Page 29 of Made for You
With another assessing glance, I waited for her to give herself up, but no. Instead, she flared those brows yet again and waited for me to take the handles.
“Fine. I’ll take it. But I’ll be ready in like ten minutes—I can’t just go then?” I’d gotten wrapped up in working on my game development until I’d noticed the time, then rapidly fixed my hair and makeup, and thankfully already wore jeans and a blouse I’d changed into after work. I needed just another minute to leave myself a few notes about the next steps before I took off and shifted my brain into social mode.
She shrugged. “If you want to leave me here holding this garbage for another ten—”
I snatched the barely full bag and stomped dramatically toward the door, but she only snickered as she bustled into the kitchen behind me to wash out some of her paintbrushes. The screen door shut when I exited, and I plunked the bag down in the can, then let the lid drop.
“You two seem to go through a great deal of trash.”
Bruce’s voice had my attention snapping to the right and finding him sauntering to the edge of his driveway.
Busted, Gram.That sneak had wanted me to run into Bruce as though I didn’t work at his office every day. Not that I’d seen him all that much after Monday morning. The man had meetings stacked up theentireday Tuesday and had been out at least half of Wednesday. He’d had something else Thursday, which I later found out was a dental appointment he’d taken Kiley to, and then today… well, he’d likely just gotten home. He and Wilder had made me leave at three this afternoon with reassurances I’d be paid for the whole day, but they clearly didn’t take their own leeway, as it was after six thirty.
“I think it’s less the trash and more Gram shoving me into your orbit,” I said, unwilling to play the oblivious neighbor. He was an incredibly smart man—no way he didn’t see my beloved Gram throwing me at him every chance she got. She’d probably been doing it for ages now, but it’d had no teeth until I’d waltzed right into her trap.
He gave me that half-smile I liked a little too much and toed into the grass between our yards. He’d demur, no doubt. Say something charming and obfuscate the matchmaking efforts of his neighbor while leaving me with as little embarrassment as possible. It was his way. He constantly worked to put people at ease, and if you weren’t watching for it, you’d hardly notice it happening.
But I noticed everything Bruce did, so when he stopped less than a foot from where I stood on Gram’s back patio and dipped his head a bit, I couldn’t believe what he said.
“I’m not complaining.”
I laughed gamely. “Guess not since you hired me.”
His jaw flexed. No idea how I noticed that except I was studying him closely, our eyes locked.
“That I did. And you accepted the job, which means you must not mind being inmyorbit.”
“I probably shouldn’t have said it like that,” I said, disliking the way it made this sound.
This, like there was something between us. Likethiswas something with a name.
He leaned closer, maybe, or I did. Somehow, we were only inches apart. I was looking up at him—not straining or anything because yes, he was tall, but I liked that. No—Ilovedthat about him. He was all masculine and gorgeousness physically with this capable, tuned-in air that made every other man I’d ever dated look like primordial ooze in comparison.
Not that we were dating.
“Can’t say I mind the idea, but I think it’s probably the other way around, Nik.”
I swallowed, the nickname sending a shiver up my spine for some odd reason. Why would I like that?
Oh, I don’t know. Just this beautiful man talking to you like he knows you, or wants to…
“How so?” I somehow responded.
His smile crept in, a slow, sly thing. “Pretty sure I’m inyourorbit.”
I huffed a laugh. “Maybe this planetary metaphor has run its course.”
That smile widened. “Fine. I defer to your genius.”
My eyes rolled before I could think to stop them. Why did Rosie have to tell him that? And was he making fun of me because of it? I didn’t think so—Bruce just didn’t seem the type, but that old bruise felt newly tender as I adjusted to a new place.
“Hey, sorry. Should I not mention it?” he asked, ever perceptive.
“No, it’s fine. I’m not sad about it. But there have been times when that fact about me has become a punchline. And I don’t like that.”
Look at me, sharing my feelings.
His hand brushed my wrist before he held me there, and his dark eyes captivated mine with an intensity I hadn’t anticipated.
