Page 50 of The Christmas Fix
“Oh, I don’t think it can be better than what Elizabeth and I came up with,” Rubin warned.
Imani gave him a level look. “Twenty bucks.”
Rubin offered his hand. “I’ll take that bet, and I’ll be taking your money.”
“Please! You’re comparing the creativity of dancers to drycleaners?” Imani snorted.
Noah thought about reminding them that they didn’t even know if the annual window painting contest was on and decided he didn’t have the energy. Imani and Rubin left, too busy trash talking to say goodbye.
Noah took the moment of peace to put his head down on his desk. He had nearly twenty seconds of time to lament his beverage choices from the night before when another knock sounded.
A sallow-looking Paige winced at the decibel of her knuckles on wood. She cleared her throat. “Got a minute?”
Noah gestured toward his visitor’s chair. His eyelids went from half-mast to wide open when Cat slunk in. She was wearing oversized sunglasses and a hat as if hiding from the paparazzi. He wanted those glasses off. Wanted to know if she was looking at him, thinking about last night. One night, one—well, several—kisses, and he was already looking at her differently. He knew what the satin skin of her stomach felt like under his hands. Knew how she tasted. Knew the weight of her breasts as they filled his palms.
And now he was nauseatedandhard.
Paige and Cat wearily took their seats, and Paige produced three sports drinks and a bottle of ibuprofen from her bag. With gratitude, Noah pounced on the tablets she doled out and knocked them back with a swig of hot pink liquid.
“Ungh,” Cat groaned, following suit. She pulled off her glasses and rubbed her slim hands over her face. Those gray-green eyes had enough red around them to make Noah wince. “Yeah? Well, you’re not looking so hot this morning either,” Cat grumbled.
Paige held up a hand. “Hang on. Before we head back down Scream at Each Other Lane, I’d like to broker a truce.”
Cat met Noah’s gaze. There was a lot being said by those bloodshot eyes. They had more complicated problems now than just intensely disliking each other.
“What would this truce look like?” Noah asked diplomatically.
“Frankly, I’d love to say that we can just allow you two to avoid each other. But we all know that’s not a possibility. There’s too much work to be done, and Noah, we need you on our side. I hope you can believe that we’re not here to exploit anyone. And if you and Cat can agree to be civil to each other, I think we’ll all be better off.”
“Agreed,” Cat said, catching Paige and Noah off guard. “What?”
“I agree, as well,” Noah announced. Cat arched an eyebrow at him and studied his face.
“Okay, I thought that would be a lot harder,” Paige admitted.
Cat gave a one-shouldered shrug. “I’ve got enough shit to do without worrying about verbally sparring with you or running into you in dark alleys for a... fight.”
Noah was smart enough that he could tease apart that coded message.
It’s not like hewantedlast night to happen again—even though it was all he’d thought about in the last eleven hours sinceithappened. What he did want is to know what Cat thought about it.
But the bleary-eyed stare she leveled at him wasn’t giving him any clues.
“Right. So, no more fighting in alleys or otherwise?” Noah ventured.
Cat nodded. “Because it’s a very, very bad idea.”
“Terrible,” Noah agreed. “From now on we’ll be strictly professional.” Now why was it as soon as the words left his mouth, Noah pictured Cat panting as she attacked his belt buckle, her lips swollen by an assault from his own mouth?
His expression must have given away a hint of where his mind had wandered because Cat’s eyes widened, and she gave him a subtle shake of her head.Never again, she mouthed.
Subject closed.
“Uh, okay. Well. I’m pleasantly surprised and confused,” Paige cut in. “So, uh. We’re going to go now and demolish a large portion of your town.”
“Good. Great.” Noah felt his head bobbing as if he had no control over it. “Let me know if there’s anything you… uh… need.”
“We won’t need anything,” Cat promised. “Let’s go sledge hammer some crap.”
