His breath skimmed over her ear, causing loose tendrils from her ponytail to dance on her cheek. He was closer than she’d thought. Inches away, actually. Hadn’t he just been on the other side of the ottoman? She felt herself shift slightly toward him.
Hell, what was she doing? She set her mug and clipboard down, grabbed the tape measure and folded her arms tightly against her chest.
“That’s up to you.” She didn’t want to discuss the appropriateness of her naked form in his living room. “This is a nice location. It’ll work, but the wall could really use a couple of spotlights. Especially in the evening when there is no natural light. We could get an electrician in here and Martin could come back later to install the painting.”
He had a strange look on his face and shook his head.
“Suit yourself. Could you hold the end of this so I can get some measurements?”
His fingers grazed hers as he reached for the end of the tape and she pretended not to notice. Had he been someone else, the insubstantial contact never would have registered with her. Why did everything with him seem so magnetized? Larger than life? After jotting down the measurements, she took another sip of the mocha, trying to keep her hands from shaking as she felt the heat from his body right behind her.
“Where’s the other space?” she asked.
She turned and crystal blue eyes locked her in place. He ran a hungry gaze over her face, stopping at her mouth, which burned in response. He reached up and flicked a thumb over her lips, then put it to his mouth.
“Whipped cream.” His voice was husky.
Her heart stuttered and she could hardly breathe.
Remember, he’s just playing you.
She grabbed her things, stepped away from him and repeated her question. The corners of his mouth turned up slightly as if confirming her suspicions.
“This way.” He touched the back of her arm again, obviously not deterred by her reaction, and guided her down the hall. She was only vaguely aware of the colorful artwork on the walls and the humming of a washer and dryer behind one of the doors as her skin tingled from the contact.
At the end of the hallway stood a pair of ornately carved wood doors, grander than the others. He grasped both handles and swung them wide.
The room was completely dark. When he stepped forward and pressed a button on the wall, natural light flooded the room as flexible metal covers retracted from the windows.
Oh God. His bedroom. He wants the painting of me in here? Is this some kind of sick joke?
Her gaze rested on the unmade bed. Rather intimate to see his bare sheets still rumpled from the night. Had he gotten up, just in time for a shower, before she arrived? Were the sheets still warm? She shuffled the papers on the clipboard and fiddled with the tape measure.
With a flourish, Dom motioned her inside while he stayed at the door. He’s just a client, she repeated to herself as she brushed past, careful not to touch him. This was just a job.
The room was almost as big as the living area, with floor-to-ceiling windows on two of the walls. The glass met at the corner, no trim to spoil the view. With a motorized click, the metal blinds retracted into a narrow panel on both walls. She wasn’t aware of how she’d gotten over to the glass, but she was there now. From this vantage point facing northwest, she could see the mouth of the bay. A container ship was pulling into port. Was that Bainbridge Island up there?
To wake up to this every day. To open your eyes and see this.
She imagined sitting here with a cup of coffee in the morning. Or in the evening with a glass of wine. Is there a rooftop terrace to watch the sun as it sets behind the Olympics?
The air shifted behind her. She whirled around, the mocha sloshing in her cup. She’d almost forgotten why she was here.
Oh God, there he was, still barely clothed, still so damned hot and still with that smug smile that grated on her nerves.
But now they were in his bedroom.
Why couldn’t he just put on a shirt? Her fingers itched to splay over the defined muscles of his chest and she gripped her clipboard tighter. With his unshaven face, would his kisses sting her lips?
In the light she noticed the palest of shadows hovering under his half-hooded