heard her heart pounding in her ears. After another beat, the sounds of the road rushed in, then a child screaming for his wayward balloon jarred her to break the trance. Payton put distance between them by walking inside the building, relishing the burst of cool air across her overheated skin. At least, the air conditioning was working.
He followed her, the heat of his body warming her back. Payton found her voice, moving towards the stairs. “The main issue here is the exhibit lights.”
His voice had dropped an octave. “No elevators?”
She knew what he was implying, that he thought she couldn’t handle standing next to him in an elevator car. “Only one and it’s on the fritz.”
“Truly?”
Turning on the third step, she was now level to his scrumptious face as he’d only placed one foot on the bottom step. “See for yourself,” she replied, waving a hand where a lowly downed elevator stood with two warning signs. He glanced at the signs, shook his head in disgust, his black hair dancing over his black collar. “Besides, you don’t want to ride in an elevator with someone who smells like I smell today.”
“You don’t think so?” His hand came up, closing over hers where she held the banister. “Payton.”
The way he said her name stroked her as intimately as a caress. She stared down, where he was holding her hand with familiarity. “What are you doing?”
“What does it feel like?”
“Unprofessional,” she offered, tugging away from him. Reluctantly he released her, but his eyes stayed hot, trailing up and down her body. Still he appeared almost astonished as if he were waking from a nightmare and didn’t know what to make of her. “Do you need a moment to catch your bearings?”
“No.” Something flashed in his hazel eyes, his dark brows forming a sudden frown. “What’s your major?”
“I’m not an intern,” she answered, looking away from the intensity of his gaze. Everyone asked her that due to her age, and it was becoming annoying. “I’m a full partner. I was supposed to lead the educational part of our facility for community projects, but my position morphed into something…never mind.”
His brows rose. “You’re one of those caring souls, aren’t you?”
Who doesn’t care? “On my good days,” she retorted with open bewilderment. “And apparently you do as well or you wouldn’t be here donating your time.”
“There you are!” Libby boomed.
Payton turned her head. “Hey, Lib, this is Paul-”
“I think we have our wires crossed here.” She marched across the floor in record time. Payton had never seen Libby move so quickly. “Noah started Paul Johnson in the main gallery.”
With a startled jerk, Payton eased around her impostor, swiftly finding her way to the bottom of the stairs. “Then, I’m at a disadvantage. Who might you be?” she asked passively, hiding how her thoughts churned in furious, rolling waves. Why had this beautiful stranger duped her by pretending to be an electrician?
“Avery Easton,” he said in his devil’s drawl. He closed the distance between them. Once again, he held out his hand to Payton. However, she stood there dumbfounded, so Libby shook it instead.
“Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Easton,” Libby acknowledged, flicking a nervous glance between Avery and Payton. “We weren’t expecting you.”
“Just as I wasn’t expecting Ms. Calloway last evening. Nevertheless, she wanted to meet with an Easton.” He raised his brows, keeping his eyes locked on Payton. “So here I am.”
Here he was, indeed, in all his delicious glory. “Last night…in the tower.” Her fingertips pressed her temple. “You kissed me. You wore the mask, sent the flowers.”
“And tucked you away safely, I might add.” He nodded, his lips slightly parted, his breaths quickening. When she remained quiet, he asked, “Would you prefer to speak with my cousin Dylan then?” He raised a raven brow. “Though, by my observations, he
He followed her, the heat of his body warming her back. Payton found her voice, moving towards the stairs. “The main issue here is the exhibit lights.”
His voice had dropped an octave. “No elevators?”
She knew what he was implying, that he thought she couldn’t handle standing next to him in an elevator car. “Only one and it’s on the fritz.”
“Truly?”
Turning on the third step, she was now level to his scrumptious face as he’d only placed one foot on the bottom step. “See for yourself,” she replied, waving a hand where a lowly downed elevator stood with two warning signs. He glanced at the signs, shook his head in disgust, his black hair dancing over his black collar. “Besides, you don’t want to ride in an elevator with someone who smells like I smell today.”
“You don’t think so?” His hand came up, closing over hers where she held the banister. “Payton.”
The way he said her name stroked her as intimately as a caress. She stared down, where he was holding her hand with familiarity. “What are you doing?”
“What does it feel like?”
“Unprofessional,” she offered, tugging away from him. Reluctantly he released her, but his eyes stayed hot, trailing up and down her body. Still he appeared almost astonished as if he were waking from a nightmare and didn’t know what to make of her. “Do you need a moment to catch your bearings?”
“No.” Something flashed in his hazel eyes, his dark brows forming a sudden frown. “What’s your major?”
“I’m not an intern,” she answered, looking away from the intensity of his gaze. Everyone asked her that due to her age, and it was becoming annoying. “I’m a full partner. I was supposed to lead the educational part of our facility for community projects, but my position morphed into something…never mind.”
His brows rose. “You’re one of those caring souls, aren’t you?”
Who doesn’t care? “On my good days,” she retorted with open bewilderment. “And apparently you do as well or you wouldn’t be here donating your time.”
“There you are!” Libby boomed.
Payton turned her head. “Hey, Lib, this is Paul-”
“I think we have our wires crossed here.” She marched across the floor in record time. Payton had never seen Libby move so quickly. “Noah started Paul Johnson in the main gallery.”
With a startled jerk, Payton eased around her impostor, swiftly finding her way to the bottom of the stairs. “Then, I’m at a disadvantage. Who might you be?” she asked passively, hiding how her thoughts churned in furious, rolling waves. Why had this beautiful stranger duped her by pretending to be an electrician?
“Avery Easton,” he said in his devil’s drawl. He closed the distance between them. Once again, he held out his hand to Payton. However, she stood there dumbfounded, so Libby shook it instead.
“Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Easton,” Libby acknowledged, flicking a nervous glance between Avery and Payton. “We weren’t expecting you.”
“Just as I wasn’t expecting Ms. Calloway last evening. Nevertheless, she wanted to meet with an Easton.” He raised his brows, keeping his eyes locked on Payton. “So here I am.”
Here he was, indeed, in all his delicious glory. “Last night…in the tower.” Her fingertips pressed her temple. “You kissed me. You wore the mask, sent the flowers.”
“And tucked you away safely, I might add.” He nodded, his lips slightly parted, his breaths quickening. When she remained quiet, he asked, “Would you prefer to speak with my cousin Dylan then?” He raised a raven brow. “Though, by my observations, he
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