When they asked for that.
And I knew I could easily slip into that role, right now, with Ashley Player. If that’s what he was asking for. I could be the compassionate listener, offer sympathy and support and advice or whatever else my client asked of me.
It would definitely provide an excuse to get more personally involved, while still treading the line of professionalism…
But I stuffed that urge down. Because it would bewrong.
And an incredibly slippery slope… to other things.
Somewhere in the back of my mind, the Cardinal Rule of Sisterhood flitted by.
Thou. Shalt. Not.
“I think two would fit very nicely in the space,” I said.
“Two it is, then.”
“Great.”
I reminded myself that I was here to redecorate his apartment for him. I was here to snag him as a client.
That was all.
Thanks to the whole drunken mess with him and my sister at a ski resort… that was all it could ever be. Professionalism aside, I wasn’t going to touch a guy Daniella had touched first.
Even if she told me it was okay.
Because, unfortunately, I just wasn’t sure if I’d ever believe her.
Ever since Jackson… the Cardinal Rule was sacrosanct. It had to be.
And I wouldn’t be the one to break it.
I glanced up, and Ashley hit me with his blue eyes again. “You have great taste,” he said.
“Thank you.”
His gaze dropped to my mouth. “I probably need someone like you in my life.”
I wish.
I looked away and my knees kind of quivered as I tucked the tablet into my purse.
I did wish.
I wished he’d hire me. I’d love to have a rock star client. Would really make things interesting after the last several divorcees I’d redecorated for.
That part had nothing to do with my attraction to him.
Right?
It didn’t matter that Ashley Player had a gorgeous, lickable body and the most beautiful eyes I’d ever seen on a man and a pierced tongue I wanted to feel all over me, naked. I needed him as a client far more than I needed him as a lover.
There were justso many reasonsnot to reach over and touch his strong forearm right now.
At least, that’s what I kept telling myself as he walked me to the door.
“I’ve left the paint samples in the kitchen for you,” I told him. “They’re all labeled for the various rooms. You can just take a look through when you have time, see if any of them grab you.”
