Billionaire's Second Chance (Billionaires #16) - Jennifer Hartley Page 0,24

done faster, and that will give her more time to sell and make more money.”

Scott looked at me skeptically, and he gave me that suspicious look that made me wonder if he questioned anything. But then he gave me a nod. “All right,” he said. “If you think it’ll help. But I can see from here that she put that flowery dress on that she wears to turn heads at the market in order to get the guys to stop and buy something. You just make sure that you keep your hands to yourself.”

I rolled my eyes at him dramatically to make sure that he bought-in to me, thinking that it was a ridiculous thing for him to have to tell me. “Obviously, I’m not going to hit on your sister,” I said. “Actually, it’s probably a good thing that I’m going because I’ll be able to act like her bodyguard after I set up the stand. I’ll keep all those farmers and townsfolk away from her.”

Scott laughed. “Good idea,” he said. “Give them all a good scare so that they never think about messing with Clara. But not too much of a scare because we still need them to buy our stuff.”

“You got it, I chuckled. I ran back up to the car, where I could see Clara waiting impatiently.

“What is it?” she asked as soon as I got close enough to hear her. “Why did you want me to wait?”

“I’m coming with you,” I answered.

“Oh no, you’re not,” she argued as she shook her head.

“Why not?” I asked. “You could use the help. I can get the stand set up quickly and help you unload everything at the market.

“No,” she said again. “I need to get away from the house and from you for a bit.”

I felt my face drop, and I think that she could tell that last sentiment hurt.

“I didn’t mean it like that,” she said apologetically. “It’s just that I need to—”

“It’s okay,” I interrupted. “I know what you meant. You feel like it’s just too much, like you can’t breathe when we’re around each other.”

“Yeah,” she said. “How did you know that?”

“Because I feel it, too,” I said. “But please, let me come with you. I want to check out the market, and honestly, you could use the help. These barrels are heavy, and I saw you stumble from the field. If you really want to make money with this today, then it would be better if I came.”

I could see her mulling it over and getting ready to tell me no again. But then she looked as if she were arguing with herself, and she simultaneously shook her head and said, “yes” at the same time.

“Fine, but only because we really need to make some money today. But it’s just the market and nothing else.”

“If by ‘else’ you mean that I can’t fuck you in the car on the way, or in the market stand behind the tables, then yes—I agree to be good,” I joked.

For a minute, she thought I was serious, and for a minute, I had toyed with the idea of finding a spot alone where I could have her again. But I needed to be good this time, and as much as I wanted Clara, I also wanted her to know that she meant more to me than sex.

She looked at me and giggled.

“What’s funny?”

“Are you coming like that?” she asked.

I looked down at my bare and sweaty chest.

“Oh shit,” I said, realizing that I had left my shirt in the field. “Okay, one more second. Don’t leave!”

I raced into the house and grabbed one of the spare shirts that Scott had let me borrow. Then I pulled it on over my head as I was still racing out the door. I was half-expecting Clara to have left without me. But thankfully, she was still there, standing by the car. The shirt was tight and about two sizes too small. It hugged my muscles and made it so that the fabric was so tight underneath my armpits that it looked like a muscle tee. I shrugged when she looked at me.

“I think I liked the bare-chested look better,” she teased.

I pretended like I was going to pull my shirt off again, but she put her hand up in the air and shook her head.

“Don’t you dare!” she said. “You keep that shirt on, or you’re not coming.”

I laughed and got into the passenger seat, moving one of the barrels