CHAPTER TWENTY
Burke pulled up at the curb and jumped out of his truck. Lila’s car was in the driveway and he was halfway to it before he noticed that David wasn’t with him.
He went back to the truck and rapped on the passenger side window. David buzzed it down. “You coming?” Burke asked.
David dragged his attention from his phone, glanced at Burke, glanced at the house, and shrugged. “Looks good. Let’s get it.”
“Looks good?”
“Looks good.”
“Not ‘it’ll do’?”
“Lila said it was perfect for you, right?”
“She did.”
“Then I’m good with it. This is the one, Dad.” He pounded his chest. “Feel it in my soul.”
Burke opened the door. “Out.”
“But—”
“You are going to come inside and look around with me. Then you can tell me how your soul feels.”
David heaved a sigh. “If you insist. But I’m just saying, it’ll be a formality.”
Whatever Lila had said to him, it had worked. Too well, if David was willing to agree without even seeing inside the house.
Burke couldn’t find it in him to be sorry. He was thoroughly over the house search. He was over it about fifteen properties ago.
It wasn’t even that he found it boring as hell—although he did. He didn’t know how much more time he could stand to spend with Lila. He was nearing his breaking point.
And Lila?
She didn’t seem to be having any trouble at all.
Burke trailed around after her through house after house, soaking in her bright chatter as she painted visions of the cozy future for him and David and their new home, and Burke didn’t want any of them. He didn’t want any future without her in it.
And that was the only future he was ever going to have.
He’d stood beside her in bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens. Some places were still furnished. Those were the worst.
It was a special kind of torture, watching her move around talking about light and space and walk-in closets and master suites, while all Burke could do was focus on not laying her down on the bed or lifting her onto the kitchen table or the vanity unit in the bathroom and sinking inside her.
With any luck, this was going to be the last house they had to view, and he’d be released from the constant temptation.
As Lila wasn’t waiting in her car, he assumed she’d gone on into the house. Burke knocked on the door and it was opened by a slender young woman in enormous black-framed glasses, an extremely short corduroy skirt, and a blouse identical to the kind Lila wore.
“Hello,” she said with a smile for David, who grinned back, then her gaze tracked up to Burke. She swallowed visibly. “Um, h-hi.”
Burke moved back a couple of feet until he wasn’t towering over her. “Hi. Looking for Lila Baxter. She here?”
“Yes, of course. Mr. Burke?”
“That’s right.”
She stuck out a hand. “I’m Beatrice Lam, Lila’s associate. Nice to meet you.”
Burke shook her hand, careful not to squeeze too hard. “Same.”
“Why don’t you gentlemen come on in, and we can get started?”
“All right.” David sauntered in as Beatrice stood back, inviting them into the hall. “I’m David, by the way.”
“Hi, David.”
“Hi there.” He smiled again.
Burke followed David in and pinned him with a glare. “Do not,” he said in a low voice.
“What?” David said, pure innocence.
“Do not flirt with her.”
“I’m being charming.”
“You’re flirting, and I don’t want to see you attempting it with a woman who is too old for you and, more importantly, is a professional we treat with respect.”
“I am always respectful when I’m being charming. But okay. I’ll try to be less adorable.”
“You do that.” Burke looked around for Lila. Where was she? He caught movement from the top of the stairs, and smiled when she paused and waved.
“You’re here!” she said. She came down the stairs and stopped alongside Burke. She tugged his sleeve. “Come on. I want to start with the kitchen.”
Lila always wanted to start with the kitchen.
“Aren’t you going to let me know how much this place is going to cost me?” he said as she sashayed ahead of him.
“No. I want you to fall in love with it first. We’ll talk about whether you can afford it later.”
Burke stopped abruptly. David and Beatrice bumped into him from behind.
Lila glanced back in surprise. “Why are we stopping?”
“That means I can’t afford it. Lila. I don’t want to fall in love with someone I can’t have.”
She gave him a funny look.
“Something,” David supplied. “He doesn’t want to fall in love with something he can’t have.”
“I said that,” Burke said. Didn’t he say that?
“You can afford it.” Lila started them moving again with a tip of her head. “Mostly.”
Damn, he hoped he could. Burke stood and gazed around the kitchen.
A modern stainless-steel range with gorgeous granite countertops stretching wide either side like wings took up one full side of the room. Instead of a central island there was a large table. Burke brushed his fingertips over the satin-smooth wood. He tapped it. Solid oak.
“Is the table included in the sale, or staging?” he asked.
“Staging,” Beatrice said behind him, making him start, as he was looking across the expanse of wood at Lila and thinking…yeah, thinking all sorts of things he shouldn’t be. “But we can negotiate,” she added.
“If you want the table,” Lila said, “I will get you the table.”
“Hmm.” Burke cocked a brow at David.
“I don’t care about the table,” he said.
Burke sighed. “How about the kitchen? You care about the kitchen?”
