She grabbed the broom and crept to the office door.
The creak of a floorboard sounded from the other room. They were close.
One deep breath—and she lifted the broom and stepped forward at the same time a man walked into the office.
She cried out and swung the broom. Strong fingers wrapped around the wood, but she didn’t stop there. She lifted a knee to nail the guy, but he was too fast, tilting his hips back and stilling her momentum with a palm on her thigh, long masculine fingers wrapping around her.
“Whoa, Sunshine, easy.”
Her gaze swung up to meet two perfect browny-green eyes. Yes, he had brown eyes with green specks.
“Joel? What in the ever-loving hell are you doing breaking into my café?”
“I mean, the door would need to be locked for me to break in. So technically, I justenteredthe café. Never thought I’d get a greeting like this though.” He grinned, that sexy dimple appearing before he tugged her thigh closer. “I kind of like it.”
Holy shit. Close. Too close.
Fragmentsof black danced in Polly’s brown eyes, making Joel’s lips twitch. Sure, she was angry, but she was cute when she wasangry. Her full lips turned into this pout, and her brows knit together like she wanted to hit him.
He glanced down at the yellow paint coating her thigh…and now his hand. “Did you take a bath in the paint, Sunshine?”
She followed his gaze, then pressed two palms to his chest to give him a big shove.
He released her, amusement dancing in his eyes.
“I may have fallen in some paint, which was entirely your fault,” she huffed.
“My fault?”
“Yes. I was reading your text when I slipped.” She grabbed a towel from the pile and started scrubbing at her backside.
His lips twitched at the yellow paint covering her. It ran over her entire back and both thighs. “So, you get so excited by the sight of my name on your screen that you can’t even remain on your feet.”
“If I fell from your text, I was obviously tripping over your ego.”
He threw his head back and laughed, and fuck, it felt good after a tense day at work.
“I don’t even know what you’re doing here,” she grumbled.
“I came to check on you.”
“I don’t need checking on. I’m fine.”
“You’ve got some paint—” He lifted his hand to wipe the smear off her cheek, but she swatted him away. “You’re very prickly tonight.”
She rolled her eyes. “It’s called ‘defensive.’ And it’s necessary around you.”
He took a step into the room, the small smile on his face slipping. “You shouldn’t be here after dark. And you shouldn’t be leaving the door unlocked.”
“I didn’t think anyone would break in.”
“No one needs to break in if you don’t lock the door.”
She sighed. “Well, as you can see, I’m okay. Thank you for coming in and forcing me to defend myself with a broom. You’ve done your civic duty. You can go.”
He scanned the paint on the floor. “Need help cleaning up?”
“No.” She wrinkled her nose. “No, thank you.”
