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Kelly turned the page of her planner to her calendar and clicked her tongue. “I’m not. I can do tomorrow, though.”
“Sure, that sounds great.” Chris nodded at Hank, his hand on the doorknob. “Nice meeting you, Hank. You’re in good hands.”
Kelly noticed Hank wink at Chris before he said, “I’m pretty sure you’re right.”
Chris’s smile seemed strained as he left and closed the door behind him. Kelly stared at the dark wood for a moment, wondering at Chris’s air of irritation. She’d expected him to fawn all over Hank, but he’d appeared annoyed at the attention the actor had directed at her.
He was probably just looking out for me. Afraid I’d get hurt.
“So, you said no to dinner…but what about lunch?” Hank asked.
Kelly’s attention centered back on Hank, and away from worrying about what her friend was thinking. “I just told Chris I was busy.”
“Yeah, you told Chris, not me.”
Kelly laughed as she sat back down again. “You’re tenacious.”
Hank arched a brow at her, his lips turned up in a wicked grin. “That’s not a no.”
Oh yeah, I could get used to the attentions of this man.
Chapter 4
Chris threw all his weight behind the punch, knocking his bag back a good foot. He’d converted one of the three bedrooms in his house into a gym, equipped with a folding treadmill, weights, and a punching bag anchored from the ceiling. It was his sanctuary from the stress that could come with handling other people’s affairs.
His muscles screamed in protest as he used a combination of jabs, dancing on the balls of his feet across the wood floor. Sweat rolled down his shoulders and back, his hair soaked against his forehead as he brought up his knee, watc
hing his actions in the wall mirror he’d installed. He let out several loud grunts as he jammed his knee into the leather, holding it still as he pummeled it.
He’d left his office and driven straight home, antsy as hell and needing a good workout. He had no idea what had triggered the overwhelming urge to vent a little violence on his unsuspecting punching bag, but it felt good to let it out.
The blast of Panic! at the Disco flooded his ears through the bud speakers and he took a break to grab some water. The song was one of Kelly’s favorites. Anytime it came on, she would scream the words at the top of her lungs.
As the cold water from his bottle traveled down his throat, he remembered the husky giggle he’d heard through the door of Kelly’s office today as he’d left. It had struck him, especially since Kelly wasn’t really a giggler. He couldn’t remember the last time she’d laughed like that.
It hadn’t taken him long to notice when Hank had flirted with Kelly, she’d blushed a rosy hue. It was the same color that appeared whenever a sex scene on a movie or TV show they were watching got steamy. Her hazel eyes had sparkled and although she’d looked at Chris when she’d spoken to him, her gaze flicked back to Hank.
She liked the guy, despite her protests about not dating clients. Chris could understand; most women would turn their heads at a famous actor asking them out, especially a handsome one.
But it had still thrown him that Kelly was susceptible to Hank’s charms.
Chris poured some water over his already soaked head, a shock of cold causing a shiver when it touched his skin. The water hit the floor with a splat and he pulled a towel from the rack he kept on the far wall. He dropped it on the floor and mopped up the liquid with his foot, still brooding about the events in Kelly’s office.
Once it was cleaned up, all the energy drained out of him. He needed to go shower and start some dinner.
It was his birthday, after all.
He was a little surprised that Kelly hadn’t said anything. She never forgot his birthday, even when he wished she would. At least he wouldn’t be put through any crazy party antics this year. The clown party for his thirtieth two years ago had almost given him a heart attack. Kelly had laughed uproariously at the terrified expression on his face every time one of the painted entertainers she’d hired approached him. It was pure wickedness on her part to tease him that way, but he’d gotten his revenge with the haunted house party he’d thrown a few months later. Half the guests had dressed up like zombies and Kelly had hardly left his side.
He loathed clowns and zombies freaked her out. What a pair they made.
Chris’s phone beeped through the music and he pulled it out of his armband. Unlocking the screen, he saw it was a text message from Kelly.
I don’t wanna cook. Meet me at Shotguns?
Shotgun Weddings Bar and Grill served the best burgers in Nor Cal, better than whatever crap he probably had in his fridge.
Hell yeah.
