"It's about a forty-five minute flight, so should be easy to get you on the eight am and have you come back Sunday night around..."

"The earliest flight on Monday morning actually." She turned her chair, reaching back to grab her coffee.

"Business or pleasure?"

"Put it on the business account. I'll have lunch with a prospective client or something." She took a quick sip and flipped through the paper in search of homes for lease. Nothing better than making a quick flip by talking a landlord into selling instead of leasing.

Dealing with tenants sounded great until you were doing it. People were a collective pain in the ass. She had her speech down perfectly and had yet to walk away from a lease to sell flip without success.

She leaned back to pick up her pen and started to plan out her schedule for the afternoon.

A few hours later a soft knock at her door pulled her from her concentrated search. She looked over her shoulder to see Trisha standing quietly.

"What's up?"

"Mr. Carrington is here. He wants to take you to lunch." Trisha smiled and bit her lip, wagging her eyebrows.

"Oh brother." Lisa checked her computer for the time and stood. "All right. Go tell him I'll be there in a few minutes."

"What I wouldn't give to be a young fox like you."

"Let's trade. I'm tired and want to crawl in a hole." Lisa chuckled as the older woman gave her a motherly look and turned to walk back to the front of the small shop. Her voice was sweet like sugar, her greeting of the man almost humorous.

Lisa walked out, the clicking of her heels comforting. It was a sound she had gotten used to. Rarely did she leave the house without heels on. They made her feel like the dominant woman she was, plus, it seemed to warn men of the same.

"Ms. Parks," Michael stepped up, his suit perfectly pressed. He reached for her hand, leaning over and kissing her fingers. His hair was beautiful, silky and thick. Lisa itched to slide her fingers through it and tug a little.

"Mr. Carrington. It's miss. I'm not married." She looked over at Trisha, the older woman's face highlighted with pink blush. "I'll be back in an hour. Print out my tickets and cancel those visits for me."

"And they say chivalry is dead." Trisha stood up, nodding and turning her attention back to Lisa. "Of course. Have fun."

"Always." Lisa moved past Michael, pulling her sunglasses from her purse and slipping them on. "I'll meet you there. I need to make a few stops after."

"The Junction on the square. It's my favorite," he called after her. Lisa turned and nodded, enjoying the lean structure of his athletic physique. Maybe her hormones weren't locked up in Marc after all. She got into her car and turned up the radio, trying to drown out the sound of her subconscious fighting the thought of everyone being Marc.

Lisa sat down across from him, Michael standing as if he were going to help her. She lifted her hand.

"I'm good. Thank you, though."

"You look beautiful. I'm not sure how you pull it off. Stealing my breath last night more than once and then again today." He pulled his napkin into his lap.

Lisa sat back, following suit before ordering a glass of red wine from the server. "I must just be your type of girl."

"I think you're right. I've been searching long and hard for my type." He leaned forward, pressing his arms to the table. "Let me take you out tonight. Come with me for the weekend after that. I have a yacht rented to go out and skim the small islands off the coast. I want you with me."

"I wish I could." She swallowed her surprise, almost shocked that he would be so forward. Did everyone want to settle down and have miniature versions of themselves? She shuddered at the thought.

"Why can't you? Does it have something to do with Marc?" He sat back, the pinch of his eyebrows giving a clear indicator that he wasn't pleased with her answer.

"I'm flying to New York. My mother is turning fifty. No idea who Marc is. I groan the word more a lot during sex. It’s a coaching technique to get you to intensify your thrusting."

"Damn woman. The one weekend I'm here and you're flying to New York?" He laughed. "What shitty luck I have."

She picked up her menu, pointing to the small dinner salad. "No croutons or cheese please. Oil and vinegar on the side."

He ordered fish and vegetables, handing his menu to the server before turning his dark gaze back on her. "Go out with me tonight."

"I'm leaving tonight."

"When will you be back?"

"Monday morning. When are you leaving for New York?"

"Sunday night." He pursed his lips together, breathing in deeply and letting it out as he watched her. "Yesterday left me needing more of you, Lisa. I won't be denied. It's not my style."

"I should think not. You're handsome and young, rich and powerful. I would want the world to bend over and take me full force too." She picked up her glass and licked her lips just before taking a sip.

"You're teasing me."

"Of course I am. Don't forget that. I'm not interested in a long-term commitment. I enjoy being young and free. I want to fuck the world and leave my nail marks on its back." She smiled as his eyes widened. He was far too easy.

"I'm fine waiting on the commitment. Come home with me and let me spend the afternoon with my tongue pressed to every part of you."

She sucked in a quick breath between her teeth, her body tensing at the thought. "That sounds like bliss. I just can't today. How about this... the next time you're in town, come get me and I'll drop everything."

"And you'll be mine for the day."

"For the whole day."

"To do whatever I want to do?" He smiled, his face more intriguing due to the expression.

"Quid pro quo, Mr. Carrington."

"I'm all yours, baby. You can take all you want and leave whatever marks you feel necessary. I just want to hear you come again."

"Then you shall."

CHAPTER FOUR

The flight was far too early. She had packed the day before, her afternoon filled with rushing around town making appointments to meet with various lessors for the upcoming week. Her mom was more than thrilled to hear she was coming into town and had promised to send a limo to pick her up from the airport. She grabbed her bags from her room and walked into the kitchen, stopping to fill up her mug before hugging Kari and Sicily.

"Did you text Marc?" Kari asked, moving to hold the front door open.

"No. I'm not sure I can see him, Kari. I'm just starting to feel like maybe this Michael guy might be good for me. Maybe he can help me push past this."

"Maybe you're not supposed to push past it." Kari reached out and pulled Lisa into another tight hug.

"I'm with Kari. I think you owe Marc a visit." Sicily moved beside Kari, reaching over and tugging at a long strand of Lisa's hair.

"I'll think about it on the flight."

"Need one of us to take you to the airport?" Kari motioned toward the cars.

"No, I'll take mine and just leave it there." Lisa picked up her bags again and moved out into the cool summer morning, the sun rising high in the sky.

"Be safe and let us know when you get there." Sicily moved out on the porch, Kari beside her.

"I will. Hold the fort down and no spilling pasta sauce in the kitchen. I'll not be here to blame it on when Jake comes unglued." She winked and moved to the car, throwing her bags in the back. Her friends laughed, the sound warming her. Her boy troubles would work themselves out eventually. It was just nice to know that when they did, Kari and Sicily would support her no matter the outcome.