Chapter 15

FIFTEEN

Thursday rolled around and I couldn't find my lucky heels.

Gizmo crawled into the closet after me, sniffing at the other dozen pairs of summer shoes neatly lined up. "Where the hell are my navy heels?"

Gizmo patted my arm with his paw.

I huffed out a laugh and gave him a long stroke before pushing him away so I could look into the back. "Aha!" I knew I'd kicked them in here. Though when it came to me and heels and Nolan Devereaux, I was definitely in the red.

But I needed all the help I could get for this presentation.

I'd gone over the initial sketches with the girls. Shelby had been the most receptive to my plans, but TJ had been reticent to jump in until she got a better look at the work site.

I didn't blame her. It was an old house, and the intricacies of a Victorian were a damn lot of work. I'd sacrificed a week of sleep to get these drawings together. And it had definitely kept my mind off my current huge problem.

Okay, the second problem.

I wasn't allowing myself to think about a naked Nolan today.

Gizmo was my top problem.

He sat to the left of me, his tail twitching as he spotted one of his toys under the shoe rack.

I snagged it and tossed it over my shoulder. He darted after it, tumbling bonelessly as only a cat could. He was ridiculous and just the bit of laughter I needed.

I reached blindly into the stack of sweatshirts I'd tucked back there and found the other heel sticking out from between my Boston University and Syracuse University hoodies. I crawled back out and came face to face with Gizmo. "Don't judge me."

He just licked his paw to start washing his face.

I set my shoes by the door with my messenger bag with my iPad and the drawings I'd printed out before I rushed back to my bedroom in my bra and panties. It was the only way to keep the cat fur off me without needing to attack myself with a sticky roller eight times before I was out the door.

I made a pit stop in the bathroom to finish my makeup and take the fat curlers out of my hair. What we did to make ourselves look like we had effortless curls and a "makeup free" look. Today was going to be another scorcher, which meant I needed a secondary blast of deodorant, just in case.

Gizmo kept following me from room to room. I hurried into my bedroom and closed the door. He let out a yowl and pawed at the molding. "I know, buddy, but this is the only space without a faucet at the moment. I can't trust you."

I pulled on a sleeveless wrap dress in olive green. Then I added a few gold accents of jewelry at my ears and neck and I was ready to go.

Gizmo sashayed back and forth in front of my door.

"I won't be gone that long."

He narrowed his green eyes at me.

I picked him up and set him on my bed, then I shook out a few treats before I darted to the door. I closed it to a pathetic yowl. Yep, he wasn't a happy camper. I only had two more days to figure out what to do with him.

My heart broke as his pathetic meows followed me down the hall.

One problem at a time.

I stepped into my shoes and grabbed my bag before slipping out into the hall. I had two hours before Nolan was supposed to arrive at the design studio. Enough time for me to set everything up and knock his damn socks off.

I hustled down the hall to the parking garage attached to the back of our building. There was no way I'd be able to walk to work today. The oppressive heat was like a blanket in the dark parking structure, so I couldn't imagine how bad it was outside.

The Honey Pot was doing a brisk business, but Dre, the owner, already had my order ready. Yay for past Dahlia planning ahead. With coffee and honey hot cross buns in tow, I was back on the road in less than ten minutes. Designing Women was only a few miles away, but it was on one of the busier streets in Kensington Square.

The parking gods weren't as kind there. The usual pedestrian traffic was definitely halved with the soaring heatwave. I could feel my curls drooping by the minute. At least Taylor Swift was a decent soundtrack as I hunted for a free space.

Finally, a Mini Cooper pulled out and I bolted for their spot.

"Great," I muttered.

Parallel parking was still not my forte. Especially in such a small spot.

"You got this." Maybe if I said some positive things out loud, I could cram my stupid car in the space.

I ignored the horns blaring from behind me as I had to make another try at it. I blew out a breath and gripped the wheel. "You can do this. Ignore the assholes."

Suddenly, a bang on the top of my car made me jump.

A very familiar torso filled my window.

