He sensed a little bit of tension there, but he understood the need for independence. “No problem. At least finish the Danish.”
She shoved half the pastry in her mouth and grinned at him. “Happy now?” she asked, her mouth full, and he laughed.
“You know, I can see where your brother gets that attitude.”
She managed to swallow the ball of dough and groaned. “Now I should be apologizing to you. I can’t believe he tricked you into coming here.”
“So you’re not having a problem with your taxes?”
“Yes, but—” The buzz of her phone interrupted her. She read a text and blinked. “Daniel just told me he’s on his way here to meet with you and not to be freaked out if I see you because you’re not stalking me, you’re doing him a favor.”
“Wow. He texted all that?”
“Mostly in abbreviations and emojis, but I understand teen-speak.”
Evan laughed. “Better you than me. I couldn’t even figure out how to change my name back.”
“What did he change your name to?”
“Well, my ringtone became ‘Dancing Queen.’ And my name became Sexy Moving Man with a Fine Ass.”
She couldn’t stifle her mirth, and he saw it.
Instead of looking angry, he grinned. “Oh yeah, laugh it up.”
“That’s not your fault. My brother is a genius with electronics.”
“Good to know it’s not me. I know how to work my phone, but after he messed with it, nothing I did made a difference.”
She groaned. “Yeah. That’s Daniel.”
The two of them sipped their coffee, watching each other. “So if you really do need some accounting help, why not let me take a crack at it? I’m sure I can make things better.”
Chapter 6
Make things better? Just sitting near him was making everythinghotter. Her temperature, the coffee, her lungs as she studied his firm chest and broad shoulders, those light-gray eyes… She could almost hear herself panting.
Kenzie cleared her throat. “Well, I hate to bother you, and I doubt I could afford you.”
He shrugged. “Nah. Consider it a freebie for earlier.”
She would be foolish to turn down advice from someone who’d worked for Peterman & Campbell Accounting. Heck, Ellie did her business there. Kenzie had once overheard her mention what a terrific job the firm had done handling her taxes.
“Well…” She felt Evan’s attention like a beam of sunlight, warming her from her toes to the top of her head, and decided to take a chance.
It couldn’t hurt just to talk to the guy. She hadn’t noticed a ring on his finger. Then again, he’d asked her out, kind of, so she wouldn’t have expected him to be attached to anyone. But maybe he had a bunch of girls on the side?
“Well?” Evan prodded.
She blushed, realizing she’d been staring at him while he waited to hear about her problem.
Kenzie filled him in on all her bookkeeper had and hadn’t done then mentioned a few worries she had about her accountant.
He listened, his expression serious, and she had a sudden thought: What would he look like after a kiss?
She took a sip of coffee to hide her nerves.
“That’s a problem, but one I could help you with. Or I could recommend someone to help you,” he offered.
