Page 41 of Fresh Canvas
The reserved space for the museum director’s signature had been left blank. Kendra hadn’t signed it yet. Why? Because I forgot to ask her to.I groaned. Hadn’t I checked each report as I scanned them? I closed my eyes, trying to find the reason.
I pictured myself in the dimly-lit copy room earlier today, using the scanner before lunch. I cursed as my eyes opened into slits.
Amantha.
The walking distraction had sauntered into the room, ignoring me while she made copies on the machine beside mine. Whatever perfume she had been wearing smelled like a damn meadow.
I shoved back from the desk and swiveled my chair to face the glittering Chicago nightlife.I didn’t need this right now.
Or ever, for that matter.
Yeah, the misery-inducer was smoking hot. The kind of beauty that didn’t depend on make-up or fancy clothes. So what? Admitting that wouldn’t change anything. It was just like looking at a beautiful painting in the museum—didn’t mean I had to sleep with it.
Which coincidentally was another thing I’d sworn off. Stella had been my everything. The idea of being casually physical after her felt wrong, like it somehow desecrated what we had.
As difficult as it had been these last two years of celibacy, I wanted to reservethattype of intimacy for a relationship like Stella’s and mine. I at least owed her that.
I glared out at the tops of the sparkling skyscrapers,sawtoothed against the black sky. Amantha and I hadn’t talked much since setting up the Vanderbilt hall. I couldn’t blame her, since our conversation had ended so badly.
Man, did that woman know how to get under my skin. And who did she think she was, going around mouthing off to people? Granted, I’d never seen her yell at anyone else, but I felt safe to assume.
Yeah, yeah, I knew what people said about assuming, but I already knew I was one. And Amantha’s?—
I cutthatthought short before I could veer into anything inappropriate. Besides, Amantha’s snug-fitting pencil skirts were none of my business.
I stabbed the print button on my keyboard, sending the condition report to the copy room printer. I’d have to leave the humiliating mistake on Kendra’s desk for her to sign off tomorrow.
I strode down the vacant hallway and rounded the corner.
“Holy crap!” An unexpected voice assaulted me.
My body reacted to the shout, shooting off the ground and buckling like Jell-O.
“What the—” I stepped into the shadowed copy room to feel for the light switch, but the overhead lights sensed my movement and turned on.
Amantha was sitting cross-legged on the floor wearing a purple colored pantsuit, surrounded by piles of glossy paper on the floor. She clapped a hand to her rapidly rising chest and blew a blonde, wavy strand out of her face.
“What did you do that for? Who prowls around the office in the dark like some serial killer?!”
“Me? You’re the one who shouted!” I placed my hands on my knees and shot her a dirty look between breaths. “What are you still doing here anyway? And why were you sitting in the dark?”
Amantha chewed her lip, looking at the littered floor around her. “The stupid motion lights keep turning off. And I’m folding pamphlets—duh.”
“I can see that, smart-alec,” I growled, “but why are you folding them at nine PM?”
“Well…Blythe forgot about the information pamphlets that need to be folded for the gala guests tomorrow night. I think they’ll really like them—they’ve got all sorts of interesting facts about Felix and his work…” She seemed to get lost in the paper she held.
“Adams?”
Her head snapped up. “Oh. Well, Blythe had an appointment after work, and Kate had a date. I didn’t have any plans, so I offered to stay and fold them before tomorrow.” She lifted one of her small, ivory hands and massaged it. I watched the movement, swallowing hard at the memory of what her fingers felt like on mine.
“You offered?” I scanned the stacks of paper. “There’s got to be like five hundred of these.”
“Four hundred, actually.” She blew out a long breath. “I think I’m close to halfway, though.”
A genuine laugh escaped me before I could stop it. Amantha’s eyes flew to mine, a small grin lifting her mouth.
“Halfway?” I cleared my throat through another laugh. “You’re going to be here all night!”
