Page 26 of The Maverick
VANESSA
I placedmy water pitcher down and walked over to peek through the peephole.
“Hi, Adam.” I opened the door and smiled at my studio neighbor.
“I saw the light on and knew you were working. Want to go out to lunch?”Adam grinned, running a hand through his mop of messy blond hair.
He’d asked me out twice, but I’d declined. I didn’t have the energy to start a relationship. My experience with Emmanuel had forced me to take a break from trusting men.
But you trust Attikus.
He was different. We werein business together, not a personal relationship.
“Sorry, I need to work on a painting.” I glanced over my shoulder. “I’m behind on my work.”
“Well, you gotta eat to continue, right?” He tucked his hands into his jean pockets.
“I can’t.”
He smirked. “Why not?”
“Because she has a date with her fiancé.” Attikus’s voice cut through the space, dismantling whatever Adam had planned.
Adam straightened, looking uncomfortable. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know Nessa was engaged.”
“Just recently.” I smiled.
“Now you know.” Attikus used his cane, ushering Adam aside to make room for him. “You can leave now.”
Adam stared at the cane, then looked up at Attikus before turning his gaze on me. “Have a good day.”
I closed the door as Attikus entered my studio and stared at him. “What are you doing here?”
“Trying to show the world that we’re in a relationship by taking my fiancée out to lunch.” He glanced around my studio. “And I’d like to know what my fiancée does during the day.”
He walked over and stared at several of my paintings I hadn’t brought out to the gallery.
“Perhaps next time you should give me a heads up that you’re coming.”
“I did. I texted you.”
With furrowed eyebrows, I walked over to my phone on the desk and glanced at his text.
Attikus:I’m heading over. Let’s go to lunch.
He’d sent it five minutes ago, probably when he pulled into a parking spot.
I narrowed my eyes. “People usually give me a few hours’ notice—if not days—when they want to have lunch with me. But then again, you didn’t ask.”
“I’m not most people.” He lifted a shoulder. “I rearranged my schedule to have lunch with my fiancée. And I assume she would drop everything to accommodate me. Why? Because we are inlove.”
He emphasized it with an expression that made me want to slap and kiss him.
Kiss him?Where did that ridiculous idea come from?
The dream about him flashed across my mind, and my body betrayed me. The powerful sensations from last night surfaced, making me remembereverything.
It was only a dream. Get over it.
