Natalie held up the bakery container like it was a high-stakes trophy.“Who gets it?”
“I think you should give it to me because I’m a growing boy,” he said, lounging back with a lazy grin.
She arched a brow.“Growing?Please.You’re already six-foot-something of intimidation and biceps.I think you should be a gentleman and give me the last cookie.”
He shook his head slowly.“Not a chance.If it were oatmeal raisin, maybe.But chocolate chip?That’s a hill I’ll die on.”
Her lips curved.“Okay, then.What’s the plan?”
Rylan pretended to consider it for a moment, then suggested, “Whoever comes up with the oddest fact wins the cookie.”
Her brows shot up in surprise, but then a slow grin spread across her face.“Deal!”
“You first,” he challenged, his eyes glinting with anticipation.
“Fine,” she said, narrowing her eyes in thought.“It rains metal on Venus.”
Rylan nodded, unfazed.“Animals that lay eggs don’t have belly buttons.”
Her lips pressed together in thought.That was a good one.“Hot water freezes faster than cold water.”
He tilted his head.“True, but that’s just science.”He leaned forward slightly.“Sloths move so slowly that algae grows on their fur.”
Natalie wrinkled her nose.“Ew, that’s gross!”Looking around, her eyes landed on the ducks floating on the pond.She turned back to him with a wicked grin.
“A duck’s penis is seventeen inches long and—” she leaned in for dramatic effect, her voice dropping to a whisper, “it’s a spiral.”
Rylan froze, his expression caught somewhere between disbelief and horror.“You made that up.”
“Look it up,” she said, crossing her arms and smirking.
He pulled out his phone, muttering under his breath as he typed.After a moment, his eyes widened, and he turned to look at the ducks, then back at her.His jaw tightened.“Those smug, floating little jerks.”
Natalie laughed harder.“What, jealous?”
He grunted.“I just don’t appreciate knowing the pond mafia over there are better equipped than I am.They’re strutting around like they own the place, and now I know why.”
He pushed the cookie toward her with a reluctant nudge.“You win.”
Natalie couldn’t help herself—she burst out laughing.She broke the cookie in half and held out a piece.“Here.We’ll share.”
Rylan shook his head, still glaring at the ducks.“No thanks.I’m feeling a bit inadequate at the moment.And slightly offended.”
Her laughter echoed across the park, the ducks quacking like they were in on the joke.For a shining moment, everything else melted away.
Chapter 25
Natalie stepped into the auction house and froze, her breath catching as the stunning display unfolded before her.Paintings of every size adorned the pristine white walls, each illuminated by carefully angled lights that seemed to coax every brushstroke into vivid life.The vibrant colors and intricate textures glowed against the clean backdrop, wrapping the space in an air of both creativity and elegance.
For a moment, she allowed herself to simplyexistin the space.To her, interior design was more than a job—it was an art form, a marriage of practicality and beauty, mathematics and inspiration.She loved shaping a room into something not only beautiful but livable, a piece of art someone could step into and inhabit.
But here, surrounded by the pure, unfiltered work of painters, she was reminded of the raw artistry that had first sparked her own love of design.Each canvas felt like a window into someone’s soul, a fleeting glimpse into their thoughts, dreams, and interpretations of the world.
As she wandered deeper into the gallery, her fingers itched to trace the textures she saw.Even when a piece wasn’t to her personal taste, she respected the passion behind it.This pursuit of beauty—this wordless conversation between artist and observer—was what fueled her.
“Natalie!”
The familiar, deep timbre cut through her thoughts.She turned, pulse skipping, to see Rylan striding toward her.The man was devastating in a dark, tailored suit paired with a crisp white shirt, the top buttons undone to reveal a hint of tanned skin.No tie—of course.Rylan didn’t need one to command a room.
