No. No. Nope. Fuck no.
I’m cursing to myself inside my head as I attempt to keep my face neutral.
Well, wish one is a massive failure. Lexi’s in jeans, except they’re tight, which isn’t ideal. Wish two, a total miss too. She’s in a sweater, even a turtleneck, but unfortunately for my dick that suddenly twitched, it’s not a baggy shirt. Instead, it highlights her tits and taut body. I didn’t even predict her long dark blonde locks that frame her face. Confidence oozes all around her.
She is what I recall, yet with less makeup, which makes her hotter… and now she’s older, too.
Bad. This is bad.
She’s supposed to be that college kid that I remember when I was in the height of my career and way past the early-twenties stage. It seems that she’s turned into a woman that turns heads even when dressed perfectly respectably.
I swallow and throw on a polite smile. “Good to see you again.”
“Yeah, I guess it’s been a while. I ran into Stone in the lobby. It’s like déjà vu seeing everyone from the hockey world again.” She doesn’t even wait for me to invite her in. Lexi strides straight in with poise and heads to the chair in front of my desk to sit down.
Oh yeah, we’re supposed to have a meeting. Not me staring at her and studying the shade of gloss on her lips. Professional Holden. Yep, that’s who I am now.
“Figured it was safe to hire you without an interview since you’re not a stranger to most of us.” I attempt to lighten the mood, and it causes her to give me a grin, with her lips that look welcoming for my co?—
“I guess being the coach’s daughter has its advantages,” she replies, breaking my thought.
Sure, think that, sweetheart. Screw the team rule of not going near her for life. It can go out the window. I’m a grown man anyhow. Wait, why am I even thinking all this?
I can’t sit in front of her face to face, because her brown eyes seem as though they will turn me into the smug man I know I can be when I find prey. Standing, I walk to my window to divert my attention to other thoughts. “Everything good in your life?”
“Can’t complain. I’m sitting in front of you for a project that’s any designer’sfantasy.”
Her tone, I can’t pinpoint it, but it causes me to snap my sight to her and find that she has a smirk, which confirms to me that she might have grown into a little spitfire.
And her mind seems to be not as straightlaced as I hoped. That’s a relief, sort of. Looks like we might have a few shared interests.
Taking the high road, I keep my wry smile fixed. “And non-work life?”
She folds her hands on top of her thigh thrown over her opposite knee. “Different to last time you saw me. I’m no longer in a sorority, and I keep my weekends busy with sophisticated wine drinking and attempting to find the latest dinner hotspot.”
I lean against the window. “Except you’ve never been here with your boyfriend. I should be offended that the Dizzy Duck Inn didn’t make it to your hotspot list.”
Lexi’s head tips slightly to the side as she purses her lips. “It did. It was before you became owner. No boyfriend. I went with my father.” New fact on availability. Noted.
My jaw ticks as her eyes are somehow possessive and cause me to feel slightly uncomfortable. “Of course you did,” I mutter.
Her mouth gapes open, and she fakes shock. “Implying I’m a daddy’s girl? That’s not cool. Back when he was your coach, and even to this day, his team takes priority, and you know that.”
I take a few steps back to my desk and hover over it by placing my fingertips on the hard oak, which could potentially be as hard as my cock might be soon. “I’m happy you’re doing well.” I’m sincere about that.
This time it’s Lexi who stands and strolls over to the window to steal a look at the spring scenery outside. “How are you? Lori and Harry?”
I forgot that I brought them to a team holiday party when they were much younger. “Let’s see…” I pop my lips and debate the best answer. “Since I last saw you, that messy divorce was finalized from the ex-wife from hell who decided motherhood wasn’t for her, and my two great kids cause so much mischief that I’m beginning to wonder if I have Satan as an ancestor. But hey, gotta love them.”
My light tone causes her to laugh. “Sounds like you have your hands full and not the way you prefer.” Her smirk is sultry. I’ve been around enough women to know the differences of mouth positions.
And damn, she’s at it again.
Does my expression make it that obvious that she can read that she’s caught me off guard and isn’t what I expected? My head retreats back as my cheeks tighten and rise up. I don’t remember her having this sassy boldness, but it’s quite a positive attribute to have. “Something like that. But it seems like that might change soon.” That’s my subtle warning. This time it’s her face that has surprise or concern, I’m not sure which, but her brows rise. “With this project, of course.” Bullshit, but I do need to discuss the re-design.
She clears her throat and returns to the chair in front of me, and we sit down. Our eyes lock in this unusual meeting. I’m not sure what’s in the air that surrounds around us, but I’m doubting it’s professionalism.
The thing is, sometimes you have an instant click with someone. That’s how attraction works. Noticing someone across the bar isn’t a made-up lie. Being familiar with one another just adds that extra element. In a way, it’s added value to the flirting game. And I see no problem with flirting as long as the door to exploring that flirtation is deadbolted shut when it comes to my younger interior designer. I didn’t think of her this way before, but now she’s sauntered into my office as a woman grown and changed.