What the hell was he doing here so early? I had another ninety minutes to set up, dammit.

"Roll down the window, Hellcat."

"You're too early," I said through the window.

"Get out of the car. You're embarrassing yourself." He looked over his shoulder and shot a middle finger at the guy who had been honking at me.

"I'm fine. I don't need your help."

"Obviously, you do."

I slapped my steering wheel with the heel of my palm. "Move or I'll run over your stupid foot."

He bent down to look into my window. "Try it."

I growled and put my car in park and flung open the door. I took some satisfaction at watching him jump back.

He grabbed the door and crowded into me. "Keeping that name alive, man. Now move."

"Why do you always have to growl at me?"

"Because you make me nuts." He glanced down at the deep vee of my dress and his jaw did that tic thingy. "Get on the sidewalk, for God's sake."

"Fine." I skirted the back of my car and hopped up onto the sidewalk out of the way.

I could hear him swearing as he folded his big body into my Honda Civic. I crossed my arms over my chest as he smoothly backed in and parallel parked perfectly on the first shot.

"You suck!" I shouted as he opened the door.

His eyebrow arched above his sunglasses. Unfortunately, that was a very true statement in a different context. He opened the back door and grabbed my bag as well the handled paper bag from The Honey Pot. "Is this it?"

"I've got it." I rushed back around the car.

"Just go."

I huffed and marched across the street. "Thank you," I muttered over my shoulder.

"What was that? Couldn't hear you."

I stepped up on the sidewalk and twirled around, the wraparound dress showing a hell of a lot of my leg. His eyes were hidden behind dark lenses, but I could feel them on me. "Thank you, all right?"

"Welcome." He passed me and held open the building door. "After you."

I seethed my way past him. "Again, why are you here so early? I'm not set up yet."

"I was already in town for another meeting that went quicker than I thought."

I paused and turned back to him again. "What kind of meeting?"

"None of your business."

I stepped into his space. "Was it another design studio?"

"Maybe."

I sucked in a breath. Why that felt akin to betrayal, I didn't want to examine too closely. Especially since he'd been inside me just a few days ago. Not that it had anything to do with my talent. Well, my talents in design.

Dear God, brain. Shut UP.

"That's fine. Good, even. You'll see how amazing my designs are." I took the handled bag from him and crossed to the conference table. "Have a seat. Have a hot cross bun and some coffee."

"Stop giving me orders, woman."

The bag crinkled under my fingers. "Fine. I'll have a damn hot cross bun and the biggest coffee I can handle." I skirted the table and pulled my mug out of the cabinet, then I selected a plain white one for that beastly man. I set both on the table before pulling out the box o'Joe. "Creamer? Or you probably take it black, like your soul?"

He sat in one of the conference chairs and crossed his ankle over his knee. He still wore his sunglasses, which matched the whole black ensemble he had going on today.

Not that he looked like a wilted flower like I did, damn him. Nope, he was as cool as a cucumber with his black dress shirt cuffed past his forearm. Why was that so hot?

Focus, Dahlia.

My hormones needed to settle, that was all. I was a goddamn professional.

Of course, I was going to still be a little crazy. Going from zero to half a dozen orgasms was groundbreaking. I was only human. As he'd said that he wasn't a slave to his cock, I wasn't a slave to my...still recovering vagina. Okay, ew . I wasn't even going to think that again.

Even if it was the truth.

The man had legit fucked me blind and then he'd walked away like it didn't matter at all. Telling me we weren't doing that again.

"Hellcat, you're going to overflow that bowl."

"Fuck." I stopped pouring. "It's a mug, thank you."

"You say so."

I filled his mug and set it in front of him, then I set the fresh box of pastries in front of him with the little white plates Dre had provided. "I'll just be a few minutes to set up my board. Shelby and TJ will be here soon. If you want to discuss the outside of your house as well, Avery will be on tap."

"Is it the same information from...the other day?"

The evening where you rocked my world six ways to Sunday?

