Page 39 of Canvas of Lies
Though I rolled my eyes, Nico caught a glimpse of the smile on my face before I managed to school my expression. He gave me a world class puppy dog look, batting the long, black lashes that framed his dark eyes.
I’d forgotten how cute he could be.
“If you want to invite me in to see this remarkable business you’ve been building, I wouldn’t say no.”
“Consider yourself invited, though it’s not nearly as exciting as it might sound. I hope you had breakfast already, because I’m not sharing my bagel.”
Nico only grinned and strolled along beside me. When we reached the back door of the warehouse, my gaze caught on the stack of pallets next to the dumpster and he grimaced at the broken wood.
“I’m really sorry, Kitten.”
I turned suddenly to beam up at him. “In good news, the trash doesn’t get picked up until tomorrow, so while you’re here, you can dig through and find my old phone. Then I can get the SIM card out of it, since you didn’t ask me before tossing it into the dumpster, and I won’t need to play cloak and dagger to find Evelyn’s private contact information.”
“I should’ve expected that,” he grumbled, but he slid one hand around to the small of my back and kissed me. “But for you? Anything.”
Fierce heat infused my cheeks as I turned to open the door. When it swung in, I gestured for him to enter. Nico took a few steps forward to survey the space and I tried to see it throughhis eyes. It was large and bright, lined with shelves. Along each shelf were stacks of labeled boxes, loose merchandise, and a huge array of packing supplies. His gaze paused on a row of garage sale finds, ranging from a wind-up circus lion to a vintage Ouija board to the Teddy Ruxpin I’d just repaired.
“Oh, this is just beautiful,” he said, grinning at me. “I don’t know what I was expecting, but this—it’s soyou.Absolute chaos contained in tidy little rows.”
When I scowled at him, he took the bags and coffee cup from my hands and set them aside so he could tug me into his arms.
“I’m not chaotic,” I mumbled.
“I mean that in the best possible way. For such a competent, organized woman, you’ve always had a touch of chaos inside you. Such a delicious study in contradiction.”
I made an impolite sound, but everything he said was true, so I nestled myself more comfortably against his chest. The business was something I’d always thought he would appreciate, something so quirky and peculiar compared to my father’s lifestyle that it couldn’t help but be an affront to the man’s sensibilities.
It gave me a feeling of accomplishment and I truly loved what I’d built, but it had often been a lonely venture. Though Erin’s bubbly presence helped mitigate that, Nico’s approval warmed me in a way that little else could.
“Hey,” he said, smiling broadly as he fingered the patch on my sleeve. “You fixed the tear.”
“I am a woman of many talents, Mr. Beaumont.” I lifted my chin proudly, but a grin snuck through. “Besides, I’ve been waiting six months to find a reason to use that patch, so it seemed like a match made in heaven.”
“Or a match made through gross negligence and idiocy on my part?”
I laughed. “That, too.”
Nico tucked a curl behind my ear and smiled. “This might sound patronizing as fuck so please don’t punch me in the balls for saying it, but I am so fucking proud of you.”
For a moment, I was simply trapped in his gaze, warm and gentle and just the tiniest bit misty as he looked down at me.
“Nico,” I said softly, but whatever else I’d been about to say flew out of my head.
His mouth dropped down to whisper over the curve of my ear. “Yes, Kitten?” he breathed.
The shiver that ran up my spine rippled under his palm like lightning. Instead of answering him, I tipped my head back. Nico willingly obeyed my unspoken request and I sighed as his lips trailed down my neck. My hands curled into his shirt, tugging him closer.
Just when a soft purr of pleasure from my throat caused a noticeable response from his lower body, the door swung open and a startled Erin gaped at the sight of us.
“Oh! I’m sorry!” she gushed, averting her eyes as though we were standing in the middle of thewarehouse naked.
I laughed—a little breathlessly, even to my own ears—and shook my head. “It’s fine, Erin. This is Nicolas Beaumont. Nico, this is Erin.”
Erin’s enormous green eyes widened. “You meantheNico?”
Nico, damn him, turned to me with raised brows. He caught me making a frantic “stop talking” face at my assistant, so I forced my expression into a pleasant smile despite my flaming cheeks.
“My childhood friend, Nico. Yep. That’s him. He was just leaving, weren’t you?”
