“I’m fine,” I reply. “Just a couple of bruises is all. No big deal.”
His forehead pinches. “You should still take it easy for the rest of the evening. Now that I’m thinking about it, once I finish with the lights, I’d like to take another look at you. Just to make sure there isn’t any concerning swelling.”
“You really don’t have to stay,” I offer weakly. “I’ll be fine. Really.”
But deep down, I want him to.
Not because of the lights. But because of this odd littletugthat happens whenever I’m near him—a tug that I’ve tried to ignore for years while reminding myself of all the reasons I’m better off single.
Except now that he’s touched me, it’s a lot harder to ignore it.
Ronan’s gaze burns into mine. “I know I don’t have to, Angel.” Andoh, the timbre of his voice when he says my name wakes up parts of me that have been in hibernation for a very long time. “I want?—”
“The cookies!” Haley shouts as she flings open the front door. In one hand is a plate that has to have at least twenty cookies piled on it. “I brought all the kinds. So Ronan can try them all.”
I should be relieved by the interruption. I should take it as a sign that thinking about Ronan as anything other than a customer, as a friend of a friend, is a recipe for disappointment.
Should.
But does a little part of me wish for a little more time alone with Ronan?
Yes.
I shouldn’t. But I do.
CHAPTER 3
RONAN
A loudly clearedthroat drags my attention back to the meeting.
Guilt pokes at me as I look across the table at Enzo, who’s watching me with a bemused expression. “You with us?” he asks.
To his left, Knox snickers.
At the other end of the table, Gage unsuccessfully tries to hide a smile.
Seated closest to me, Alec jabs me with his elbow and teases, “Need some coffee? A nap?”
“What are you talking about?” I retort. “Of course I’m with you.” Elbowing Alec back, I add, “And Idon’tneed a nap.”
“No?” he asks. His lips twitch. “Are you sure?”
“Of course I’m sure. I’m wide awake.”
“You didn’t look it,” Knox says. “You looked like your brain was a million miles away.” He stares blankly into the distance for a second before chuckling. “That’s what you looked like.”
“Actually,” Gage interjects, “I think it was more like this.” His features go slack, like he’s imitating a zombie.
I snag a pen from the tray at the center of the table and whip it at him. As expected, Gage deftly bats it away. “My face did not look like that.”
“He’s right,” Enzo says. His amused expression shifts to a more serious one. “And it’s not nice to tease Ronan like that. Especially not in the middle of a team meeting.”
Alec shoots Enzo a surprised look. I’m surprised by Enzo’s defense, myself. We always call each other out on shit, whether it’s zoning out during a meeting or saying something stupid. It’s not meant to be mean. It’s just how we do things.
And really, Ishouldbe getting called out. This is my job, after all, and I should be paying attention to what Enzo is saying instead of letting my thoughts drift to things that have no place in a team meeting.
Like a certain blonde woman. And Christmas lights. And worrying that said woman will get it into her head to put up even more lights, safety be damned.
