Just One More Temptation (The Sterling Family Book 4)

Fallon was having a crappy day. Her siblings were getting together for lunch at Remy’s bar and she’d had to cancel because she was alone at the gallery. Sylvie’s cold had lingered and turned into a bad case of the flu and Clara had called her, saying she wasn’t feeling up to coming to work today. The art studio had a late afternoon class booked and instead of a slow gallery day, the store was more busy than usual.

With Clara so ill, Fallon was going to have to bring up the idea of hiring another sales associate or someone full time who wanted to teach the classes. All Fallon knew was she’d been running herself ragged.

Lunchtime arrived and she knew there was no way she could take a break. Thank goodness she was able to drink the coffee their machine brewed.

During a free minute, she took a sip and moaned her delight, just as the door opened and a man with a tall ladder strode in. “Great,” she muttered, placing her cup down and striding over. “Karl, I expected you this morning,” she said to the electrician.

“Sorry. We had an emergency. All hands on deck. What can I do for you and Clara?” he asked. “The boss said something about a flickering light?”

She nodded. “Over that sculpture.” She pointed to the metal piece on a podium in the center of the gallery. “Be careful!” she called as he headed in that direction. “Watch out for the customers,” she said under her breath and rushed over to where a young couple were attempting to get a better look at their newest item, which was why they’d centered it under that particular light.

“Hi. Can I show you some of this artist’s other work? Just until the light is fixed,” she explained, drawing them away so Karl could place the ladder.

Thirty minutes later, she was wondering how she’d ever have time to set up the party room for the class when the door opened and a welcome distraction walked inside.

Noah was dressed in his usual shirt and tie but he left his jacket at the office. Instead, his sleeves were rolled, revealing his muscular forearms, and she was glad for the warmer weather today. She didn’t have much time but she’d find some for him.

He walked over, his easy stride yet another attractive thing about him. “Fallon, hi.”

“Hi! This is a nice surprise.”

He glanced around the busy showroom. “But it doesn’t seem like a good time.”

She sighed. “Clara and Sylvie are both out sick. I’m worried about my boss. She’s usually spry and ready to do anything. Meanwhile, I have a party in an hour that I need to set up for, the electrician was late and is now making a mess in the middle of the showroom, and we’re packed with people who seem interested in buying. I’m just one person and—”

He braced his hands on her shoulders. “Breathe.”

She listened and drew in some much-needed air, letting it out again.

“Good. Now, what’s the priority? And no, you can’t say everything.” An almost-smile tugged at his lips.

God, she wanted to kiss him again, she mused, then shook her head. “Setting up for the party.”

He nodded. “Then go. I’ll wrangle things in here.”

She raised her eyebrows, certain she was so surprised, they’d hit the roof. “You can’t—”

He squeezed one shoulder. “I can.”

“You have work!”

He shrugged. “I can take the afternoon off.”

“But the girls?” She tried again to find a reason he couldn’t possibly stay and help, no matter how much she needed the hand.

“Are with my brother, Liam. I promise you, I can help out.”

Her lips parted and he leaned in just as Karl yelled out, “Can someone hang onto the ladder?”

She swung out of Noah’s grasp as he clasped one hand in hers and redirected her toward the painting room. “You go set up. I’ll get him out of here and do what I can to help some of your customers.”

Unable to stop herself, she hugged him tight, inhaling his warm, musky scented cologne. “Thanks, Noah. I owe you one.”

He squeezed her waist and said, “Don’t worry. I plan to collect.”

Thanks to his husky voice and assertive touch, her sex pulsed with need. Not the time, she warned herself, and rushed into the other room, leaving Noah to handle the chaos she left behind.

* * *

Noah had a new admiration for Fallon’s work. His days were spent behind a desk. Hers were on her feet, and he jumped from potential buyer to potential buyer, only able to help the ones who didn’t want a full understanding of the artist behind the sculpture or painting they were interested in.

Still, he sold one, took another’s information so Fallon could make an appointment for them to come back another time, and sent a few women into the painting side for their class. At the end of the day, he walked into the classroom side and saw Fallon was wrapping up the class, so he sat down on a chair in the back and groaned in exhaustion.

