“Hey, Patrick.Look at the time. I’m so sorry. By the sounds of it, you areobviously starving. I’ve kept you here far too long. You must havesomewhere better to be tonight?”
“No, it’sfine. I get caught up when I’m talking about a reno. It’s excitingwhen you can visualise the possibilities. You’re lucky. There’s ahuge block of land to work with, and you’ve a clear idea about yourvision of this place. It will be easier and quicker than most renosI’ve been involved with. Clear ideas mean quick decisions, andquick decisions mean we get the job finished on schedule. That’sassuming you intend to hire me to do the heavy work?”
“If your quote is reasonable, Patrick, I hope I can. You likemy ideas, and that gives me confidence I am on the right track. If you coulddraw up a more detailed floor plan when you bring your quote, wecan discuss what works, and what I can live without. Does thatsound reasonable?”
They walked towards thefront door, stopping in the foyer. Chloe held out her hand to saygoodbye. This time as their fingers touched, a slight jolt ofelectricity shot up his arm. The surprised look on her face toldhim she had felt it too.
“It’s thecheap carpet.” She grinned. “Static electricity.”
“Really? Ithought it was my electric personality.” He smiled, his glancealternating between her full lips and her eyes sparkling with fun.He continued to hold her warm slim hand in his large callousedone.
“You can letgo now.” She didn’t let go of his hand and he didn’t pullaway.
The air buzzed withsexual tension. Neither moved a muscle. All it would take would beone step forward, from either of them, and then there would be noturning back.
He consideredthis as he held her hand in his, as he took in her slightly partedlips. This is a client you idiot, what areyou thinking? The tip of her wet tongueswept across her bottom lip, moistening it, and his gut clenched inresponse. Oh, you’re gone,buddy.Just one step towards her, just one step betweenme and heaven in those lips. Would shetaste sweet? Would she step back or would she allow him a kiss andthen, what then? He could imagine himself falling into that kiss,being swept away by sensations. His stomach muscles tightened evenmore and intense heat surged through him heading south.
At that precise momenthis phone rang, vibrating in his breast pocket, breaking thespell.
CHAPTERFIVE
As Patrickdrove off, Chloe closed the front door with trembling hands, turnedand leant back against the solid wood for support. Closing her eyesshe sighed, reliving the last few minutes in his presence. Sheloved the twinkle of mischief in his eyes as he held her hand.Butterflies ran riot in her stomach as she recalled the span of hismuscular shoulders straining against the flimsy fabric of hisT-shirt, and his lopsided grin as he teased her. When the phonerang, ending the moment, her heart had skipped a beat.Just her luck! When sheopened her eyes, she noticed Truffle on the bottom of the stairs,head cocked to one side, a silent witness to the scene.
“Oh my God,Truffle. Did you see that? Could you feel the electricity in theair? That guy has animal magnetism in spades. It oozes out of hispores. There was something going on there, for sure! I nearly madea complete idiot of myself and begged him to stay for dinner. Notthat I have any dinner to cook, but we could’ve ordered takeaway.”She hugged herself, imagining his arms around her. “I really wantedhim to kiss me. Damn it. He would’ve kissed me, I’m sure, if thatphone hadn’t rung when it did. Have I scared him off by being allbusiness? Or maybe I was too pushy? What do you think, Truffle? No,don’t look at me like that … I know I’m babbling.”
She starteddown the hall in the direction of the kitchen, and stoppeddead. But is this what I want?To fall into the arms of some gorgeous-lookingyoung guy with a good body? No scratch that. A great body. Those muscles wererippling, his biceps were bulging, not to mention that cute littlebutt that was begging to be grabbed … Oh … calm down, Chloe, youfool. Just breathe, that’s it, just breathe. Listen to yourself!Maybe I just need to get laid. That’s all. It’s just hormones.Pheromones, that’s it. You fancy him. I’m not falling for a “hunk”in tight jeans and a tool belt … OMG … I bet he does have a toolbelt … ha-ha-ha. You idiot, you got yourself goingagain!
She marched off in searchof a large glass of sauvignon blanc to cool down her overheatedlibido. Truffle scurried down the hall, prancing ahead of her, onlyhalting when he arrived at his food bowl in the corner of thekitchen. “Yes, I know, it’s dinnertime for you too. I am toofrazzled to cook. Maybe I’ll keep you company, and we can both havesardines for dinner. What do you say?”
Patrick drove to Todd’sapartment cursing his luck. Frustrated, and with murder uppermoston his mind, he stepped hard on the accelerator and flew throughthe amber traffic light.
”Of all the times to get a bloody call fromTodd.” My God she’s gorgeous. Iwonder what would have happened if that phone hadn’t rung? Wouldshe have let me kiss her? Nah. She wouldn’t be interested. Todd’smore her type. “What could be so bloodyimportant it couldn’t wait until tomorrow?” Angry and impatient, heslapped the flat of his hand on the horn as a red Porsche movingswiftly through the traffic tried to cut him off.
He rounded the corner andpulling the car to a halt, noticed his brother. Todd leantnonchalantly against the door of his car, which was parked adjacentto his apartment building.
“Jump in,we’re late,” Todd snapped. He slid behind the wheel. In hisperipheral vision, he caught a glimpse of Patrick folding his longbody into the passenger’s seat, and securing the seat belt. Heturned away, peering out the window, scanning the