“Right.” David pursed his lips and stared around. “Lots of cabinets,” he said. “It’ll be easier to keep tidy than Kurt’s. I love it. Let’s buy it.”
Burke didn’t think David could blame Kurt’s storage for his appalling lack of tidiness, but the kitchen was without doubt well-outfitted.
“How much?” David was asking Lila.
“Are you the one signing the check?” she said with amusement.
“No.”
“Then that’s a topic for me and your father to discuss.”
“I could write the check, though. Hey, Dad. If it’s too much, I can get Mom to do some financey stuff and advance me some of my trust—”
“No,” Burke said. “Goddammit, David.” He felt his cheeks heat. “I can buy a damn house. All you have to do is pick one.”
David’s face fell. “I didn’t—
“Hey, David,” Beatrice piped up. “How about we let the grown-ups talk money, and go check out the rooms upstairs?”
David got that he’d humiliated Burke in front of their realtors. Burke could tell by the way he didn’t protest being shoved into the child category by the faux-cheerful Beatrice, who’d pitched her voice somewhere between patronizing older sibling and children’s television presenter.
“Awkward,” Lila said when they were alone.
Burke propped himself against the table, and met her eyes. “What, having your rich son offer to raid his trust-fund piggy bank and spot you the money to buy a house? Nah.”
She tried to bite back a smile, and gave up when air snorted out of her nose in a helpless laugh. “S-so c-cute.”
“He doesn’t think.”
“He’s impulsive. But that was sweet.”
And yet Burke still felt embarrassment churning in his gut. “Am I going to have to get another loan to afford this place, Lila? Hit me. How much is it?”
Lila named a figure. Burke winced.
“It’s high,” she said. “It’s the high end of what we said you were looking for—”
“It’s higher than that—”
“—but it’s good to go. The whole place was refurbished a couple of months ago. You can move in as soon as the paperwork’s done. There’s nothing to fix, nothing needs updating. You won’t even have to redecorate. It was repainted in neutrals throughout.”
“I don’t know.”
“Because you’ve only seen the kitchen. I keep trying to seduce you with stoves and ranges and pretty cabinetry.”
“I worked that out for myself.”
“Clearly, they’re not getting it done.” She stepped closer. “Do I need to show you the fireplace?” Holding his gaze, she bit her lip in an exaggerated move, drawing it out through her teeth, and added in a sexy whisper. “There’s room for a fur rug in front and everything.”
Fuck.
Fuck it.
Burke straightened, reached across the scant inches between them, and slid a hand around the back of her neck.
Lila squeaked with shock and stumbled against him.
He dipped his head and groaned against her mouth, shuddering at the feel of her lips against his. “Stop me.”
“Dream on,” she breathed.
Fine.
Burke kissed her with desperate, bruising force. Lila made a soft noise and stroked her fingers along his jaw. With effort, he gentled the kiss, changing it from hard and challenging to deep and claiming.
He bent his knees and wrapped an arm around her waist, bringing her flush against his body. Lifting her off her feet, he parted her lips and slanted his head to thrust inside. Lila welcomed him into her mouth with another soft noise, giving as good as she got.
Barely aware of what he was doing, Burke turned them and sat her on the edge of the table. He held her steady with both hands in her hair. Lila had one of her hands fisted in the front of his shirt, and the other gripped the back of his jeans, pulling him closer.
She wound a leg around the back of his thigh, moaning with frustration when she was restricted by her skirt. “I have to stop wearing pencil skirts.”
He caught her mouth again as he slowly pressed her down, controlling her descent with a firm hand between her shoulder blades. Her back hit the table. He braced his hands either side of her head and she made another frustrated noise, writhing against him.
Burke gripped her hips and lifted, never breaking the kiss.
Lila wriggled her skirt up a couple of inches. He didn’t even wait for her to get it clear—he yanked her down so he was fitted into the space she’d made for him and they were so close that, if not for her panties and his jeans, he’d be inside her.
He moved as if he was.
“Oh, my god.” Lila’s breath stuttered. “Burke. Burke, what took you so long? I—”
He tore away.
Lila gasped when he stepped back and hauled her to her feet, crouching to straighten her skirt. “What—”
His hands were shaking as he smoothed her hair back into place in an attempt to make it look like she hadn’t just been mauled. Her swollen lips, he couldn’t do anything about. He ran a knuckle along her jaw briefly. She frowned and reached out for him, but he was already stepping back.
He had time at least to move to the window and pretend he was looking out at the yard before David and Beatrice rejoined them. But still, it must have been painfully obvious what had happened while they were upstairs. He swore he felt electricity charging the air in the kitchen, snapping over his skin.
Or perhaps it wasn’t obvious at all. Neither David nor Beatrice commented, or even looked at them sideways.
“Dad, this is definitely the place,” David said. “I know I said it was in the car before I’d seen it, but I’m for real this time. You like it, don’t you?”
