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that’s posted online.”
    “Oh yes, the part-time position.”
    Cole imagined her smiling. It was an expression he had seen a couple of times although it had never been directed at him.
    Not really believing his ridiculous behavior, Cole almost hung up until her voice came through the phone again.
    “You’re the first guy to call about it actually. Huh, I didn’t expect that—a guy working in a flower shop.”
    “Excuse me?” Cole questioned, not knowing if she expected an answer.
    “Oh, nothing. I’m sorry. Of course, the job is open to both males and females. I’m in no way sexist.”
    Biting back a laugh, Cole found himself enjoying her rambling for the moment. “Well, that’s good. I might have had to call a lawyer.”
    “Ugh. Don’t do that. I can’t stand lawyers,” she admitted good-naturedly.
    That interested Cole immensely. Turning his chair to face the window, he sat down and leaned back, crossing his ankle over his knee. “You don’t like lawyers? Why’s that? Bad experience?”
    Rachel seemed to forget that he was a potential employee candidate as she began to talk his ear off. “Well, they always turn up at such horrible times, don’t they? Divorces, accidents, deaths.” Her voice faded out, but then she muttered, “Reading of wills.”
    Cole could understand her aversion, but it would make it that much harder to get her in his bed.
    “I’m sorry! You’re calling about the job, and here I am, going on about something not even remotely related.”
    “Yes, about the job, I’m wondering if the position has been filled yet. Or can I come in for an interview?”
    There was a pause, and he wasn’t sure, but he could have sworn he heard her whisper, “Tulip!”
    “Yes. I mean, no. No, the position hasn’t been filled, and yes, you can come by for an interview.”
    Cole wasn’t sure why he was so surprised she was all over the place. From the beginning, he’d known she was anything but ordinary, and that was one of the reasons he was so intrigued. Another was the fact that she tried to contain all her wild energy whenever she turned up at that club.
    He thought she needed to be free, free to be this woman on the other end of the phone. She could be free to be all over the place as long as she had someone like him there to anchor her and pull her back in when needed.
    “I need a name first,” she pointed out and waited.
    Shit . He hadn’t thought that far ahead.
    “C.J.,” he told her, giving his first and middle initials. He could hear her moving around, and he presumed she was writing it down.
    “C.J.?”
    Last name . She needs my last name. Well, I hope she doesn’t know it, or if she does, I hope she doesn’t put it together.
    “Madison,” Cole said, waiting for an accusation to be hurled through the phone.
    Instead, she just said, “Okay C.J., when do you think you can stop by?”
    “Today?” he asked without any thought or hesitation.
    She’s so close. She was so close to being right where he wanted her—in a room alone with him.
    “Today?” she repeated back, like she hadn’t expected him to come by so soon. “Umm…well, it depends on what time you’re thinking. I have to be downtown by seven tonight. Do you think you could stop by here around four?”
    Cole felt a self-satisfied smirk cross his face. “Yes. I am positive I can be there by four...Mrs.?”
    Rachel laughed loudly at that. “Oh no, please. I’m not married. You can call me Rachel.”
    Oh, I plan to call it—when I’m deep inside you while you’re screaming my name.
    “Okay, Rachel, I will see you at four. Is the address on the website correct?”
    “Yep, all the info is correct.”
    “I’ll see you at four then.”
    “Yes, I will be there. See you soon.”
    After disconnecting the call and placing his phone on the desk, Cole wondered just how congenial Rachel would be when he arrived as one C.J. Madison.

    Three fifty rolled around quicker than Rachel had expected. She was happy to