“But it’s still a business thing. I get it.” As he spoke, he hit print on the most recent paperwork he’d presented her and pulled the pages off the printer on the credenza behind him. “Here.”
He slid it across the desk to her, and her eyes skimmed over the line before she fished a pen with a unicorn topper out of her purse and signed her name. “Your turn.”
She’d signed in bright pink ink, which made him smile as he reached for his own blue ballpoint. “Unicorn writing utensils. Stain sticks. What else you got in there?”
She primly clutched the red leather bag to her chest. “Wouldn’t you like to know.” She hopped up and grabbed her coat. “I’ll leave you to it. Thanks again.”
She turned to leave, but some instinct propelled him up and around his desk. He caught her by a belt loop as she headed for the door.
“Wait just a second.”
She turned in surprise, her mouth forming a little pinkO.
“Let me walk you out.”
He held out his hand palm up, and she stared at it but didn’t make a move to place her hand in his.
“We should be touchy in public. Unless I disgust you that much?” He kept his tone light, but a small part of him wondered what caused her hesitation.
Thankfully, she wasted no time smacking her palm against his and lacing their fingers together.
“Disgust? Hardly.” She tossed her hair. “I just find exceptionally handsome men a little intimidating. I’ll get over it.”
She met his eyes as if daring him to challenge her, and after a long moment, he drawled, “Well, well.Exceptionallyhandsome, am I?”
Her fierce expression dissolved into an eye roll. “You’re so irritating.”
She tugged on his arm to get him to move toward the exit, but he planted his feet and squeezed her hand. “Give me a second. It’s not every day I get called handsomeandirritating. Would you say I’mexceptionallyirritating?”
“Right now, yes,” she grumbled.
“Excellent.” He nudged her toward the door. “Let’s go,babe.”
“Irritating!”
“Irritatingly handsome,” he batted back. A glow bloomed deep in his chest at the revelation that she found him handsome.Exceptionallyhandsome. And she hadn’t even watched him swing a hammer yet.
Hand in hand, they left his office and headed down the hall to the open room that served as a lobby and display area for their selection of drawer pulls and tile and granite samples. Loud chatter drifted from the spacious work area in the back, and he paused at the opportunity to execute Stage One of his reputation rehabilitation plan.
“Are you okay talking to some of the guys?” He squeezed her hand, letting her know the true meaning of his question:Are you okay starting our charade right now?
“Sure.” She batted her lashes up at him. “Anything for you,sugar lump.”
He groaned. “That one’s terrible.” But they’d entered the lion’s den, where half a dozen of the nosiest guys on the Murdoch payroll were eyeballing the two of them. “Guys, this is Thea Blackwell. Thea, this is a pack of reprobates who hopefully know enough to behave themselves in front of my lady.”
His unsubtle hint didn’t work in the least, and the guys all broke into whistles and catcalls. “Oooh, your lady!” one hooted while another coughed out something that sounded like “ball and chain.”
“Hi, everybody.” Thea gave a sunny smile and did a little bounce and wave before elbowing him in the side. “Geez, if this is the company you were keeping before, no wonder you came knocking on my door, Adonis.”
The laughs around the room were even louder this time, along with a chorus of “Adonis!” Aiden closed his eyes as the knowledge that this was the only name he’d be called at work for the rest of his life seeped into his bones. But when he opened them again, Thea’s flushed face and delighted grin took away the sting of that new nickname. She looked so proud to have won the approval of a room full of rowdy guys that he wasn’t even mad. Instead, he lifted their linked hands and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. Her flush deepened as their eyes caught and held.
“Get a room!”
Of course fucking Ben Mendez was the guy who’d take it a step too far. Thea blinked and broke their stare with a short, embarrassed laugh, and Aiden let their hands drop. “Actually, you guys are supposed to bebuildinga room, aren’t you? Schedule says you’ve got three days left.”
“Three days for what?” Thea asked, eyes bright as she took in the partially assembled kitchen island in the middle of the open space.
“Our display for the Beaucoeur Home Expo,” he said. “We’re building a whole kitchen at our booth to showcase some of the newest products we’re using these days.”
