“I’m sure you’ll make a big success out of it.”

“Thank you for the vote of confidence. I was thinking…”

“What?”

“I haven’t spoken to Laura about it yet, so it may not happen.”

His hand on the small of her back guided her up the stairs in a proprietary way that she enjoyed. “Tell me anyway.”

“I’m going to propose that we call it Abby’s Attic at The Surf. I was thinking that customers who patronized the Attic might be more likely to check out the gift shop if we give it a name they recognize.”

“That’s a great idea. I’m sure Laura will think so, too.”

“I hope so. She may have something else in mind. I don’t want to step on any toes.”

“Can’t hurt to pitch it to her.” They reached the third floor and stopped outside her door. “Where’s the key stashed this time?”

She gave him a saucy smile as she reached into her top to retrieve the key card.

“That’s so hot. You have no idea how hot.” Inside the room, he surprised her when he spun her around to press her back against the closed door. For a long, breathless moment he only stared at her, seeming to take a detailed inventory of her features.

“What?” she asked, unnerved by his intensity. The scent of expensive cologne filled her senses, making her want to get even closer to him.

“You’re beautiful. And you’ve got me thinking about you far more than I should be. Do you know how hard it is to write computer code with a gorgeous, sexy woman occupying so much of my attention?”

Flattered and aroused, she dug her fingers into his hips. “How hard is it?”

“Very, very hard.”

Before she could make a joke about whether they were still talking about computer code, he removed his glasses, stashed them in his pants pocket, tipped his head and brought his lips down on hers lightly and gently. “All I could think about today was how you looked naked and spread out before me in bed with your silky dark hair fanned out on the pillow. I thought about how sweet you tasted against my tongue—”

“Stop,” she whispered, mortified by the image he painted.

“Why?”

“It’s embarrassing to think about what I must’ve looked like.”

“How can you be embarrassed when I just told you that thinking about it had me turned on all day?” To make his point, he pressed his erection against her belly.

“All day, huh?”

“All. Day.”

“That must get painful after a while.”

“You have no idea.”