In fact, she caught him studying the drawings while pretending not to, the same way he'd done weeks ago, when she'd first spread her work across his pristine table.
"You can look at them properly, you know."
He jumped. "I wasn't?—"
"You were absolutely ogling my artistic process." She leaned over to nudge his shoulder. "It's okay. I'm flattered."
"I wasn't ogling." He set his phone down, dignity affronted. "I was... observing."
"Observing?"
"The composition. It's different from your original sketches." He pointed to a section she'd reworked earlier that day. "More dynamic. Like it's telling a story instead of just depicting one."
She stared at him.
"What?"
"You just gave me art criticism."
"I said one thing about composition?—"
"Thoughtful, perceptive art criticism." She grinned. "From the guy who thought murals were 'ridiculous decorations' two months ago."
His expression soured. "Sam told you about that."
"Sam tells me everything." She jumped off the counter and moved to stand behind him, wrapping her arms around his massive shoulders. "For the record, I think your 'observing' is adorable."
"I am not adorable. I'm the most feared enforcer in the league."
"The most feared enforcer in the league who secretly studies my sketches when he thinks I'm not watching."
He grumbled something unintelligible. She kissed the top of his head—or tried to, given the height difference even with him sitting—and moved back to the table.
"The mural's almost done," she said. "Just a few finishing touches left."
"I know." His voice was carefully neutral.
"You're worried about what happens after."
"I didn't say that."
"You didn't have to." She gathered a few of the sketches, organizing them without really seeing them. "I've been thinking about it too. What comes next."
"And?"
"And I called Sam today."
He went very still. "You called Sam."
"She mentioned something a few weeks ago about the league wanting to expand their community outreach program. More murals, other arenas, that kind of thing." She turned to face him. "She asked if I'd be interested in consulting. Helping design projects for other teams."
"Consulting."
"Based here. Out of Greenwood Hollow." She bit her lip. "I'd still travel sometimes, for installations and meetings. But this would be my... my home base."
The silence stretched for an endless moment. Then he was out of his chair and pulling her into a kiss that left no doubt about his feelings on the matter.
"Is that a yes?" she managed when they came up for air.