"I've tightened it up with my design program and a few more ideas I came up with to coordinate with your preliminary sketch."

"I hardly gave you any details in that sketch."

"No, but I think I have a good idea of a starting point for us."

"If I give you the job."

My molars connected so hard I swore my jaw was going to unhinge. "If we take you on as a client."

He lifted his mug and said nothing.

Back to that, were we?

Wonderful.

Fantastic.

I took my healthy mug of coffee to the fridge and added my Snickers creamer before taking a huge sip.

Please, coffee, help me get through this day without maiming that man.

"Hellcat?"

My fingers curled tighter around the handle of my extra-large mug. "Yes?"

He held up my bag. "Missing something?"

I set my mug down and crossed to him, reaching for it. "Thank you."

He held it away from me. "Dahlia, about the other day."

"We aren't discussing the other day." I snatched my bag out of his hands.

The door opened and TJ sailed through with a smile. "What happened the other day?" TJ asked as she halted beside me.

"Nothing happened."

TJ pulled off her sunglasses and put them on top of her head. "I call shenanigans."

"Nolan Devereaux, meet TJ Parks. If you're smart enough to hire us, she'll be your carpenter."

TJ's eyebrows shot up. She glanced from me to Nolan and then back again. "Hmm." She held her hand out to Nolan. "I've been out to the Barrows house a few times. I'm excited to get a look at her bones."

Nolan shook her hand, releasing it quickly. "I've had a few specialists out to make sure she's sound. She needs a lot of work, but thankfully, there isn't much real structural damage."

"We'll be sure to double check that with our own people."

Nolan nodded curtly. "If I hire you."

TJ's lips quirked. "This should be fun." She slapped my arm. "I'll just go clean up. Are we moving up the meeting? If so, that would work for me. The Jefferson job needs some additional permits, so I have to go fight with the town hall in Crescent Cove."

My perfect proposal was going down in flames. "Sure. Just give me a few minutes to set up. Why don't you text Shelby and see if she can come in sooner?"

"On it." She glanced at Nolan. "Prepare to get your Timbs blown off, Mr. Devereaux. No one puts on a better entrance package than our Dahlia."

Nolan uncrossed his legs, his boot thumping to the floor. "I guess we'll see about that."

TJ's lips twitched, but I was pretty sure she barely resisted the urge to bust out in one of her wide grins. "This is gonna be good."

I took another big gulp of my coffee and hustled over to one of the moveable wall panels I'd cleared off the day before. Normally, I'd take meticulous care with each pin and my laser leveler to make sure everything was perfect.

But my extra hour was now in ashes.

A drop of sweat slithered between my shoulder blades as the sun poured in our huge bay window. It was perfect to show off my drawings and the photos I'd taken to create the before and after imaginings.

I could already see the awnings in their restored order. The turrets that were near crumbling would be refined and re-mortared. The gables and arches would be corrected with the stone mason—hopefully—based on Nolan's specifications.

I could already see the potential in my mind's eye.

It was going to take a lot of work, but it was going to be so worth it.

I paused while pinning up the new and improved balcony. I could feel him behind me. The scent of cinnamon and the familiar wall of heat made my skin tingle.

Thankful that I'd planned ahead, my traitorous nipples were hidden under my industrial strength bra. The padding didn't let me down, even if it felt as if my boobs were in a damn harness.

Why did he have to affect me so much?

It had just been sex. He actually made me insane more often than not. No amount of good sex was going to make up for his personality.

"Did you add on some height to that north turret?"

"Yes. The roofing needs repairs and I thought it would make a good office with a view of the lake." I pulled out the drawing that showed off the inside of the house. I'd made good use of the rounded room to make a media center or a work desk.

I wasn't exactly sure what he would be doing so I also pinned up the sitting room it could become instead. Floor to ceiling built-in bookcases took on the existing details on the inside of the house. Updating it and yet making it feel as if it had been there forever.

"No office. I like that second option."

