Page 42 of Designed for Disaster

Natasha hummed softly. “We don’t have to compete. This isn’t the grief Olympics. We can both just be sad for the things we’ve experienced, the choices we’ve had to make.”

I’d never had anyone say that to me before. I always thought I had to be strong. Strong for Dee. Strong for Jimmy. Strong enough to hold them together in the wake of Papa Davis’s death. Strong enough to bring the company back together after my parents nearly tore it apart. Strong for my friends as well, when Dominic was dealing with his divorce, and Vincent’s ex dragged him into a scandal, and Aiden nearly threw away his chance with the love of his life. I’d always done my best to show up for the people who mattered to me, but I’d never really given myself permission to be the one needing support. But Natasha made me feel like I could.

“Where should I take this thing?” Natasha asked as we reached the city, affectionately tapping the dashboard.

“Head back to Queens,” I suggested. “I’ll call a car service to come grab me. And I’ll send someone to pick up the U-Haul in the morning.”

“You mean a tow truck?” she teased. “Because once I turn off the engine, it might never turn on again.”

I grimaced. “That might be for the best.”

Natasha was still chuckling as we pulled onto her street. She parked the truck in front of her brownstone, expertly squeezing in between two cars.

“Impressive,” I said. “Barely bumped the curb.”

She grinned, pulling the keys out of the ignition. “I’ve got skills beyond your wildest dreams.”

I arched one eyebrow, laughing at the way she said it. “Oh yeah. Like what?”

“That’s need-to-know information, Mr. Saunders.” She smirked at me, and it set my heart racing. Why the hell did she have to look at me like that? My mind was suddenly running through a whole naughty list of possibilities for all theseskillsshe was alluding to. The air between us heated, charged with something that made my skin tingle.

“Thanks for driving,” I said.

“No problem. Youwereinjured in my workshop. Felt like the least I could do.”

Natasha made no move to get out, and neither did I. We just sat there, staring at each other for what felt like the longest minute of my life. I was aching for her, and I couldn’t think of a single reason to hold myself back. Not when I could tell she wanted ittoo. I moved, and so did she, inching closer to me. I heard her sharp intake of breath as I ducked my head. I’d been thinking about this moment since our afternoon in the church…thinking about what I would do if I was presented with the moment again.

Go for it, my mind screamed.Make the move.

And I sure as hell went for it, catching her lips in a kiss, one hand cradling her jaw, the other tangling in the curls tumbling down the side of her face. I felt half mad with desire that only surged higher as her pillowy lips parted against mine. She made a soft sound in the back of her throat that was the sexiest damn thing I’d ever heard. I stroked my thumb across her cheek, lost in its softness. It was a shock to the system when she pulled back. I blinked at her, lightheaded.

Natasha smiled shyly, catching her bottom lip between her teeth, which made my head spin even more. I wanted to reach out and wrap her in my arms—but she’d pulled away, and I had to respect that.

She squeezed my hand. “Goodnight, Trent.”

“Goodnight,” I said as she climbed out of the truck. She walked into the brownstone, peeking back at me over her shoulder when she reached the door, as if to see if I was still watching.

Damn right I was. I’d never get bored of watching her walk away.

13

NATASHA

“Are you going to keep hovering in the doorway or are you going to say something?” I said, twisting around in my office chair. I’d gotten here early to finish up my PowerPoint before this morning’s meeting with the CAD designers, but there’d been an awfully tempting distraction waiting for me when I’d arrived. I arched my brow, taking in Trent’s amused expression. “You’ve been standing there for five minutes now. Staring at me.”

“Am I not allowed to stare?” He tilted his head, obviously checking me out, and it made me shiver with delight. I’d hardly been able to stop thinking about him since the moment he kissed me in the U-Haul. Frankly, the only thing keeping me from launching myself into his arms for a repeat performance was the fact the rest of the design team was starting to arrive.

“I’m pretty sure it goes against some sort of company policy,” I said.

His lips twisted. “According to this company, we’re already dating.”

“Not everybody knows that,” I pointed out quietly, careful not to let the rest of the team overhear. I didn’t want to undermine the progress I’d made with everyone by revealing that I was Trent’s girlfriend, fake or otherwise. I wanted them to trust that I’d been placed in this position because of my talent, not my connection to the CEO. “The marketing department’s been surprisingly tight-lipped.”

“Because people here know how to mind their business,” Trent said. “But just so you know, there’s no company policy.”

“On staring?”

His brow arched. “On dating.”

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