Читать книгу Caught in the Act - Samantha Hunter - Страница 8

JOSIE HAD TRIED EVERYTHING to get Tom the delivery guy off her mind, but nothing was working. She had to get his attention, to find out if he was really interested in her.

She searched frantically for something to put on before he showed up. There weren’t many costumes left in the shop due to heavy Halloween ordering, but her eyes settled on a pleated cheerleader skirt. She grabbed the blue pom-poms and buttoned the skirt as she heard the telltale rumble of the big delivery truck arriving.

Bouncing out to the front of the shop, she watched appreciatively as Tom approached the door, wheeling in several crates of new costumes.

Yes, he was hot, she thought, watching how he pushed the door open with his very perfect butt. He swung around with a smile, which widened, catching her staring.

“Hey, Josie. Nice outfit. I always wonder what new costume you’ll be wearing. Is it a job requirement?”

“No, I just like wearing the costumes sometimes.” Especially when you visit, she added silently. “Kinda dorky, huh?”

His eyes slid appreciatively over her legs and the short, pleated skirt. “Not from where I’m standing.”

“Oh,” was all she could say, pleased enough to give a little hop and wave her pom-poms at him. They laughed.

“Should I leave these boxes here, or take them around to the back?”

“You can leave them there. I’m all alone today, so I have to check them in here.”

“No boss around?”

“Just me. She’s on partial bed rest. So, I’m taking a lot of hours.”

“Busy season for that.”

“Yeah.”

She was treated to a few more minutes of watching him unload the crates and then pick up the ones by the counter. As he worked, she watched, feeling helpless as he turned to go. What now?

“Well, I guess I—“

“Oh! I completely forgot one package,” she interrupted urgently. “An order that just came in this morning—can you wait a few minutes until I pack it?”

He looked apprehensive for a split second—she knew he was on a tight schedule—but then he smiled widely. “Sure, why not?”

“Great,” she said, beaming at him. “I can get you a soda from the fridge in the office if you want one, you know, for while you wait,” she offered.

“That would be great. It’s freakin’ hot out there for October. Going to be a toasty All Hallows’ Eve.”

“Yeah, it’s hot all right,” she said under her breath, holding his gaze. “Uh, I’ll be right back.”

She returned with the beverage and the outgoing package—at least that part wasn’t a lie. Grabbing a packing envelope for the box from the other side of the counter, she caught Tom with his eyes glued to her backside this time.

“That soda okay?” she asked innocently.

“Fine,” he answered, not even looking apologetic for peeking. A shiver ran over her skin. The good kind. Heat flushed through her body, her fingers fumbling the job.

“Tom, I was wondering,” she said softly, giving up on the task and turning to face him.

“Yes, Josie?”

“I just, uh … I mean, I wondered,” she stuttered, trying to work up the nerve to ask him if he’d want to go out with her sometime. He leaned in even closer, his mouth very, very near to hers.

“What are you wondering?” he asked, and she could feel his breath against her lips. He smelled so good. Sun and sweat and fresh laundry … the uniform was crisp and clean, and her hand came up reflexively to rest on his chest.

He was going to kiss her. Her eyes fluttered shut, waiting for contact as if her life depended on it.

“Josie! What’s going on? Tom?” Carol’s voice had Josie flying backward, tripping over a box and nearly falling, but Tom pitched forward, as well, grabbing her forearms and saving her.

“Oh, uh, Carol, sorry … I, um,” Jodie stammered again. Tom pushed his hand through thick, dark hair, looking at Carol with an apologetic smile.

“Sorry, ma’am … you caught me asking Josie out on a date.”

Josie’s eyes flew open. Date? What date? When?

“Well, listen, can you save the flirting for your private time? This is a business. I can’t have customers walking in and seeing … that.”

Josie frowned. Carol was miserable because she was superpregnant and not getting any herself. Whatever happened to being on bed rest?

“Sorry, Carol,” Josie said vaguely, looking at Tom sweetly. “Call me?”

“Absolutely.”

Josie finished prepping the package and handed it to him with a sexy smile as he left. Call me, she mouthed and he winked.

Only when she went around to check the computer she realized her mistake. Oh, no, she’d done it again. Carol would kill her if she found out. It wasn’t Josie’s fault though, not completely. She’d grabbed the wrong costume from the shelf. Josie flew around the counter, hoping to catch Tom in time, but the truck was already pulling into traffic.

Then her heart sank as she remembered a bigger botch-up.

He didn’t have her phone number.