Page 6 of Keeping My Wife
“And just what would you do with them?”
Feeling a landmine or three suddenly around me, I chose my words carefully. “I’m a furniture restorer as well as a carpenter. Most of the pieces are in great shape, but some definitely need some TLC.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Like which ones?”
“Well, take this secretary desk for instance. Great bones.” I crouched down beside her and tried to ignore her truly stupendous legs showing from the knee-length skirt. I focused on the underpinnings for the writing surface of the desk. “But the railings here are in rough shape. I’ll have to take it all apart and patch or possibly replace them.”
She crouched down with me and her warm vanilla scent hit me like a fist. “How did you know about that?”
“I’ve been here for hours.” I gave her a soft smile. “I hope that doesn’t make me a creep. This is like a candy store for me.”
“Oh.” Her gaze dropped to my mouth before bouncing back up to meet my gaze. She licked her full lips before tipping slightly.
I caught her and helped her standing again. “Careful. Those skyscrapers don’t look the best for balance.”
She laughed. “You’d be surprised what I can do in a pair of heels.”
Fuck me, I wish.“I’ll take your word for it.”
She nibbled on her lower lip. “How many pieces are you looking at?”
I dug out the small Moleskine notebook out of my back pocket and handed it over to her. “Just a few.”
She opened it, silently flipping through the pages. Her eyes met mine. “Are these your drawings?”
“Sorry, I meant the pages toward the back.” I leaned in to show her, but she pulled the notebook out of reach.
“Not done looking at these.”
“It’s just my idea book.”
She lightly flipped through each page quietly. “If your craftsmanship is half as good as your drawings, you must be very good at what you do.”
“I try.”
She closed the notebook without turning to the last few pages, then held it against her chest. “Are you single?”
I frowned. “Pardon?”
“Girlfriend? Boyfriend?”
I laughed. “Neither.”
She shrugged. “It wouldn’t matter to me.”
“How progressive of you.”
The corner of her wide mouth tipped up. “I’m wondering from a business standpoint.”
“I don’t think I’m following.”
“Sorry, I’m living on my fourth day of three hours of sleep. I have a business proposal for you.”
“Okay. I was hoping for a deal for a few of the bigger pieces. I’m listening.”
“Oh, I have the deal of a lifetime for you.”
“Is that right?”