I shuffled the office option behind it. "Okay. I did some preliminary drawings on the kitchen, but that's not my forte. TJ will help me with that and you two can plan that for whatever you need. Do you cook?"

"I do."

"Good. Great." I moved to the side so his voice wasn't right behind me. I was trying to be strong, for heaven's sake. And he was the one who'd said he wanted us to be only professional. "If you'd have a seat, I'm almost done."

"I'm good."

I gritted my teeth and tacked up my paint samples as well as shingles for the roof. "Have you spoken to your friend about the stonework?"

"Not yet. He's in Aruba."

"Must be nice."

"He earned his trip. But he went off grid for two weeks. I'll check in with him when he comes back online."

"Off grid as in..."

"No phone. No electricity."

I turned to Nolan. I couldn't imagine not having my creature comforts, let alone no access to my iPad or phone. I'd die. "How?"

"For Archer, it's easy. He hates the phone more than I do. He much prefers working with his hands and the quiet."

"No wonder you're friends."

"Sometimes I don't mind noise."

Even with his eyes hidden behind the dark shades, I could still feel his gaze on me. "Could have fooled me." And I tried not to think about all the noises I'd made for him.

If I still didn't have an aftershock or three during the quietest parts of the night, I'd be embarrassed.

But that kind of connection was rare. Even if it was only one time.

I wouldn't be mad at it, even if the man made me want to slug him more than half the time.

"Shelby is on her way." TJ's voice broke the tension between us. "Oh, man. These drawings are amazing, Dahl. This house is truly special."

I cleared my throat. "I think so too." I glanced up at Nolan. "We're all excited to work on it. I hope you'll take us into consideration."

Nolan crossed his arms over his chest. "I appreciate the visuals of Miss McKenna, but the real question is time frame and numbers."

"Depends on how generous your budget is, Mr. Devereaux."

If he was going to use my last name, I could do the same to him. As if I didn't have carnal knowledge of his body. Well, sort of. He hadn't allowed me to see much of him. Or even touch any of him, to be truthful.

And I didn't need to go down that road again, dammit.

I was a professional and this house was important. Not my newly activated libido. She could go back on ice where she'd been for the last...well, I wasn't going to think about how long that had been.

I was already ramped up.

"We can give you some preliminary numbers, but we'll need to do that inspection to truly know where we're headed." TJ held her arm out. "Let's go back over to the conference table and we can show you our standard contract."

Nolan glanced at me, then he nodded. "Sounds good."

I grabbed my coffee and added ice cubes since it was already cold. I was already burning up, anyway, so I could use the cooldown time. TJ went over the initial details as I pretended I was working on my iPad—when, in fact, I was just coloring the same section of the stained glass I'd envisioned for the waterfront side of the house.

The side that faced the road and driveway would hold onto the stark Victorian Gothic tone.

I listened with half an ear as Nolan asked questions, but for the most part, he just let TJ run-through her spiel.

The bell over our door jangled lightly, pulling me out of my drawing.

Shelby came through with a tired smile. "So sorry I'm late. My stomach was a little off and I wanted to make sure I wasn't sick. Wouldn't want to get anyone infected with something." She held her hand over her middle.

I stood. "We can handle this if you're not feeling up to it. Do you want some coffee?"

Her skin actually paled to gray. "No, definitely not on the coffee. I'm pretty sure that's what started this. But thanks. Maybe I should just go into my office, in case it's something worse."

"Sure." I glanced at Nolan. "That all right with you?"

"I would imagine we'll be working together the most, Miss McKenna."

Again, with that full name. What the hell was going on there? Were we really going to go full-on strangers?

"I would be lead on the project. Shelby is heading a large project, but she'd be my second."

Shelby smiled at Nolan. "I'd shake your hand, but...well, let's just stay on the safe side." Suddenly, she went from gray to downright pale as she darted to the back of the studio where our bathroom was.

TJ popped up, pressing her lips together with worry.

"I'll go check on her."

TJ's face smoothed in relief. She didn't do well with stomach issues. Sympathy spewer, as she called it.

"Go on, Hellcat. We'll be fine."

