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She swallowed a hard lump down her throat, fluttering her lashes. “My eyes?”
“They’re like waves,” I said softly, starting to feel a little embarrassed. Did it sound too cheesy? Even if it was, that didn’t make it untrue. At least I stopped myself from telling her how I could see a whole damn ocean in those eyes.
“Ocean waves. Not lake water?” she argued.
“Here I am trying to give you a compliment, and you have to go and ruin it with that tone.”
For once, she didn’t immediately go off on me or fire back with some cutting remark. But the devilish grin that curled on her lips was more frightening than any words she could have said.
The same eyes I had just been admiring glinted with mischief, and I was so caught up in them that I didn’t see it coming. A cold, wet gush spread down my face and shoulder. She had run the paint roller down the whole side of my upper body, head and face included, covering me in thick white paint.
Despite my shock, I managed not to flinch. I simply replied with a playful growl, “Oh, you’re going to regret that.”
She let out a shrieking laugh as I set to chase her around the room, my own roller in hand, ready to get revenge. I had just managed to get in a good streak across her backside when the sound of a woman clearing her throat stopped us both in our tracks.
I spun around to spot her standing there. Whoever she was. She wasn’t from around here. I knew that much for sure. She wore bright purple stiletto heels that looked incredibly painful, but I was quickly distracted even more by the tight-fitted black dress she wore. It clung to the curves of her body, and were there ever curves. She had big, luscious breasts with ample cleavage on full display, hourglass hips and waist, and the bulk of her upper thighs were uncovered.
Her dark waves fell softly across one shoulder as her deep purple lips spread into a smile. No wonder this woman thought it was a good idea to paint the wall black.
“Vera,” Lana announced, changing her tone entirely. Her eyes burned into me, darting between us for a moment.
She definitely noticed me noticing this Vera woman. To be fair, it was hard not to. Regardless of how hot she was, she stuck out even worse than Melody did when she first came to town from New York. I felt my reaction was perfectly justified, and anyway…what right did Lana have to judge me for it? She had spent the last decade making it clear that she didn’t want me. Hell, she didn’t even want to call me a friend.
“This is my partner, Keith,” she continued.
I walked over to shake her hand, but quickly remembered it was covered in paint. If I hadn’t noticed it myself, the way Vera’s lip snarled in disgust at the sight of my dripping, white-speckled hand would have given it away.
“Uh, sorry. As you can see, I can’t shake your hand right this second. But it is a pleasure to meet you. Your, uh, design plans have been quite the topic of discussion this morning.”
“Oh, good!” She lit up, clearly misunderstanding how I meant it. Her long plastic nails clicked together as she clapped her hands and let out a little squeal. “I just knew you’d adore my vision. Lana worried it was a bit too bold, but I insisted that she trust me…and now look! It paid off. Or at least it will when this place is finished.”
Lana didn’t say a word to contradict her, and all I could do was laugh. It was as good a time as any to keep messing with her.
I clicked my tongue and shook my head. “Too bold, huh? Yeah, you’ll have to excuse her. Our Lana here has always been a little timid. But since we’re on the subject, I wonder what you’d think of the idea Lana was just sharing with me before you came in.”
Vera didn’t look too thrilled to hear anyone else’s ideas, but she forced herself to humor me. “Oh? Really?” she answered tightly.
“Mmm-hmm,” I nodded. “That main wall behind the front counter. She was thinking it ought to be a bright blue color. It’d still go with the rest of the black and white, I guess, but…I don’t know. What do you think, Vera?”
Lana’s eyes were burning into me with an even brighter fury than usual. I tried not to let it show how tickled I was at getting a rise out of her with all of this.
Vera turned her face towards the wall in question, studying it carefully with her lips pursed and face tilted to one side. “What shade of bright blue are you thinking?”
“Oh, I think I can show you what she had in mind,” I grinned. I put my hands on Lana’s shoulders and pushed her up to Vera. “You see the color of her eyes? Something like that.”
“Ignore him,” Lana groaned. “He’s suffering from heat stroke.”
Vera frowned. “Oh no! Really?”
I dipped my head with a laugh. Vera was good-looking, but apparently not bright enough to pick up on sarcasm.
“No, you’ll have to excuse her,” I quipped. “She suffers from the syndrome of being an incessant smart ass.”
“Oooohhh, good job, Keith!” Lana gleamed in a satirical tone. “Incessant is an awfully big word for you to go throwing around.”
I was just squaring up for my comeback when Vera’s brow wrinkled. “I’m sorry. Am I missing something? Are you two partners, as in romantic partners? Lana, when you mentioned Keith, I assumed you meant he was your business partner, but I guess I had that wrong.”
“What!? No!” Lana shot back, sounding violently shrill. “Just business partners. Of course, not romantic partners! Why would you think that!?”
