Her Artist by Allyson Lindt

Author:Allyson Lindt [Lindt, Allyson]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Office Romance, Instalove, one night stand, geek love, valentine's day, holiday romance
Publisher: Acelette Press
Published: 2017-12-28T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Five

ALMOST THREE HOURS after arriving, they finally had everything back online. Chloe didn’t know if she wanted the night to come to an end yet. Which was ridiculous. They’d part ways in a few minutes, and life would go on.

She wouldn’t linger on all the reasons she’d enjoyed an evening that should have been terrible. That Jordan’s idea of treating her to dinner, since they couldn’t leave the facility, was to raid the vending machines and bring back her favorite chips and soda.

She had no idea he’d ever noticed. Had he also seen how his offer of the night of her life drove into the one memory she struggled to squelch every time he was around? Ignoring the teasing over the past couple years had become second nature. It still stung, but she could brush it away.

Ignoring him—forcing her cool mask into place when they were in the same room—that always took a force of will. At least in here, while cameras watched, there was no sound. She could let down her verbal guard.

He clicked a few more things on one of the servers. “If you want to take off, I’ll finish up.”

“I’ll stick around until we’re all set.” She should take the offer and go. Head back home to her wine and ice cream, and enjoy the night the way she was meant to. Secure in her singleness.

“I’m behind you in less than two minutes. We’re set.” He fumbled with something in his pocket, and a flash of bright red fluttered to the ground. “Fuck.” He snatched it and tucked it away again before she could register what it was.

“What was that?”

“Nothing.”

The image twisted in her head, rolling and latching onto that night in the bar. It couldn’t be. “Were those... my panties?”

“No.”

The answer came too fast. Had too much of a defensive edge to it. Or she wanted it to mean more than it did. A playful streak, spurred by the evening, raced through her. She closed the distance between them, and snatched the whatever-it-was from his slacks.

Her stomach flipped, her heart clenched, and her lungs tightened all at once. It was an awkward sensation. “Oh my God, they are.” She should be offended, shouldn’t she? It was definitely creepy. But that had never been Jordan. “I always wondered what a guy does with one-night-stand panties. I didn’t think the answer was carry them in his pocket for years. Though, I’m grateful you washed them first.”

He didn’t move to take them back, but he also didn’t step away. “It’s not like that. Not exactly.”

“Do tell.”

“You’re not going to believe me.” He sounded resigned.

It nudged her sympathy. “Try me.”

“The morning after... you know, I had this souvenir in my pocket. I’m not an expert—no, really—but they look expensive. I couldn’t bring myself to throw them away. I didn’t know what I was supposed to do with them. They ended up in the laundry, and eventually stuffed into a corner and forgotten about. What was I going to do, give them back?”

It made too much sense.

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