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I should have known she was there the moment I opened the door. Not because that’s the professional thing to do. If only it were for a reason so rational. No, I should have known she was there because the moment I looked into her cornflower blue eyes, the world exploded around me and reformed in a new way. A better way.
As Lincoln and the woman, who I don’t even know her name, damn it, sit across from my desk, I try and tear my eyes away from her, but I can’t. My mouth goes dry, and I get acute onset dehydration with how much I’m sweating.
I don’t even think that’s a real medical diagnosis, but it could be. Highly likely really. Because this feels dangerous.
I thought air horn sirens were a thing from the 50’s, but apparently not because they are blaring in my head right now.
I plaster as smile on my face and pretend like I didn’t just do a very good impression of a mannequin for…I’m not even sure how long. Lincoln narrows his eyes slightly, but he doesn’t call me out on my weirdness. I try and push it aside as best I can and focus on the job.
The job I love. The job I need. The job I’ve put all my focus into because it’s my calling.
The job I need to remember.
“This is Coral,” he tells me and I’m somehow able to keep the smile on my face. I’m not sure how.
Coral’s fucking effervescent when she gushes, “I can’t wait to see all the sparkly things.”
Are they here to design the ring together? Is this the woman Lincoln is marrying?
It doesn’t matter. This is just a job.
I try and keep my head in the game as I talk to the pair about options. We get through stones and settings and metals. I see the way Coral lights up at certain things, but then she’ll make a recommendation which is opposite to what she clearly likes. It’s strange.
It makes me look at her more and more. She doesn’t really look at me and seems perfectly content to defer to Lincoln about a lot of things. The thought of her not getting the ring she wants, even if it’s not me giving it to her, has me wanting to upend my desk.
It’s taking a lot of willpower to stop myself.
The more times I look at Coral, the more I notice Lincoln catching on. Which is not good. It’s not good at all.
I need to stop eyeballing his woman.
Oddly enough he doesn’t seem pissed about it. It makes me wonder if Beckett really gave this guy my information or not. What the fuck is going on?
When I can’t take it anymore, I direct a question to Coral of the first time. My voice is hoarse and there’s an edge of a snarl to it, “Is he describing the kind of ring you want?”
Her blue eyes round as she rears back from me slightly. I’m not sure if it’s because she’s surprised I ask so upfront or because I sound damn close to feral. The way she licks her lips, her pretty pink tongue gliding along her plump bottom lip, has my cock filling way too fast for comfort. I barely stop myself from squirming.
She blinks rapidly and takes a deep breath. When she speaks, her words are slow and measured, “What are you talking about?”
I let out an exasperated sigh. I shouldn’t have said anything in the first place, but now here I am. Gotta ride the train to the end of the track. I glance at Lincoln out of the corner of my eye, and he looks almost amused by the exchange.
Fucking weird.
I try and hide the annoyance and frustration I’m feeling, but I’m pretty sure I fail at it. I ask again, “Is this the ring you want?”
Coral’s eyes widen a fraction more before she lowers her chin and looks at me like I’m the Kraken come to shore. Then in the next breath she’s laughing. It’s a gorgeous sound, but I’m not sure why she’s laughing. Maybe later I’ll be able to remember the sound and enjoy it, but now it’s spiking my irritation.
She gasps out, “The ring isn’t for me. It’s for my best friend.”
My body deflates. I didn’t realize I was holding so much tension in my shoulders, in every single muscle, until her words release it like a steam valve. I flash Lincoln a sheepish smile. When I meet his eyes, he has a shit eating grin on his face. One I’m able to read easily.
I swear he would put his hands behind his head and relax right now. Maybe pop some popcorn for the show. I don’t get the feeling he’s going to step in on this situation at all.
I clear my throat and shake my head, ducking my head slightly, “I apologize that was unprofessional of me.”
Lincoln gives a lazy shrug as if it’s no big deal. I want to glare at him, but I don’t. My assumptions aren’t his fault. They’re mine.
When I look at Coral again, it’s in a new light. It makes so much more sense now why she seemed to give answers which didn’t match the excitement in her eyes. I would smack myself if I could, but that would be a step past unprofessional. Even for me.
