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Wandering in with Buzz on his heels, he made for the arena where all the floats were being assembled. He found only one person in there, a woman he didn’t recognize—from behind, anyway. She was bent over painting something and showing him a really fine pair of legs and ass in a pair of denim cutoffs.
“Hi.” She didn’t move, and he realized she wore earbuds.
Tapping her on the shoulder had her turning.
“Mandy?” Shit. Ted had known she had a lovely body, because he’d had her pressed against him a few times, but seeing it showcased in a fitted peach shirt with buttons down the front was another thing altogether. “What the hell?”
The words had come out wrong because he was off-balance.
“What the hell, what?” She clutched the paint brush in one hand.
Her hair was up in a tail on her head, and she looked sexy as hell and really dangerous to a man who was already aware of her.
“You… you’re dressed in that way.” He sounded like an idiot, but he had nothing else. “Where’s your other clothes?”
“Would that be the other clothes you loathed? The dresses that hung on me like sacks, to be precise?” Her words came out with ice on them.
“No. I just…. You look different.”
“And that’s a bad thing?”
He thought about what Lenny had said and the pizza date he was going to have with this woman and felt totally unreasonable about the fact that Lenny may be seeing her dressed like this.
“You look different, is all.” Ted was known for words. He could talk in any setting with any person; it was his thing. Not today, however. Today he was like a three-year-old learning to speak.
Her eyes narrowed. “And not in a good way, I’m guessing?” Her words were so sickly sweet he could almost taste the sugar.
“I liked your clothes,” he said, trying to retreat.
“Well, I didn’t. And you know what? Fuck you, Ted Hosking. I don’t need your approval for what I wear!”
“Don’t swear like that.” Ted’s anger climbed. “What’s the matter with you, talking like that?”
“Matter with me? May I remind you that you told me I needed to change. Be strong in here.” She tapped her head. “And now you’ve changed your mind and want me to stay as meek Mandy?”
Shit.He was making a mess of everything… again. He hadn’t meant to upset her, he was just shocked to see her dressed the way she was, looking so hot his eyes nearly crossed.
“What’s the problem here, Ted? You’ve made it clear you don’t want me, an innocent who clearly comes with baggage. Someone incapable of an adult relationship in your eyes.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You meant it. Well, you can get lost, because I don’t care what you think of me anymore. I don’t need your approval!” She threw her paintbrush at him on the last word, and they both froze as it hit his new blue T-shirt. Red paint smeared over his chest.
He looked at her, and whatever she saw in his eyes had her running. She sprinted behind the floats, and when he turned, she was running out the doors to the arena.
Ted was on her heels in seconds.
She ran up the stairs and into the rooms that the Trainers kept for stable hands. He knew why. The doors had locks on them. She made it inside and had even slammed the door. But she didn’t get the bolt thrown home.
Ted opened the door and stepped inside.
Chapter 20
Mandy watched as Ted locked the door behind him.
“I’ll let you know the size and make. You can order another shirt online.”
“You deserved it,” Mandy said, attempting to stand her ground. Her knees were shaking, and she was pretty sure she wanted to run and not look back.
