Return to Silver Creek: Not Interested

As April walked into work the following day, Tucker was there to greet her. She quickly checked her watch, remembering Bethany’s warning from the day before. She was relieved to find she wasn’t late, but that didn’t mean Tucker wouldn’t fire her. Their relationship had started off on the wrong foot.

She let out a sigh, thinking maybe she should have accepted her brother’s job offer. She had turned it down for two reasons. She had worked in a bar before and didn’t want to repeat that experience. And while she loved her brother dearly, they would drive each other crazy if they had to spend all day together.

“Good morning,” Tucker greeted her with a polite smile.

April tried to ignore the sudden surge of sexual tension between them. She shifted uncomfortably, her eyes taking in his brown plaid shirt and dark blue jeans. His sharp jawline was softened by a full, well-trimmed beard and mustache. His almond-shaped eyes, framed by thick black lashes, were a captivating crystal blue.

She had no interest in a relationship with her boss. But she couldn’t deny that she needed a date. A no-strings-attached date with a happy ending. She knew that no matter who she was with, she would be thinking of Tucker. The tension between them was palpable and suffocating.

“April?” Tucker asked, a teasing smirk on his face.

He enjoyed the longing in April’s eyes as she openly admired him. But they were at work, and he had a job to do. He felt a pang of guilt as a blush of embarrassment colored her cheeks. She was breathtaking.

“Hi,” April finally responded, shaking herself out of her daze. She quickly adopted her professional demeanor. “I mean, good morning, Mr. Davis. What can I do for you?”

“Call me Tucker. Mr. Davis is my father,” he replied with a light chuckle.

April rolled her eyes but didn’t respond. Her short, black pencil skirt hugged her hips, making him yearn to touch her curves. Her plain, white tank top revealed just enough to tease him with a glimpse of her small breasts.

Sensing his gaze, she adjusted her light-gray cardigan around her waist. Her hair was down today, not in the messy bun she had worn the day before. The sight of her long, blue waves made him long to run his fingers through them.

“Bethany had to stay home with her daughter today, so she asked me to help you get set up in the office,” Tucker explained, shaking himself out of his reverie.

“Okay, good,” April replied, visibly relieved as he turned to lead the way.

As they walked, a perky brunette with hazel eyes was chatting with a female customer. She waved at Tucker when she saw him, but her smile faded when she saw his attention was elsewhere. April forced a smile and waved back, but the woman just sneered and turned away.

April laughed without humor. She was used to dealing with people like that. This woman would have to be completely unhinged to get under April’s skin.

“What’s funny?” Tucker asked, a smile tugging at his lips despite himself.

“Oh, nothing,” April replied, rolling her eyes with a grin. “Absolutely nothing.”

***

Later that night, Tucker locked the store doors behind the last employee. Natalie had once again filled his ear with her bubbly chatter. He had never met anyone so perpetually cheerful. Even when he had turned her down, she had brushed it off and moved on without a second thought.

It wasn’t that Natalie wasn’t attractive. With her long, light-brown hair, bright-hazel eyes, and model-like figure, she had turned many heads. She knew it, too, and enjoyed flirting with any man she chose.

But that was the problem. Tucker was traditional when it came to who made the first move. He didn’t mind if the roles were reversed occasionally, but he didn’t enjoy being pursued relentlessly.

With a sigh of exhaustion, he headed back to his office, wondering how much work April had managed to get done. He hadn’t seen her leave, but he knew there was no way she had stayed for the entire twelve-hour shift. He wondered if she had deliberately left during his lunch break. From his experience with women, that seemed entirely possible.

He chuckled to himself, wondering what it was about this fiery woman that attracted him so much. He hadn’t felt this way since Sandra had publicly broken his heart, ending their engagement in the middle of the store. She had left him for her new boyfriend, saying that he couldn’t provide the lifestyle she needed. Something he could never do.

Shaking off the memory, he opened the office door. The sexual tension hit him before he even saw her. She was staring at him with wide, dark-brown eyes, her lips slightly parted in surprise.

“I thought you left hours ago,” he said, leaning against the door frame with a smile.

“Um, no. I guess I lost track of time,” April replied, blushing as she tried to look past him.

“Everyone else has already left. Have you eaten?” he asked, frowning with concern.

“Are you my mother?” April retorted, rolling her eyes.

Tucker’s smile widened as she stood, shuffling papers on the desk. He moved forward to help her, feeling a twinge of embarrassment at the state of his desk. At least half of the mess was the financial paperwork she had been working on.

“You really should get another office,” April grumbled.

Tucker looked up to respond, but his words caught in his throat. She had looked up at the same time, and their faces were only inches apart. He watched as she licked her lips, and without thinking, he leaned in and kissed her. The kiss was slow and gentle, but electric. Her lips were soft and tasted faintly of mint.

He pulled back, knowing he had crossed a line. “I’m sorry,” he began, but his apology was cut off as she rounded the desk and kissed him passionately. He cleared the desk with one hand and lifted her onto it. She laughed against his mouth as she fumbled with his jeans.

Her cardigan slipped off her shoulders as he kissed her neck and shoulder. She gasped and pulled him closer. Impatiently, he pushed her hands away and removed his jeans.

“Lay down,” he commanded, his voice husky. He was glad she was wearing a skirt.

April obeyed, watching as he hovered over her. She had never wanted anyone more than she wanted him in that moment. A voice in the back of her head screamed that this was a bad idea, but she didn’t care. All she cared about was how Tucker made her feel in that moment.