Not perfect. The scars on his body and the bump in the middle of his nose from the time he took a fastball to the face in game three of the state playoffs kept him from being perfect. But his imperfections made him evenmoreattractive.
“Any good therapist would probably tell you that, like everyone, I have a host of issues I need to work through.” She hoped he could see her teasing smile in the half-light. “But I can assure you, that’s not one of them. I like my life too much to want to see it end. Plus, I have to stick around long enough to watch Candy fight the battle with aging. If I know my sister, she’s going to go to war with it armed with the same determination she takes to the end-of-season sales at Saks.”
He chuckled. “I think she’s already been involved in a skirmish or two. I noticed her forehead didn’t move when I ran into her in that steakhouse a few months ago.”
Hannah widened her eyes. “Good god, no. Her forehead hasn’t moved since she married Jared and could afford Botox.”
He rubbed a thumb over the little lines onherforehead that’d formed after years of frowning at a computer screen. “That’s too bad. Expressions give a person their character.”
“I agree.” She traced the laugh lines that crinkled the corners of his impossibly blue eyes. “But also, I think it’s easier to age gracefully when you were never perfect to begin with.”
His eyebrows pinched. “Who told you you’re not perfect?”
“Please.” She rolled her eyes. “I grew up with Candice Blue as a sister.”
“Candy has always been…beautiful,” he admitted slowly and she hated the little jab of jealousy that poked at her heart. “But her beauty is spotless and—” He winced. “I hate to say it,boring.You stop seeing it after a while. But you?” He cocked his head and let his gaze roam over her features. “You have a face that—”
“Has eyes that are too big and a mouth that is too small and a forehead that is too wide,” she finished for him. Being the younger—andlesser—Blue sister meant she’d gotten really good at reciting her flaws.
“No.” He shook his head, causing a dark lock to curl over his forehead, Super Man-style. “I was gonna say you have the kind of face a person could look at every day and every day still find something new to admire. Yours is the kind of beauty that’ll change with time but will never fade. And I’m happy to hear you like your life,” he finished with a soft smile that showed the barest hint of his straight, white teeth. “The world is a better place with you in it.”
His words warmed her as much as his big body. But since she was terrible at receiving compliments—Cesar accused her of being allergic to them—she fell back on sarcasm.
“Are you feeling okay?” She hoped he couldn’t hear how husky her voice was as she pressed the back of her hand to his forehead—and sneakily transferred the Jolly Rancher she’d taken from the bag under his vanity into the front pocket of his jeans. She felt just as thrilled and giddy as she’d been when she’d done the same thing at thirteen. “You’re beingniceto me.”
He frowned. “I’malwaysnice to you.”
“Admit it. When you’re around me, you scowl. And growl.”
“I do not.”
When his frown deepened and his words came out all growly, she bit the inside of her cheek.
“Fine.” He tossed one hand in the air. “Maybe I do, but it’s only ’cause you seem hell bent on finding trouble. And I can’t help feeling it’s my duty to at leasttryto steer you clear of it.”
“Are we back to talking about Fisher?” She grimaced.
“If that bastard breaks your heart, I promise I’ll fucking nail gun his. Which is going to make working together afterward real awkward.”
“Good thing I have zero interest in him then.”
The line between his eyebrows deepened. “But you said—”
“Iknowwhat I said,” she cut him off and shoved out of his arms. “But that was just to piss you off.”
He stood to his full height, his eyes cutting through the low light like two blue lasers. “Why would you wanna go and piss me off? Isavedyour ass tonight and nearly got frostbite for the effort.”
All the pique drained out of her, making her shoulders droop. The thought of having dragged him and his coworkers into her mess, the thought of having draggedCesarinto it as well, had the lump solidifying in her throat once again.
“You’re right. I shouldn’t be antagonizing you. But sometimes you make me want to throttleyou.”
His chin jerked back. “I’ve done nothing—”
“And that’s the problem.” She pointed at his nose. “You’ve done nothing to change the way you see me. You’ve done nothing to change the way you treat me. I’m a perpetual thirteen-year-old girl to you, and it drives me insane because…” She swallowed and shook her head, unable to go on.
When he crossed his arms, his biceps bulged against the fabric of his sleeves. “Because what? You may as well finish your thought.”
There was something in his voice. Something that made her stomach flip. Glancing at him sharply, she was frustrated when his expression remained unreadable.