What did it say about his feelings for Fallon that he’d skipped an entire half day of his own job to help her out? Before he could muse on that question, she strode into the back and joined him.

“You’re still here! I wouldn’t have blamed you if you locked up the gallery and snuck out while I was busy with the women next door.”

Her soft smile and the gratitude in her voice made his entire day worthwhile. That answered his question. He was falling hard for this woman and it was time to step things up. Other than watching out for the twins’ feelings, he was finished tiptoeing around his own.

“I said I’d stick around and help.”

“And I cannot thank you enough.” She dropped into the seat beside him, letting her shoulders slump and the day’s exhaustion catch up with her. “But you never did say why you walked in here in the first place.”

“Oh, that.”

She laughed. “Yes, that.”

“The girls and I are going to a family birthday party for my mom on Saturday. It’s a casual thing at my parents’ house and we’d like it if you came along.”

Her eyebrows rose high. “Come to your parents’?”

He swallowed a laugh. He’d hoped by using the twins, he’d soften that point and make it less a date when in his mind, it was every bit one. “Like I said, it’s casual and we’d all really like it if you joined us.”

She changed from her relaxed pose, sitting up straighter in her chair and leaning toward him, her gaze focused on his. “Noah, is this a date or bring the woman the twins are currently obsessed with to a fun family gathering, no stress?”

He respected her need for honesty and he could give her no less in return. “It’s a bit of both.” He leaned in closer. “I want to spend time with you. And if you can get past the older guy thing, I want… more.” He couldn’t say what that meant right now other than being with her and seeing where things between them went.

He’d never brought a woman around the twins and understood the magnitude of doing so. Add in the fact that Dylan and Dakota adored Fallon, and he understood this was a big deal. Enough that he feared her saying no.

She was quiet for so long, his stomach twisted, nerves he rarely experienced suddenly alive inside him. “Your family. The girls. You’re not playing around,” she said softly.

He lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “I rarely do, as you’ve so often pointed out. The fact is, I’m finished with any cat-and-mouse games. We already know we’re attracted to one another. Let’s see where things go.” That was as honest as he could be.

“No promises? No games? The minute it’s too much for you or the twins, you tell me. And I’ll be honest in return. I am not looking for something serious right now but I want to be with you, too. And I adore the girls and would never want to hurt them or give them the wrong impression about us.”

Sexual attraction was easy. Feelings were more complicated. Yet how could he not fall for this wary woman when she put his children’s feelings before her own?

Reaching out, he grasped her hands. “I want you, Fallon. In my bed and beneath me. On top of me. Every way I can get you.”

Her eyes opened wide and she shifted in her seat. “Did that make you uncomfortable? Or aroused?” Okay, he was stepping things up faster than he planned but he didn’t want her to have too much time to think and panic. Just feel and agree.noveldrama

“Aroused,” she whispered.

He stroked her cheek and she tipped her head against his hand. “That makes us in agreement,” he said, his voice rough with need.

Just talking to her like this had his cock hard in his pants. He was moving them along quickly but she wasn’t pulling back. “I promise when we’re with the girls, we’ll be circumspect so nobody gets hurt. Including and especially you.”

She met his gaze, her expression wary. “You seem too good to be true.”

“Because you dated a douchebag before me.”

She laughed aloud and he liked the sound.

“Now, can you agree to having fun together and no pressure beyond that?” Even if he planned to show her how good things between them could be.

“I can do that,” she said, and treated him to a genuine smile, one combined with pleasure, anticipation, and lingering arousal. The same stream of desire he felt rushing through his veins now that he knew they’d taken a huge step forward.

“I’m starving. Want to come back to my apartment? I’m going to pick up Chinese food on the way home. Or do you need to get back to the girls?”

He shook his head. “Liam is going to take them to the burger place we all went to. He wants to rent Home Alone for them afterward. They’re pretty set until I get home.”

Her stomach let out an unladylike rumble and she blushed a pretty shade of pink.

“That’s our cue to get going.” He rose and held out a hand and she placed her palm in his. Her skin was smooth but a jolt of electricity hit as she curled her fingers around his hand.

They’d most definitely taken a step forward.