A carpenter and an artist—what could be hotter? A sudden surge of desire produced a gentle ache in her core. The constant twinges of awareness he generated were addictively delicious, but dangerous.
“This is what I’ve worked out.” He presented two separate drawings: one for the three-piece armoire unit, and one for the conversion of the existing closet. “I know you preferred a stand-alone armoire, but this wall unit maximizes storage. I can make the front look like custom furniture, but this is the only way to create enough storage for all your stuff.” When he grinned at her, her insides melted. “You needed lots of hanging space, so I’ve dedicated this entire unit to hanging rods, with the exception of some shelving at the top for out-of-season things.”
Hank kept describing the details, but she’d become too mesmerized by his enthusiasm—and watching his lips move—to hear the rest of his explanation.
“It’s wonderful.” Cat scrutinized the detailed drawings more closely to discover how carefully he’d considered her needs. “What about the exterior?” She pointed at another pile of drawings on the corner of the table. “Can I see your vision for that?”
“I kept the basic design simple with a slight curve to the bench seat unit beneath the window. You could go a few different ways.” He spread out the various sketches for her to view. “We could build the front frame and doors from bird’s-eye maple to match your existing furniture. Or you might prefer a basic maple, or something richer, like cherry. Either way, we could insert some kind of mottled glass or mirrors in the face of the doors to add more light in the space. Mirrors would be practical, too.”
Hank stared at her as if watching for her approval. His plans exceeded her expectations, and she’d never been a slouch when it came to setting high expectations. When she rose up on her toes to kiss his cheek in appreciation, he immediately flushed. His reaction to her touch made her entire body tingle. She burned for him to hold her, kiss her, take her—anything to relieve her sexual frustration.
“I’m speechless, Hank. It’s beautiful and practical.” She reluctantly withdrew and studied the drawings more closely. “I like this best.” She pushed her favorite image, one with narrow, full-length mirrors, toward him.
“Okay.”
She liked his boyish grin almost as much as she liked the fact she put it there.
He collected all the drawings and rolled them together before sitting in front of the computer. “I bookmarked a few pages of wood samples from nearby suppliers. The maple in your bed had heavy eye, but in a unit of this size, it might get too busy.”
Cat leaned over Hank’s shoulder as he opened the laptop and clicked through various images from the different vendors. Suddenly, concentrating on anything other than his musky scent became an impossible task.
The heat radiating from his skin warmed her cheek, but he seemed unaffected by her presence as he toggled through various websites. Yet as she brushed against him to take a closer look at the screen, his quick intake of air proved—thankfully—that he, too, felt an electric attraction.
“It’s a little overwhelming.” She kept her cheek within inches of his. “Which would you choose?”
Hank kept staring at the screen. If only he’d turn toward her, their lips would practically touch. Even as Cat scolded herself for her own immaturity, she longed for him to share her desire.
“This one would be beautiful,” he finally said, his voice huskier than earlier.
Jackson popped his head through the conference room door, causing Cat to straighten up.
“I’m off.” He smiled at Cat and then slid his gaze to Hank. “Sure I can’t convince you to take me up on my offer?”
“No need, brother,” Cat interjected. “I’m taking Hank to dinner as a thank-you for his thoughtful work, and for graciously agreeing to do it for me.”
She wanted to thank him. But more importantly, his magnificent designs reaffirmed her intention to press for a business partnership. Hank clearly loved the work, and she desperately needed a new direction in her life. A challenging goal, but more importantly, a unique one. Something that stood out, something special and unlike the products models typically licensed.
She needed Hank to make it happen. To give her a chance to walk away from modeling before she was shoved out. And, she admitted to only herself, to give her something other than a child to nurture.
Surely he must want autonomy, too. This idea would be a win-win.
“Like I always say, he’s the best I’ve got.” Jackson flashed Hank a contrite look. “Forget about the Caines. I’ll supervise Doug more closely over there.”