She tilted her head to the side and considered it again.
Brock checked the price tag. “Yeah. We can definitely make it work.”
“Good.” She nodded once and came around to look over his shoulder. “Can I see the blueprint again?”
“Sure.” Brock tried to ignore the knot of apprehension clogging the back of his throat. She was standing so close, he couldn’t even think clearly. Somehow, he’d forgotten the scent of her. Of sweetened vanilla and some type of exotic flower. But there it was, overwhelming him again, muddling his mind, just as it had when they were teenagers and completely obsessed with each other. If he angled his body a little closer, his shoulder would brush hers.
“Right here. This is where I want it to go.” She tapped the screen once, then stepped back, putting fresh distance between them. “Let’s get it.”
“What do you like most about it?” He was curious why she preferred this one over the beige one she’d just chosen, but mostly he was desperate to steer his mind far away from the direction it was headed.
Nothing good ever came from thinking about the mouthwatering scent of one’s ex-girlfriend.
“Well, because of these.” Juliette opened the cabinet, and instead of the usual shelves, it was filled with pull-out drawers of varying sizes. “This cabinet is going to act as the pantry for the kitchen. So, instead of having to shuffle items around and knock things over looking for what you need, you can pull the drawers out and see everything all at once.”
Brilliant.
“I think it’s a great idea.” He could’ve kicked himself for not thinking of it first. “You want to keep it in cherry?”
“Yeah.” She eyed it once more. “It’ll pop just enough but still match the vibe of the rest of the kitchen.”
He adjusted his notes, and they continued through the warehouse. Oddly enough, when they got to the bathroom area, Juliette’s eyes lit up. Without hesitation, she went straight to the tile.
“These,” she said with absolute certainty. Juliette turned around and held up a set of white tiles with cobalt blue designs.
Another great choice. “Those are nice.”
“I want the bathroom to have a Mediterranean vibe. A new sink is a must. The cabinet under the sink is fine, but it needs to be painted, and I’d like for there to be more storage.” She adjusted the lopsided bun on top of her head, and the dark waves of hair tumbled to one side. “I want the fixtures to be wrought iron to match the kitchen, but let’s add a wide mirror. Maybe with some kind of mosaic along the edges. We can put in some shelves on the wall, but with scrollwork. Or lattice. And a claw-foot tub.”
Brock blinked, rolling over everything she’d just said. “Are we sure there’s room for both the tub and the shelves?”
Her wintry blue eyes slid to him and the corner of her mouth lifted. “You tell me.”
He winced and checked the numbers. Of course there was space. It was foolish of him to think she hadn’t done anycalculations of her own before joining him. “You’re really good at this, you know?”
Juliette shrugged, almost like she didn’t believe him. Or like she knew but didn’t care.
He pushed the issue a bit further. “Why did you stop focusing on interior design?”
This time she took a keen interest in her shiny black boots. “That’s a long story.”
“I’ve got nothing but time.” He jotted down a few more notes in his phone and nodded toward the front of the warehouse. “Once I place the order, we’ll be all done here. You want to grab a coffee?”
He could see the hesitation. The way her face instantly shuttered.
“Strictly professional,” he added quickly, and lifted both hands in the form of a truce. “As temporary work associates. Not friends.”
Her teeth snagged on her plump bottom lip, and he was instantly a liar because his cock twitched. She looked so pretty standing there, leggings hugging her every curve, debating whether or not to accept his offer. And all he could focus on was how well those glossy nude lips of hers would look wrapped around his dick.
Brock roughed a hand over his face and looked anywhere else but at her. Damn, working with Juliette was going to be harder than he thought. She was dealing with a breakup, life had dealt her a shitty hand, and he was over here sexualizing her. Hehadto stay focused and keep his mind out of the gutter. As long as he kept himself occupied with work and the beach house, he would be fine.
“Alright.” Juliette shrugged a little, and a spark of hope ignited inside of Brock’s chest. “I mean, I could always go for a latte.”
***
An hour later they were back in Mystic Cove, and Brock pulled into a parking spot where rows of shops with pastel storefronts lined Shoreline Drive.
Juliette leaned forward in her seat, peering up at the rustic wood sign beneath a striped awning. “Latte and Bean. Cute name. Is this place new?"
