Desire by Design - By Paula Altenburg Page 0,14
guard. Someone must have told him.
“That’s not what this is about,” she said.
“I think it is.” His fingers ceased their tapping. “There was nothing wrong with your design, Eve. It was good. But the truth is, the client wants something different.” He blew out a sigh. “We both know that the one with the final say on the new design will be the architect. That happens to be me. So, why don’t you tell me what your real objection to working with me is?”
He paused a beat. Heat entered his unwavering gaze. He edged closer, filling the small space she’d created between them.
“Because I’m starting to think that it’s personal.”
Chapter Four
He had hoped to get a chance to apologize to her this evening for dismissing her design. Instead, he’d ended up pointing out, once again, how his professional designation trumped hers.
But he did think this was personal, and he couldn’t quite put his finger on why. Aside from that one little blunder, he’d been nothing but friendly. Maybe she was transferring her annoyance with his uncle—and yes, he knew Uncle Bob could be annoying—onto him.
Sounds from the gathering inside drifted around them in the moonlight as he waited for her reaction.
“I don’t even know you,” Eve said. “But I know your work. Even if the city does want to hire a professional, I think you have to agree that you’re the wrong one for this job.” She stood and smoothed silky fabric down over her slim hips. “Excuse me. I need another drink.”
“Not so fast.” Matt caught her hand before she could walk away. He, too, rose to his feet, then had to dip his head in order to see her face as she looked away. “This is a small project in an even smaller town. If it’s not personal, and we’re going to be working together for the next few months, then it might as well be on friendly terms. I still want to see your ideas.”
She eased her fingers from his grasp. “This might be a small project to you, but to me, it’s important. But don’t worry. You won’t need to do me any favors. I have my own reputation in this city. Small as it is.”
He had handled this badly. All her contradictions, and passion for her work, intrigued him. But he still thought there was more to her objection to him than a dislike for his work.
“I’m not doing you a favor,” he said. “I’m always open to ideas.”
“Thanks. I appreciate the opportunity. It’s very generous of you.”
The words were polite but hardly brimming with enthusiasm. Matt tried not to grin. At least she wasn’t going to be stroking his ego, which was kind of refreshing. Not to mention, challenging.
She turned to the patio doors, paused as if about to say something more, then peered through a crack in the sheer curtains.
“Oh, nuts. Here comes Connor’s wife, Lena,” she whispered. “The last time she caught me at one of these functions, I spent two hours listening to her talk about the horrors of breastfeeding and the agony of having an older husband who doesn’t pay enough attention to her. If you really want to do me a favor, tell her you haven’t seen me.”
With that, Eve climbed over one of the stone benches and ducked behind a low cedar hedge.
Matt’s mouth dropped open.
The glass doors slid back and an elegant, black-haired Latina woman stepped onto the flagstones. He vaguely recalled having been introduced to her at some point in time.
“Excuse me,” she said. “I thought I saw Eve come out here.”
There was a hint of a question to her fluid, heavily accented words that should have warned him, but Matt’s attention was focused elsewhere. His eyes darted to the bushes, unsure of the proper protocol for this type of scenario.
“Eve went to powder her nose,” he said, feeling like an idiot. Then his sense of humor took over. “But she should be back any moment. You’re welcome to wait with me if you’d like.”
The bushes behind him rustled at that. He was beginning to enjoy this—but just a little.
“I would like that very much.” Lena Sullivan moved a little closer—too close—and it suddenly occurred to Matt that the situation was potentially even more awkward than he’d first thought. He hoped he’d mistaken the delight in her tone. “I have been wanting to catch you alone from the moment I saw you.”
Nope. It seemed he hadn’t mistaken anything.
“Oh?” Matt didn’t know what else to say. Was