Chapter Ten
Dominick
I was deep into answering a string of emails at my office when Patricia tapped on my glass wall, pulling me away from the screen. She raised a sharply plucked eyebrow and pursed her lips my way until I made the gesture to come in.
“No one working a desk for you?” she asked. “I would have thought you’d be impossible to catch alone.”
“Normally,” I answered, standing slightly and gesturing for her to take a seat at the black leather couch across from me, then dropping back down into my chair. “You caught me at a vulnerable moment. What can I do for you?”
“Just thought I’d stop in and say hello,” she said, taking the seat. “My communications firm had another meeting in your building this afternoon.” She crossed her leg, then kicked her heel in the air a little. “Although I suppose you knew that.”
I smiled, crossing my arms over my chest. “How do you mean?”
She smoothed down the front of her blouse, gliding her hands across the fabric slowly. “With your reputation, I was expecting someone much more ruthless. But you just seem…” She waved her hand in the air, looking for the word. “You just seem good, I suppose. The woman who held your job before was incompetent. I’m sure you’ve heard.”
I chuckled, struck by how straightforward she was. “I hadn’t heard anyone put it that succinctly, but I got the impression. For what I’ve been able to get the city to tell me, she bumbled the budget and then seemed to just stop doing her job altogether.”
Patricia gestured to the bottle of bourbon near the window. I didn’t really drink at work, but I stood and grabbed a glass for her anyway. “You want ice?”
“Just a splash is fine,” she answered. “And yes, that’s the long and short of the story, although I’m sure there’s a much more salacious version around here, too.”
“I’m sure,” I agreed, handing the glass to her. “And thank you for the compliment. I’m glad to have earned your confidence in the project.”
Patricia smiled. “You have,” she agreed. “And it seems your moment in the gala spotlight made quite the impression, too.” She winked. “There’s more than one person around here talking about how handsome you are.”
I chuckled and redirected the subject, knowing better than to go down that road. “That’s kind,” I said. “And how was your meeting? Is the new communications initiative going well?”
“Everything on track,” she said, taking a sip from the bourbon and then setting the glass on my desk with a clink.
“Great,” I replied, noticing another email come through on my screen. “I’ll have my people reach out to that community group I mentioned to you soon. I’m sure they’ll be glad there’s been some movement.” I resisted being rude and turning back to my computer, but my mind kept racing over my to-do list.
Patricia stood up, her mouth turning in a tight smile. I tried to read the look in her eyes, but her face quickly shifted, and she shot me a surprisingly seductive glance instead. “You are all business,” she said. “But I guess I can’t blame you. I saw that pretty piece of arm candy you brought to the gala.”
I chuckled at her inadvertent joke.Arm candy.“Is that right?”
She shrugged, then lifted the glass, finishing off her drink. “I’m just saying, you’ve got a lot of months left in your stay. If you decide to lighten up and have a little fun while you’re in town, give me a call.” She returned the glass to my desk and let her fingers linger on its rim, her manicure tapping the glass. “And I can keep a secret if you can,” she said and drew her tongue in a slow lick across her lips.
Patricia turned and left the office so quickly, I didn’t have a chance to say a word. I just let out a long puff of air, processed her scene, and then started laughing to myself.
Apparently, Denver wasn’t done surprising me yet.
* * *
It only took me a day to find an excuse to go to the candy store after that. Typically buried in work that week, I had barely texted with Xavier and only really reached out to solidify weekend dinner plans. But after Patricia came through my office, I had my assistant look into the communications with the neighborhood group and heard that there still hadn’t been a channel opened.
So I took it into my own hands. After a week that included a major delay in the solar grid and a headache from the transit department, I needed something to distract myself.
I needed a treat.
The little bell dinged above the door as I stepped into Sweet Sensations. Behind the counter, Xavier was handing off a bag of candy to a customer, an older lady with a big smile on her face. Xavier’s smile was just as warm in response. “Tell Jerry I said hello,” he said cheerfully. “And not to hog all the caramel ones.”
As the woman laughed and said goodbye, Xavier turned and caught my eye.
He had on a light, powder blue sweatshirt. It was like a thin velour, and somehow, his skin looked even softer next to it. His eyes went wide when he spotted me, and then his face relaxed into a pleasant, open smile.
“I hope you don’t mind me dropping by,” I said. “I thought maybe Georgia would be around, too. I heard that…” My words fell away as I noticed the large, metal contraption in the middle of the shop. Some shelves were crammed to the side to make room for it, and the different components stuck out in odd directions.
“New addition to the shop?” I asked.
