into me. The same sweet taste floods my senses, but this time I know what to do. Or well, what not to do. My mission is different.

“Please tell me that you didn’t interrupt my meeting just for that,” Sawyer says, pulling back from the kiss but not letting go of me.

“No,” I tell her, tightening my grip. “That wasn’t planned, but I couldn’t help myself. You tryin’ to boss me around back there was more of a turn-on than I realized.”

“I wasn’t trying to boss you around,” she argues.

My dick twitches, and her eyes go wide, her cheeks flushing until she’s as red as the tomato plant we’re standing in front of, clearly having felt that. I laugh, kissing her again.

“I just told you it did it for me,” I tease.

“Anton…”

“Hey…” I run my thumb along her cheek, fighting back the urge to kiss her again. “What I came here to tell you, what I should have told you earlier, is that I want you.”

“Yes, your actions during lunch made that clear.”

“No, Sawyer. I want you,” I say, turning serious. I want to make sure she understands this. “You told me that you don’t like sex, and while I don’t understand, you have your reasons. And I hope you’ll share those reasons with me.”

“I will,” she whispers.

My heart swells, already full of hope.

“What I should have shared with you when you told me that, is that I don’t date.” Sawyer recoils, tensing in my arms, but I tighten my grip, not letting her move. “I have my reasons, which I will absolutely share with you. One of which is, I simply haven’t wanted to. But you, Sawyer, you make me want to.”

“Even though…”

“Yes. Because that’s not what I’m after. I like you. I like having someone to talk about crops and soil with. And the rest will come, right?”

Sawyer giggles, pressing her lips into a line and looking up at me. “Was that a bad pun, or…”

“Totally unintended. But I look forward to the day I can make you do that. Show you how good it can really be.”

Sawyer blushes again, stepping back, trying to wiggle out of my arms. I let her go, knowing that we both need to get on with our day.

“I have to go back to work. Pretty sure you do too.” She kisses me on the cheek, and I inhale deeply, trying to memorize her scent. Turning to go, she pauses, smiling. “I’ll see you on Sunday.”

I nod. “Whaddya say, Sawyer? Be my girlfriend?”

“Thought I already was?” she calls out, still walking back toward the office.

“I mean for real.”

The only answer I get is the slamming of the office door. Well, it’s not a no.

My phone vibrates in my pocket and I dig for it, my heart leaping, excited to see what kind of smart-ass response she has. Except, it’s not her.

Cary:

Double date when you get back from ATL?

Absolutely