TJ's attention swung to Nolan then to me. I gave her a don't you start look then headed to the bathrooms to check on Shelby.

"Okay, Mr. Devereaux, what kind of down payment were you looking for to retain our services?"

"Nolan is fine," he murmured as I closed the door.

Sure, it was fine for TJ to call him Nolan now. What the hell?

But right then, I couldn't think about Nolan and our weird dynamic. I knocked lightly on the stall door. "Shel?"

"Oh, God. I'm not sure there's anything left in my body to expel."

I winced. "Oh, honey. Want me to get you a water? Call Dex?"

"No!" She groaned. "Don't call Dex. He'll just hover and worry, and then I'll end up with my butt in a chair at the clinic."

"Do you need to go to the clinic?"

"No. It's just a stomach bug," she said weakly. She flushed and opened the door. "Could you go get my travel case? I have my toothbrush in there."

"Sure."

Shelby leaned over the sink and turned on the taps to rinse her mouth.

I paused at the door. "Not to be indelicate, but..."Shelby met my gaze in the mirror. "Might you need to go to the drugstore?"

She frowned. "For what? Tums? I think I have some Pepto. I picked some up yesterday."

I gave her a long stare. I wasn't sure she and Dex were doing the kid thing so quickly. Our business was ramping up these days, but sometimes things happened off-schedule. Even for the very organized Shelby Wilde.

Her eyes widened. "Oh, God."

"Yeah. Could that be a reason?"

She bowed her head over the sink. "Oh, God. I don't know. I need to look at my calendar. Oh, God."

"Is that a good, oh, God?"

She looked up, her eyes sparkling. "It's not like I haven't been pregnant before. I should know the signs. How dumb am I?" She straightened and pulled a few towels out of the dispenser. "It feels like a million years ago since I was pregnant with Berry."

"Well, it kinda is. She's what? Eleven?"

"She'll be eleven next month. I don't even know how." She blotted her face with the damp towel. "But I didn't really have morning sickness with Berry. Figures with Dex's baby, I'd have all the inconveniences." She laughed, but it quickly dissolved into tears.

"Oh, honey." I rushed over to her and gathered her close. "Are these bad tears?"

Shelby gripped my arms. "No, just overwhelmed ones. I never really thought I'd want another baby after all the drama with David."

I swayed with her side to side a little. "But it's not David this time. It's Dex, who loves you so much."

"I know, but we didn't even get through the wedding part. I'm supposed to go for my last fitting on the dress!" She eased back. "God, will I even fit in the dress?"

"Okay, you don't even know if you're pregnant yet."

She just stared at me.

"I mean, the chances are pretty high. You guys are at each other like bunnies whenever you get the chance."

Finally, a little color came back to Shelby's face. "We've both been so busy with the wedding, it hasn't been that much."

I just arched a brow at her.

"Okay, so it's still a few times a week minimum."

"Don't brag, girl."

Shelby laughed. "Only you could make me laugh five minutes after I threw up."

"Look, we have things handled here. Why don't you go pick up a test or five—because you know Dex is going to make you take all of the different kinds to be sure—and go find that hunky lawyer of yours?"

She sniffled. "But this is a big client."

"I got you. We got you. We always do."A little sob bubbled up as Shelby threw herself at me again and my eyes went damp with empathy. "Now don't get me going." I patted her back.

"I don't know what I did to deserve you guys." She stepped back and dashed away the tears. "Okay, I'm going to go see Dex. I'm definitely getting the tests first, though. He's going to be a maniac."

I laughed and dabbed at my eyes too. "You are in for it."

Shelby groaned. "I really am." She gripped my hand. "I'll text you when I know something. Can you make sure everyone's here tomorrow for our Friday meeting? I'll tell everyone then."

"You got it."

Shelby went back to the mirror and thumbed away the mascara that had smudged. I went over to the do the same. I had to make sure my war makeup was good to go for Nolan.

Potentially, my job had just gotten a little harder without Shelby in the mix.