Hoping there was no trace of his desire for Lila left on his face, Burke turned from the window. “Good so far.”
“Excellent.” David rubbed his hands together. “I can’t wait to move in.”
“Gonna need to see more than the kitchen before I make a decision.” He cleared his throat and turned to Beatrice, raising his brows.
“Oh.” Beatrice glanced between him and Lila. “Me? Yes. Of course. This way, Mr. Burke. I think you’re going to like the living room. It’s larger than average, and has a very nice fireplace.”
“Cozy,” Burke said. Lila was watching him with an unreadable expression on her face. He hesitated.
“You go on,” she said. “I’ll show David the yard. You’re in good hands with Beatrice.”
“Yep.”
Burke followed Beatrice and forced himself to listen to her earnest sales patter as she explained all the superior appointments of the house. Her discomfort around him faded as he responded with short nods and the occasional encouraging smile. By the end of the tour as they headed for the driveway to join David and Lila, she was bouncing with enthusiasm.
“What are we thinking?” she asked, fixing him with some serious professional eye contact that Burke was willing to bet she practiced in the mirror. “I’m thinking yes. Are you thinking yes, Mr. Burke? Let’s make this happen. Let’s get you a home.”
Burke rubbed a hand over the back of his neck and gave a single nod. “I’m thinking yes,” he said, and cut off Beatrice’s happy exclamation with an added, “stress on the thinking. I’ll want to sleep on it at the very least.”
She seemed disappointed—had she expected him to sign right now? Was that what people did?—but she didn’t pressure him further.
“What’s the verdict, Dad?” David straightened from his loose-limbed slouch as Burke approached.
“Tentative yes,” Burke said.
“Awesome!” David threw his arms around Burke and hugged him, then jumped back, his cheeks turning a dusky red. He cleared his throat.
Burke couldn’t bite back the smile. He ruffled David’s hair, getting a half-hearted smack and a, “Dad, come on,” for his trouble. “Get in the truck,” he said. “I need to get back to work.”
“Lila’s going to drop me in town. I’m meeting some guys at the diner.”
“If that’s okay with you,” Lila said to Burke.
“Sure. Thanks. Ms. Lam, thanks for the tour.” He shook Beatrice’s hand. Then, like the fucking dork he was, he shook Lila’s.
She was startled but didn’t ask him what the hell he was doing shaking her hand when he’d had his tongue in her mouth and her legs around his waist half an hour ago.
Burke strode for his truck. “Be home for dinner,” he shouted over his shoulder to David. “Lila, I’ll call you about the house.”
* * * *
Later that night, Burke sat on the edge of the bed in Kurt’s guest room, holding his cell phone in a loose grip. He breathed out a heavy sigh.
Lila wasn’t going to like this.
Hell, Burke didn’t like it, but he couldn’t see any other way. He dialed.
“Hi, Burke,” Lila said at the other end. “Is this my yes call? Burke? Hello? Are you there?”
“I’m here.”
“Hah. Thought I’d lost you for a moment. What’s up? Is this about the house?”
Partly. “Yes. I talked to my loan adviser this afternoon. We worked something out. So long as the sellers don’t try to push me any higher, I’ll be able to swing it.”
“That’s great! And not because it is, literally, the last house left for sale in Emerson that you haven’t seen. I have a soft spot for this one. You know, it was the first house I ever sold?”
“It was?”
“Yep. I kind of like that I get to sell it to my favorite client.”
God, this was hard. “About that. I… Shit. Sorry. I want Beatrice to handle the rest of the sale.”
“Run that by me again,” Lila said after a beat of silence.
“I, uh, think it would be best if Beatrice handled the rest of the sale. Or another agent from your office. Doesn’t have to be Beatrice. Just not… Not you.”
The silence was longer this time. Unfortunately for Burke, it didn’t last.
“Are you trying to fire me?” Lila demanded.
“No.”
“Good, because—”
“Not trying to. Am. Or maybe I’m not firing you, I don’t know.” He dragged a hand over his face. He was screwing this up. “I can’t see you again. Anymore. It would be best if someone else took it from here.”
“You don’t want to see me again?”
Can’t. He’d said can’t. “It’s not a good idea.”
“Hate to break it to you, but you are shit out of luck there, buddy. You are going to be seeing me in about twenty minutes. I am getting in my car right now and coming over, and then, Griffin Burke, you are going to look me in the eye when you say ‘I’m grateful for all your efforts, Lila, but you’re fired’. When I’m done slapping your face, you can tell me what the hell.”
“Lila, don’t come over.”
“Brace yourself.” She hung up.
Burke threw the phone down, and flopped onto the bed. Shit. Goddammit. This was a disaster.
Lila was going to come over and get all up in his face, all feisty and passionate, and he was already turned on thinking about it.
He was going to end up making love to her again.
It was exactly what he’d been trying to avoid.