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Luna stopped painting, confusion descending upon her. “You weren’t paying attention? What the hell does that mean?”
“It means I was distracted. Okay?”
She wasn’t sure what to make of this statement at all. Was Sam sayingshewas the one distracting him? If this was the case, it amused her a great deal. Luna chewed on her bottom lip to keep from smiling. “Interesting,” she replied.
He glanced at her from his spot on the ladder, his lips stretching into a line. “I was having problems with the dryer in the laundry room right before you showed up. I couldn’t figure out what was wrong with it and it was bothering me. That’s all.”
“Ah, yes, the dryer. I can see how that could be…distracting.” She made sure to enunciate every syllable of the word. When his cheeks flared with color, she slid a knowing smile to him, noticing his Adam’s apple bob. Yes, this was way more entertaining than painting in silence.
“So, now that you know how the miscommunication happened, maybe you can cut me a break and let this cabinet job be the last project you do.”
“Maybe. But it’ll probably inspire me to do more.” She poured more paint into her cup, and stood beside the ladder, watching him work. “I like my apartments like I like my men.”
“Someone who only looks good on the surface?” he grumbled. “I’m sure you have a lot in common with that.”
Luna was going to reply with the wordsmodern and stylishbut his comment irritated her and she was no longer amused. Without thinking, she dunked her finger into the paint, stood on the bottom step, and smeared primer from his cheekbone to his chin.
Sam’s eyes bugged when he noticed her pointer finger covered in paint. “What the hell did you do that for?” His own hand went to his cheek, smearing the paint on his skin.
“I feel like that’s been a long time coming for you.”
He glared. “You’ve got something on your face, Queenie.” And he tracked his paint-covered fingers down the center of her face, from brow, along the ridge of her nose, but he paused when reaching her bottom lip.
With any other painting partner, she would have pulled away, shouted, taken her revenge by dumping her cup of paint on his head. But she didn’t. Luna took it. Because like Sam, this had to be a long time coming for her as well.
Deep down inside, Luna knew she was a brat. She didn’t care because the further away she could keep someone, the less reason for her to be vulnerable. It was easier, less risky. She was already exhausted trying to stay on Mia’s good side. But, for everyone else, it was okay if they didn’t like her because if they did, then she’d have to worry about when they’d stop liking her. As a result, she was someone who provoked. Someone who liked getting under people’s skin. Someone who took pleasure when others were—
“Distracted?” she asked in a soft voice, her eyes unwavering.
His darkened gaze focused on her mouth as his finger slowly tipped off her lip. But the hand didn’t move far. In fact, his fingers flexed over her chin as if he ached to make physical contact again.
It was at that moment where Luna forgot about provoking, where she held her breath.
Tap! Tap! Tap!
Both Sam and Luna jumped.
Outside the dining room window, Zabe had a huge grin on her face and was waving. “Hey! Can I help you guys paint?”
Luna stepped off the ladder and away from doing something she’d regret.
Chapter Eleven
Thanking his luckystars.
That’s exactly what Sam was doing. Thanking his goddamn lucky stars.
Zabe tapping on apartment seven’s window was the wisest thing to happen to him all day. The kid’s appearance saved him from making the biggest mistake one could make while hanging out with the most perplexing, aggravating woman in his life.
Luna stood at the kitchen sink, using a damp paper towel to remove paint from her skin.
“Did Sam drop his paintbrush and smack you in the face with it?” Zabe asked.
It was even worse than an accidental fumble with a paintbrush. It had been his hand. He had touched her, marked her, as she had done with him. And, in that moment, he had wanted to keep touching her, all of her. Even when she wore a simple tank top and frayed denim shorts with her hair swept into a messy ponytail, she still was the most intriguing woman he’d ever known.
“Something like that,” Luna replied.
Zabe gave his leg a light smack. “Sam! Why would you do that to her?”
