The Dangerous Curves Series

Chapter 88

He shrugged and opened his hands. “And that was it… you started your organization. The workshops are fun and free, and are safe places for autistic adults to go during the day so that their families can get to work or school or whatever. But you also have a real eye for spotting talent, and when someone shows promise, you cultivate it. You teach, train, encourage, and you sell their work and give them fifty percent. Your half is funneled back into the organization to pay for the rent, materials, staff wages, and your own pretty modest salary. You’re fair, and honest, and well-respected.”

She swallowed hard.

“So, I get it, OK?” His husky voice was as soft as it ever got. “I get what you’re doing and what you’re protecting. I care about it too, and I really admire your dedication to it. You’re looking out for your artists’ livelihoods, and your program’s reputation, and I’m not going to jeopardize either one of those things, I promise you. If you feel that strongly that I can’t sponsor your work openly, then I’ll make an anonymous donation as a private individual. It’s legal and you’d be safe.”

She opened her mouth to say something, closed it again. He was right, actually. He could make a donation that way and she’d be able to accept it. But would it be strings-free?

“And what do you want in return?”

His eyes flashed again. “Who says I want anything?”

“You don’t?”

“No.”

They stared at each other now, and the silence stretched out between them.

“So, what do you think?” he said.

“I – I guess it would be OK.”

He grinned. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” She found herself smiling back at him. “Thank you, Mr. Kingston.”

He sighed. “Look, can we stop that? If you can’t get on board with ‘King’, can we agree to saw it off in the middle and have you call me Matt?”

“Matt,” she repeated. “OK. Thank you, Matt.”

“My pleasure, Naomi. So, I’ll have my accountants prepare all the documents for transfer through their firm, and I’ll run everything past my lawyers, just to be sure that you’re protected.” King c****d his dark head at her. “And I’ll see you at one o’clock at the Heart Center. Right?”

“Right.” She stood up and accepted his extended hand covered in heavy silver rings. “Thank you again.”

He knew he was holding her hand a bit too long, but her skin was so soft against his rough fingers, and her hand was shockingly tiny in his. He stared down at her, wishing he could stroke her cheek, her hair. She’d be silky and delicate, he just knew it and to his horror, he went hard, just at the thought of touching her.

Naomi saw the heat in his eyes and her whole body responded to it. Despite her best efforts to ignore his body, she was all-too-aware of his size, his strength. He was a powerful man – and not just physically. God help her, but it turned her on to think about him rescuing children and women, tracking down murderers and rapists, hauling them in to face justice.

He’s really OK after all, isn’t he? And that makes everything much more complicated all of a sudden. Why couldn’t he be a straight-up criminal asshole that I could just walk away from? Why? Why?

Gently, she took her hand back and jammed it in her pocket, palmed her sobriety chip. “So, have a good morning. I’ll see you later today.”

“Yeah.” King stuck his hands in his jeans pockets to hide his arousal. “Later.”

They both spent the rest of the morning watching the clock, counting down the minutes until they saw each other again, cursing their stupidity at their eagerness.

Dammit. Don’t start what you can’t finish.