A Time To Love (A Mill Creek Crossing Romance) Read Online Free Page A

while people danced around on the dance floor.
     
    Being in a pantsuit certainly made her feel more out of place. He touched her arm and led her towards a small office in the back corner of the room. His touch was firm and masculine without being overbearing. However, he made her feel even more uncomfortable. What was she doing in a place like this?
     
    Men didn’t touch her like this in the city. She didn’t appreciate being manhandled into a back room like some kind of bar brawler. Although he wasn’t being rough, he was taking control of her in a way she wasn’t accustomed to and wasn’t sure she liked.
     
    “Let go of my arm,” she said pulling away as he closed the office door.
     
    “Pardon?” he said with a quirk of a smile as he sat down on the edge of his desk. Noticing his form hugging jeans and brown cowboy boots, she felt a surge of heat rise up her body.
     
    “Why did you grab me like that?” she asked with her hands on her hips.
     
    “Honey, that wasn’t grabbing. I was just leading you to my office.”
     
    “Don’t call me honey. I’m not your honey,” she said pursing her lips.
     
    “If you’re going to get along with people around here, you’ve got to get that corn cob out of your butt,” he said shaking his head as he walked to his chair and sat down.
     
    Eva was steaming mad at this point. What right did he have to say something like that to her? She believed she was above him in all ways, and she wasn’t going to be belittled by some gruff mountain ape wearing boots and smelling like the best thing she’d ever smelled.
     
    “I don’t think my working here is a very good idea,” she said starting to stand up.
     
    “Really? Cause your sister seems to disagree. She thinks this is the best place for ya,” he said leaning back in his chair.
     
    “Well, my sister and I don’t exactly have the best relationship,” she said standing with her arms crossed.
     
    “Oh yeah? And why is that?” he asked putting a boot up on his desk.
     
    “That’s really none of your business.”
     
    “You’re not very good at job interviews, are you?” he asked with a chuckle.
     
    “This is an interview? It feels more like an inquisition,” she said shooting him a death glare.
     
    “What’s what supposed to mean?”
     
    “Well, an inquisition means…”
     
    “I know what the word means.”
     
    “Sure didn’t seem like you did,” she said still crossing her arms tightly.
     
    “Sit down.”
     
    “You can’t order me around!” she said.
     
    “Sit down,” he said again in a firm tone. A little flustered, she slowly sat back in her chair without looking at him. “Maybe we got off on the wrong foot.”
     
    “Ya think?” she snipped.
     
    “My name is Brice O’Malley. I run this place.” Gracie must have known this guy would get all under Eva’s skin because he was exactly the opposite of any person she would ever hang around. With his shoulder length dirty blond hair and scorching blue eyes, he would have looked more at home as a surfer dude on some California beach than at a seedy bar in a small north Georgia town.
     
    “Ah, so you’re Brice,” she said with a smirk. “Gracie told me your name.”
     
    “Good. Anyway, my father, Zeke owns this place but he’s not well right now. So, I’m the current manager.”
     
    “Are you from Mill Creek Crossing?” she asked, unsure of why she wanted to know.
     
    “I grew up here, but left home when I was seventeen. Came back about a year ago to help my Pop out when he got sicker.”
     
    “Sorry to hear about your father. Gracie and I lost our mother a few years back, so I know what it’s like to watch your parent go through illness,” she said softly as she stared at her hands.
     
    “Thanks. My condolences to you too.” The ice was breaking ever so slightly, and Eva was glad the tension seemed to be lifting.
     
    “So, where did you go when you turned seventeen?” she asked.
     
    “I think I’m