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“Don’t let her eat that too fast.” She winked.
“Traitor,” I mumbled to myself. I knew Mrs. Lin was a sucker for a pretty face and Andrew was nothing if not beautiful.
He heard me and strangled a laugh.
Outside, I started walking at my usual brisk pace and Andrew sped up to keep pace.
“I don’t know what you’re selling, Markman, but I can walk home by myself.” I didn’t know what alternate universe we had fallen into, but I knew Andrew lived uptown in an expensive apartment on Park Avenue around 65thstreet. Cynthia and I had looked it up once. It had a maid’s quarters for crying out loud.So what the hell was he doing down here?
“Alright. Suit yourself, but I think we’re headed to the same place.” He grinned at me. We had stopped in front of my building, Andrew pulling out his keys as I fitted mine into the door.
“You live here?” My words came out slightly choked.
“That I do.” He held the door open and I preceded him inside, slightly stunned. We waited for the elevator and I snuck glances at him. His hands were in his pockets and his posture was calm.
“Why?”
“Well, I do need a place to live. I know you think I sleep at work and live off black coffee.” He caught me staring and his lips quirked.
I tore my gaze away. “I can’t believe you gave up your richy-rich apartment on Park Avenue for this,” I muttered.
“Nothing wrong with this. I like the neighborhood and it was time for a change.”
I hmmed noncommittally. He was hiding something. Andrew never did anything without a reason. We entered the elevator together and I stood as far as possible on the other side of the car, which wasn’t very far considering this was a tiny, ancient contraption. Andrew leaned over to push the button for his floor and leaned back against the wall next to me.
The air felt thin and I closed my eyes. Maybe if I could’t see his laughing eyes or his slightly too plush lips, I would be able to survive this elevator ride. I took a deep breath. Big mistake. I inhaled the spicy, masculine scent of him and nearly groaned.
“You seem tense.”
I cracked an eye to see Andrew facing me where he leaned against the wall.
“Just mentally preparing myself for the hell of tomorrow.”
“Mmm.” I could see Andrew rolling his lips to keep from laughing and I felt an absurd need to let one out as well.
“It’s horrible, isn’t it?” I said.
His eyes sparked. “Horrible,” he agreed. “It’s like they reached into my brain and picked out the worst possible scenario.”
“They couldn’t have imagined a better torture if they tried.”
“Diabolical.” He grinned. “Do you think we’ll survive?”
“I’m honestly not sure.”
“Me neither,” he murmured.
Something warm lit inside me. In this, at least, we were aligned. I dipped my tongue out to lick my lip, remembering the last time his green eyes had devoured me like they were now. His eyes flashed to my lips and I saw them widen just a fraction.
The elevator opened, just one floor below my own. I jolted.
“Margo. See you tomorrow.” He shoved his hands in his pockets and walked backwards out of the elevator, maintaining eye contact until the doors shut on his crazy grin.
For a second, I forgot to breathe. Somehow, through the years, I had forgotten Andrew’s superpower. He could make you laugh even under the worst circumstances, and when he focused on you, it was like nothing else existed.
14
Margo
