Merger to Marriage (Boardrooms and Billi - By Addison Fox Page 0,20

limitations—but every so often that edge of hurt she worked hard to keep in check rose up and swamped her.

“His loss.”

“Yes, I think so.” She squeezed his hand once more before pointing toward a small set of steps that lead down to the beach. “Why don’t we head down and walk a bit.”

Five minutes later they had their shoes in hand as they left two pairs of footprints in the wet sand. “You talked about your charity when we met at the wedding and a few hiccups you were facing. What happened with that?”

Mayson couldn’t hold back the shock—or sweet roll of attraction that filled her belly—at the fact he’d remembered her talk of Hands, Hearts and Hugs. “It’s still unresolved, but we’ve got another pitch to the town council in a few weeks.”

“What’s the problem?”

“We need a bigger facility. The number of children we can reasonably house and care for is limited by space, and the waiting list has more than doubled the current occupants. We thought we had a builder in place to help us add on to the facility, but the township is giving us a hard time.”

“Why?”

“They’ve been encouraged to believe the land wasn’t intended for such a large number of tenants so they’re using zoning restrictions to keep us from building further.” They came to a stop on a small outcropping of rock and Mayson took a seat on a large boulder that had dried with the morning sun. A renewed wave of anger and frustration gripped her at the reality she might not see the organization grow as it needed to.

“Wouldn’t that have been the case when the original facility was built?”

“It was before my time with the organization, but I know there’s a lot of history there. The founder built the charity for his sister, but another family member has always protested the use of the land. From what I’ve been told it’s complicated and messy, made even more so by bad family behavior.”

Holt shook his head as he took a seat next to her. “I see it often in my line of work. Property comes available or comes off the market often at the whims of those who’ve inherited it.”

“Do you think we have a chance?”

“I wouldn’t say no out of hand, especially without knowing the specifics, but it does sound like those blocking the development are going to slow things down at a bare minimum. What about alternatives? Do you have other options?”

“Not really. The charity is well-run, but they don’t have a lot of excess funds. To go out and buy new property before selling this one would put a financial strain on them they can’t quite absorb.”

“I could look into the zoning for you.”

“Would you?” Another shot of warmth filled her at his ready offer. “I’d love to have an objective third party who really understands this stuff weigh in.”

“Sure. Shoot me the details and I’ll nose around a bit. It’s all a matter of public record.”

“Thank you.” On impulse, Mayson leaned over to press a quick kiss to his cheek. Light stubble on his chin scratched against her lips before he turned toward her.

Mayson knew the instant the simple gesture changed into something else entirely. Something hot and urgent as greedy wisps of need reached out to wrap sly tendrils around both of them. His arms came around her, tightening as he dragged her against his chest. She shifted her hands at the last minute so they settled against his shoulders, the hard muscles under her fingers flexing as he pulled her close.

Those lush, sensuous lips quirked in a half smile before they took possession of hers, and then there was nothing but need as each fought the battle to consume. The heavy crash of the ocean faded as the sound of her heart swished in her own ears, matched in counterpoint to the heavy thrum of Holt’s pulse under her fingertips. His lips were firm under hers before they opened, his tongue sweeping into her mouth in a show of carnal possession.

She opened for him, allowing him to fill her, the immediate slam of her heart against her ribs vivid proof of how badly she wanted him. Needed him. She brushed off that knowledge, shoving it into a small corner of her mind, resolute to take it out later and worry about it then. In the meantime, she was back in Holt’s arms.

With one hand still firmly splayed against the hard muscles of his shoulder, she used