“She knew. We discussed a partnership, but her vision for the store’s content was wildly divergent from my own.”
“So, you settled for, what, working here? Why?”
“The town was far too small then for more than one decent antiques store. It’s because of me that we branched out as much as we did, with some of the larger pieces. I talked your mother into using those to display her collectibles and we both found a bit of a balance, I suppose. We were both newlyweds back then, but I began my family straight off, and working at all back then was simply…well, let’s just say our arrangement was a good fit. Your mother and father saw eye-to-eye with their dreams. My husband, God rest his soul, did not. So, I accepted the way of it, and we made it work.”
Holly was absolutely dumbstruck. First off, she couldn’t even picture Mrs. Gillespie as a young newlywed, much less a young mother. Holly knew she had two grown children, both of whom had children close to Holly’s age, and had lived out of state for most of Holly’s life. “Later, when times changed, and the town became more of a tourist destination, with the history and the battlefields…did you ever consider opening a shop then?” There weren’t any other antiques stores directly on Main Street, but within ten to twenty miles, there were a few collectible and antiques establishments, as was fairly common now, in the more rural, picturesque Virginia countryside.
“The die was cast, as they say, and I accepted the way of it. I had other pursuits, and Mr. Gillespie and I did our fair share of traveling.”
“I’m sorry,” Holly said, “about his passing.” She had heard through her mother that Mr. Gillespie had passed away from a heart condition several years back.
Mrs. Gillespie straightened her shoulders, her posture becoming even more rigid, if that were possible. “Thank you,” she said, clearly uncomfortable with any display of actual emotion. “When can we schedule a meeting?”
“What, exactly, are we discussing? You said you weren’t interested in buying—”
“I’m not. What I’d like to discuss with you is a lease arrangement. You do own this building, do you not?” When Holly nodded, she continued. “Clearly, at my age, purchasing the place would make no sense. Both of my children have done quite well for themselves, and while I could afford something of a late-in-life folly, as they call it, they don’t need to be saddled with it after I’m gone.”
Unlike what Holly’s mother had done to her, she might as well have said. She didn’t have to.
“I thought perhaps we could discuss a purchase price of the pieces I’d like to keep, and I can help you arrange to sell the rest, for a brokering fee, of course, which I will use to invest in new stock.” She stood there, hands clasped, hat perfectly perched on her smooth gray bun, gaze focused steadily on Holly. Unflinching.
Holly marshaled all of her advertising client toughness and held the gaze just as unflinchingly. “I’m definitely willing to consider it. If you could give me a day or two, we’ll sit down and talk details.”
This didn’t meet with immediate approval, if the slight downturn of her pursed lips was any indication, but, after a moment, she nodded. “Very well then. I’ll wait for your call.” She gathered her gloves and scarf and buttoned her coat. Once she was bundled, Holly saw her to the door, where she paused and looked back at Holly once again. “There are other buildings with leased space available. I want this space, this building, as I know all of its quirks. And I know you. But don’t keep me waiting. I’m not getting any younger. And I’ve waited long enough to pursue my passion.” With that, she stepped through the door and walked off down the street.
Holly stood there, partly dumbstruck, partly amused…mostly stunned. Could the solution be so simple? She stepped back into the store, her mind already swimming with all the things that could unsimplify it. Did she want to be a landlord? Would living in London make that impossible? How long would it take to sell off the unwanted inventory…and how in the hell would she come up with the appropriate lease agreement?
She was just closing the door when she heard someone shout her name. She looked up to see Sean trotting across the street, a broad smile on his handsome face…and a Gallagher’s take-out box in his hand.
Her heart did that slow, melting slippy-slidey thing and her pulse rate tripled.
“Hey,” he said, all big and room-swallowing as he slipped inside the door. She closed it behind him, blocking out the winter chill…and blocking in something that was definitely providing a lot of heat.
“Hey, yourself,” she said, trying to make the mental switch from business to…well, there was no denying the surprise was a pleasurable one.
“I brought lunch, but that was mostly an excuse.”
“Excuse?” She locked the door, then turned and looked up at him just as he set the box on the closest shelf and took a step closer to her.
“I’ve been thinking about this all day. Night, too, if I’m being honest.”
“Thinking about what?”
“This.” He slid a warm palm along her cheek, sunk his fingers into her hair, and tipped her face up to his. “I know your future plans aren’t certain,” he said, his voice a deep rumble that sent a series of the most tantalizing shivers down her spine. “But I already lived with the regret of not pursuing you once. I don’t want to make that mistake again.” And then he kissed her.
And her knees buckled, and she grabbed hold of him.
And kissed him back.
Oh, wonderful. More things that weren’t going to be simple.
6
This was either the best idea he’d ever had, or one of his worst mistakes in the making. At the moment, with her fingertips sliding up the back of his neck and her sweet body pressing fully against his, it was feeling like his most brilliant decision ever.
He scooped her up, lifting her off her feet and bringing her face up more evenly with his own so he could take the kiss even deeper. He moved them farther into the store, backwalking her until they reached the front counter by the register. He slid her onto the smooth glass surface, then pulled her back toward him, hands on her hips as he moved between her legs, urging her to open to him as he slid his hands up her spine, then lost them again in that silky waterfall of hair. Why on earth had he waited so long to do this?
She was making these tiny little guttural noises in the back of her throat that were doing insane things to his body. Namely making him so rock hard it was almost painful to stand, but then she was tucking her feet around the back of his thighs, pulling him closer. And now he was the one groaning as she snuggled herself perfectly around him. It was sensation overload, on every level.
Their kissing was escalating as rapidly as his pulse rate and he knew it was only a matter of time—seconds at the rate they were going—before clothes were going to get yanked off and things were going to happen that he—oh, he desperately wanted them to happen. Perhaps more, in that moment, than he’d ever wanted anything to happen. Ever. But this—this was not what he’d had in mind when he’d crossed the street. Kiss her, maybe seduce her a little, enough to get her to agree to at least think about giving the two of them a chance to find out what might be. Rationally. Flirtatiously, but rationally.
He hadn’t counted on one taste of her leading to this kind of volcanic eruption of need and want. And an eruption was just what he was risking here if he let this go on an instant longer.
Heart pounding, breathing labored, he forced himself to tear his mouth away from hers. “Holly—” was all he could manage.
“Yes,” she said breathlessly, her fingers curling into his shoulders as she instinctively pulled him closer again.
“I—we—wait,” he said before she could claim his mouth again. Claim