Page 17 of Give & Take
But someone who takes great pleasure in seeing things run efficiently.
“Okay,” I say, sighing. “Sendher in.”
Nova hedges, holding her clipboard against her chest. “It’s…not a her.”
I frown. Then I glance out the frosted door to the porch, where a tall figure walks by, apparently pacing.
A tall, broad-shouldered figure with a silhouette of thick dark hair.
My stomach bottoms out. I scramble to my feet. “No.”
“Mom, stay calm,” Nova says, holding her clipboard in front of her like I’m some kind of wild animal.
“Nova.” My voice is in a lethally low whisper. “What. The.Hel…” I catch myself. “What theheckis that man doing on my porch?”
“Mom, Raph is amazing.”
“Raph? You call him Raph now?” I cry out.
The figure stops pacing.
Panic crawls up my chest, bouncing around like a smoking hot rubber ball.
“You have to give him a chance.”
“Hell no! I mean, heck no!”
Heck does not carry the gravitas I need. Thismanmakes me feel like everything I assumed to be true has turned upside down. Worse, he makes me feel things I’ve worked very hard not to feel. Sensations in my body, for example. Heat. Jittery, flickering nerves. An inexplicable and entirely unwelcome magnetic pull when those whiskey eyes land on mine.
I stride to the front door, the ball inside of me pinging like a live bat. My whole body’s suddenly pumping with adrenaline; an unfortunate reaction I’ve learned I have to the person outside.
When I bang the door open, Raphael jumps to attention.
And unfortunately, my body freezes. It refuses to cooperate with my brain, which is screaming at me to tell this man off and slam the door again. My brain says,How can he possibly think I’d hire him for an actual real job looking after my kids? One that would involve himliving above my garage?
But my body remembers. All it does is see him, and instantly that live-wire feeling he gave me when we so briefly touched the other day is reignited.
Raphael is wearing those goddamned snug jeans he wore yesterday, which somehow, exude just as much raw sex appeal as his bare skin did yesterday. But on top, he’s got on a white button-down shirt, and a tie. His unruly, slightly over-long dark hair is combed neatly, and he’s freshly shaved.
And he smells like goddamned cedar wood.
I honestly feel like my knees are going to give. For a moment, I’m scared more than anything else. I read a lot of romance. I thought what those authors describe was strictly fantasy. Either that or I was dead inside. But this instant, full-body attraction to the absoluteworstperson to be attracted to, is terrifying. I can’t stand being out of control like this.
So I won’t be.
My brain finally kicks in again, and I shove the bodily reaction hard to the side, like I’m playing roller derby and my feelings are my arch enemy. Which they are. It works well enough for me to find myvoice again.
“You werenoton my list,” I say calmly. “I didn’t call you for an interview.”
Raph holds his hands up. “I know. But hear me out. I’m the best person for the job. Hands down.”
I turn on my heel. “Goodbye, Raphael.”
“Hey, you said my name!”
I grit my teeth, my hand on the door handle. Are my hands trembling? I will them to still.
But Nova’s on the other side, her feet braced, both hands on the inside handle.
