Special Forces: Operation Alpha: Redemption for Misty (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Pierce Securities Book 5) Read Online Free Page A

difficult. It seemed like she was tooting her own horn, and she didn’t want to come across as cocky.
    Chris was eating, making appreciative noises through mouthfuls of food, his lips glistening with sauce, and Misty clenched her thighs together to relieve the sudden pressure there. This was an innocent conversation, so why did she constantly think about sex with this guy?
    “Um, do you want to go with me? Maybe you could get some business, too, for your digital presence stuff.” She sounded like a moron and was about to take it back, but he looked up at her, his blue eyes melting her insides.
    She ignored it, as well as the pulsing between her legs, as he spoke, “By the way, I looked at your website, and it looks awesome, but whoever put it together didn’t do much with the SEO and hooking it up to other places. I can work on that if you want. I also have a printer I do business with who could do a mock-up of some signage for you. Like, if you wanted to do a monthly earnings/donation thing to advertise your goals for the shop and show how much you’ve got going toward it. A little transparency in that regard might be good for business, letting the customers see exactly where your money goes and how well you’re doing. It would help get them more invested.”
    Misty was a little overwhelmed by the shift in conversation. She’d gone from pseudo-asking him out to discussing SEO. Her head spun while she tried to keep up. “I think some kids in Evan and Paige’s internship program at the high school made the website, so that probably explains why it’s like that. I hadn’t thought about the other. I’ll have to run it by Mia to make sure it’s okay, but I think it sounds like a great idea. Maybe we could meet with Mia and Evan sometime this week to discuss it.”
    “Sure. I’ve got a client meeting on Friday, but I’ve actually scheduled it at the shop, so I’ll be around.” He scooped a forkful of pasta into his mouth and chewed. “I’d love to go to the mixer with you.” His eyebrows waggled suggestively. “Would it be like a date?”
    Misty had to remind herself again of the Nova moniker as she decided he was trying to trip her up. “Not really. I mean, we could ride together, but kissing afterward is probably out of the question.” She tried to laugh as she spoke, attempting some levity, but they both fell silent as the word “kiss” floated between them, drifting around the awkward silence like silky tresses, caressing their skin. Chris’s eyes fell on her lips and stayed there, as if he were imagining it. His fingers gripped his fork until his knuckles whitened, and Misty’s thighs were getting a marvelous isometric workout, pressing together so tightly a penny couldn’t fit between them.
    He finally dropped his eyes to his plate before muttering something under his breath and shoveling more food into his mouth. That was her cue to do the same.
    Finally, after minutes of awkward silence, Chris turned the conversation back to business. Misty desperately tried to keep up. “You have a great location, right across from the capitol building. That’s an impressive feat.”
    “That’s all Evan and Jordan. They wanted someplace safe and profitable. Jordan and Mia scoped it out, and Evan put up the money.”
    His blue eyes narrowed on her as she finished her pasta. He leaned back in his chair, the picture of casual indifference, and Misty knew him well enough to know his next observation would be more important to him than he cared to admit. So she listened carefully.
    “You spend a lot of time around those men. Jordan and Evan. Is something going on?”
    She smiled, containing her laughter, barely. “No. They’re both taken. Jordan was one of the guys who saved me and Mia. Now they’re engaged to each other. And Evan is his brother, totally belongs to Paige.”
    Chris seemed to genuinely relax then, his muscles going lax so he actually was reclining. “Well, remind me to thank him next time I