“No? Not when I do this?” His lips brushed my jaw. “Or this?” I felt the scrape of his beard as he kissed my neck. His body was hot and solid against mine. Oh, glory.

“You’re just after my pie,” I managed.

His smile curved against my throat. “I am after all of you.”

I put my hands on either side of his face, raising his head so I could look into his eyes. Clear, warm eyes that saw and promised so much.

“I’m not just using you for your recipes, you know,” I said.

“No?”

“Nope.” Rising on tiptoe, I whispered close to his ear, “I’m also attracted to your great . . . big . . . bed!”

Laughing, I whirled and ran. I heard his low laugh as he followed, chasing me down the hall.

We ate the pie in bed.

CHAPTER 14

Meg

Once I get all your customers set up, this program can generate invoices directly,” I told Carl on Thursday. “Plus, I can integrate the accounting system with your farming software so you can see all your orders, which will make it much easier to track your inventory.”

Carl winced slightly. “So, every time I make a sale, I have to enter it in the computer?”

“You can do everything from your phone.” I clicked a few keys. “Or you can leave the receipts in a basket to deal with later, the way you did when your mother was keeping the books.”

“This is incredible. Thanks for getting me organized.”

“You should see my Tupperware drawer.” Smiling, I pushed back from the desk in his farm office. “The initial setup will take a while, but eventually this system is going to save you a ton of time.”

He propped a hip against a corner of the battered desk. “You trying to talk yourself out of a job?”

My smile grew. “Not at all. But you probably won’t need me for more than five hours a week. Then once a month, I’ll balance your bank account, and you’ll be set.”

“Seriously, you’re amazing.”

He was such a nice guy. Why was he still running around available? Maybe I should fix him up with Beth. “You remember my sister, don’t you?”

“Jo? Sure.”

“Beth.”

Carl rubbed his beard with the back of his hand. “The blonde.”

“That’s Amy.” Everybody remembered Amy. “Beth is the older one. She was a year behind you in school.”

“I don’t . . .” He shrugged. “Maybe.”

Well. It was just an idea. I shouldered my giant mommy bag, preparing to go. I’d dressed for this meeting in cute boots and a new sweater, applied mascara, flat-ironed my hair, even shaved my legs. Totally wasted on Carl, of course, but the small rituals made me feel more confident. More like my old bank self.

“So I’ll see you Saturday,” Carl said. “At the farmers’ market.”

“Oh. Yes.”

I felt bad about asking John to take off work again so I could sell cheese. But it was only for one more week, I told myself as I left. And maybe I could find a way to make it up to him. The twins were in extended care today. Maybe I should stop by the dealership on my way to the preschool and tell him how the meeting went with Carl. We could celebrate. Go out to lunch.