Chapter Eleven
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Natalie’s desk was filled with wallpaper samples. Too many. In fact, if she sat, she wouldn’t be able to see over the piles of wallpaper. This was not good.
“Digging the wallpaper, huh?”
She looked up and saw her boss, Delilah Lawrence, leaning against the open doorway.
“My client. Elizabeth Jones.”
“Oh. Now I understand. Sorry about that. I normally would handle Elizabeth, but I’m booked. She does have trouble deciding, doesn’t she?”
“That’s an understatement. First she wanted to paint the dining room, but then decided to wallpaper. Then it took a week to decide on the texture. Once we got through that, we started browsing samples. We’ve looked through all the books, but she can’t decide on stripes or flowers or the three types of birds that made her happy, so now she’s thrown all those out, and we’re starting over. Oh, and now she wants to add wallpaper to the entry.”
Delilah laughed. “I’m sorry. She’s a very difficult client, but I promise you that if you make her happy, she’ll give you a lot of business. Not only her, but her friends as well.”
“Good to know, because I’m drinking a lot of wine at night.”
“I know that feeling. Other than that, how’s your schedule looking?”
“Great. I picked up a new client on Monday who wants to redesign their living room and guest bath. She’s given me a very healthy budget.”
“Excellent. You’ve just jumped right in and made a name for yourself here, Natalie.”
Natalie looked up from her planner. “I have?”
“Yes. I’m impressed. I think you’re going to do great things.”
“Wow. Uh, thanks, Delilah.”
“Just the truth.”
“Hi. Sorry to interrupt.”
As if her shock over Delilah’s compliment wasn’t enough, seeing Eugene peek his head in her office nearly knocked her off her chair.
“Eugene.” She cleared her throat of the squeak that eked out. “What are you doing here? Uh, excuse me. I mean, how nice to see you.” She stood. “Delilah Lawrence, this is Eugene Kennedy, my, uh, client.”
Delilah raised a brow, clearly not buying the client part. “A client, huh? How nice to meet you, Eugene.”
Eugene shook her hand. “Thanks. Natalie is doing a great job with the design of my house. Though right now my brother is wrecking it and putting it back together, so it’ll be a bit before it’s an actual house. But Natalie has awesome ideas.”
“Indeed she does. I’ll leave you two to talk. Very nice meeting you, Eugene.”
“You, too, Delilah.”
After Delilah left, Natalie came over to him. “What are you doing here? We didn’t have a meeting scheduled.”
“I wanted to ask you out to dinner this weekend, if you’re free.”
“You have a phone, you know. You could have texted me.”
He picked up her hand. “But then I wouldn’t have been able to see you, and I wanted to see you.”
She looked out the window of her office to see Delilah pretending to concentrate on something in the center room while simultaneously sneaking glances at her and Eugene.
She jerked her hand away. “We can’t do—this—here.”
“Then let’s do—this—on our date.”
“Fine. I’ll let you know when I’m free. Now go away.”
“Sure.” He swept his hand alongside her neck, drew her face closer to his, and kissed her. This time, he actually kissed her, his lips moving over hers subtly, the kind of teasing kiss that made her reach for his arms, feeling the flex of his biceps under her hands.
He pulled back, his eyes dark with desire, while her heart violently pummeled her ribcage, making her short of breath. She slid her hands across his chest, wishing they were anywhere but here right now. She wanted more. A deeper, more passionate kiss, the kind with tongues and hands roaming and lots of moaning and groaning. But they were here and they couldn’t.
“You have to go,” she whispered.
“Yeah. I’ll see you soon.”
He walked out, waving to Delilah, who smiled and waved. As soon as the door closed behind him, Delilah hurried her way toward Natalie’s office. Natalie braced herself for the lecture about inappropriate behavior.
Instead, Delilah leaned against the doorway and fanned herself with the file folder in her hands.
“Natalie. Damn, girl.”
Natalie exhaled. “Yeah. He’s…something.”
“What he is is hot. And sexy. And apparently yours.”
“He’s not mine. Not exactly. He’s my sister’s boyfriend’s brother.”
Delilah shot her a look. “He kissed you, Natalie. He’s a lot more than your sister’s boyfriend’s brother. He’s your guy, and, may I say, congratulations.”
“I am not dating.”
“Who cares about dating? Strip him naked and have your way with him. Or vice versa. Enjoy the hell out of that man.”
She wanted to argue about the semantics of the whole thing, but why bother explaining what she and Eugene were to each other? Did it even matter?
It did not. She’d received enough encouragement to know that it was okay to have some sexual fun with Eugene. And after that kiss? She would not deny herself any longer.
She had a kid-free weekend, and she intended to spend it with him.