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His candor is endearing. “How did you forget about the runway model?”
“Runway model?” Chris’s brow furrows.
“The stunner you left in the car. Did you forget about her again?” I tease, wagging a finger at him in mock reprimand. So much for keeping him at arm’s length.
Chris smiles softly, though it doesn’t reach his eyes. “Erin is certainly beautiful,” he drawls, “on the outside.”
My stomach drops and rebounds in the same breath. Beautiful on the outside? He said that like he isn’t strictly into looks.
“And she’s not a bad person,” he adds. “But she and I want very different things.”
“What does she want?” I ask, only realizing I spoke aloud when Chris answers.
“Success. Recognition. Security.” He shrugs. “Erin is very driven.”
“What do you want?” I ask softly.
Chris shrugs again. “Happiness.”
Is he for real? I’ve never met a guy that didn’t dream of success, or making their dad proud, or having lots of money and a big house and a fast car. Except in my books, where the guy has all those things but without the ego to go with them. No real guy is looking for happiness, right? I study his face, skeptical. He doesn’t flinch.
“One might say the things Erin wants define happiness,” I venture.
“One might.” Chris nods, holding my gaze.
“But you don’t?”
He shakes his head. “No.”
He’s leaving something out. Something I shouldn’t want to know, but do. “Okay, so, how do you define happiness?”
“That,” he winks, “is up for debate.”
It can’t be coincidence that he repeated the same phrase I said to him the night before, can it?
“What makes you happy is up for debate?”
“My definition of happiness is up for debate. I thought a writer would be more literal,” he teases.
“I thought a Playboy would be less serious,” I retort.
“Are you implying I’m not intelligent enough to be serious?”
“I’m implying that you make interesting conversation.” My eyes slip from his face down to his broad chest of their own accord then snap abruptly back to meet his gaze. “Even though you’re pretty.”
Chris bursts out laughing, a rich, full-bodied roar paired with a smile that does, finally, reach his eyes. Apparently, my little sneak peek at the full picture did not go unnoticed. Stupid pretty boy is impossible not to ogle. Why does he have to be so handsome? And tall? And fit? Good thing I wasn’t going for seduction or I might be insulted.
“Likewise.” He nods as his breathing returns to normal.
“Likewise?” I forget what we’ve been talking about.
“Yes.” He smiles, capturing my gaze with his own.
“Care to elaborate?”
“No.” He shakes his head, never breaking contact.
“Looks like I spoke too soon when I said you were interesting,” I admonish as our conversation finally comes back to me. “We’ve pushed your intelligence past its limits. Maybe it’s best for me to have this file after all.” I fan the envelope in front of my face, suddenly roasting despite it being only twenty degrees outside. “I’m not sure you’re in the frame of mind to help Charlie interpret anything.”
