“And the new customers she’s going to pick up from the rec center,” he said.
She nodded. “True. I’m so grateful you encouraged me to submit that proposal to the board.”
“That success was all yours, Kaydee.” He tugged the silverware drawer open and grabbed a fork. “I had nothing to do with it.”
Every time she tried to pay the darn guy a compliment, he rebuffed it. Not this time. “There wouldn’tbeany success if you hadn’t suggested writing the proposal in the first place.”
She hadn’t had a clue where to start. Leo was the one who pointed her in the right direction.
“Still—”
“Stop right there.” She cut him off and gently shoved him toward the table. “Take the thanks and go eat your food.”
He blinked at her for a second before amusement replaced his somber expression. “Yes, ma’am.” He saluted her with his free hand. “Geez, you take a step toward independence and you’re suddenly giving orders.”
“That’s right. You got a problem with that?” Kaydee tried to hold a straight face, but amusement twitched her lips.
“Not at all.” A slow, sexy grin spread across his face. “I’ve got no problem letting a woman in the driver’s seat.”
Awareness zinged through Kaydee’s body, flooding her belly with a boatload of heat. If she hadn’t been sure before, she was sure now. Leo was flirting with her.
Too bad she sucked at flirting. Still, she couldn’t let the opportunity pass without trying. With warmth filling her cheeks, she forced herself to hold his devilish gaze and said the first thing that came to her befuddled mind. “Good to know.”
He must’ve approved, because he gave her a winking nod.
Her pulse hiccuped. She had no idea how to respond to that, so she didn’t. Instead, Kaydee pointed to his plate, and water dripped on the floor from her still-wet hand. “You really should eat before it gets cold again.”
As she grabbed a paper towel and bent to wipe the floor, a thought occurred.
Wasshethe reason he hadn’t scarfed down his food and left yet?
Nah. Couldn’t be.
But when Kaydee straightened, she caught Leo checking out her butt. She drew in a breath. “Are you in here killing time on purpose?”
The sound of laughter and giggles drifted in from the other room.
Leo sat down at the table and winced. “Yeah, because of that.” He motioned toward the living room with his fork. “How long has that been going on?”
Disappointment squeezed Kaydee’s chest. She should’ve known there was a purpose behind his open attention, and it had nothing to do with her. He was spending extra time with her to avoid the couple in the other room.
And that was the other reason for the invisible weight pressing down on her. For months, Ava and her grandfather had been flirting. It was about time they stopped circling each other. Kaydee thought it was cute how they held hands and carried on like teenagers. She also thought Leo would be happy for them. It really sucked to be wrong about that.
“This week,” she finally replied. “Why? Don’t you want them to be happy?”
“Yeah, of course. Trust me, I have no problem with them dating.” He met her gaze, and the amusement-tinged honesty in his blue eyes soothed some of her disquiet. “I just don’t want to walk in on them again when they’re…overjoyingin each other.”
So she hadn’t been wrong about him. But then the rest of the poor guy’s words sank in, and Kaydee’s eyes went wide. “Oh my God. You walked in on them…uh…making out?” She bit her lip, but it didn’t stop her grin.
“Yes.” A grimace rippled across his face. “That image will haunt me the rest of my life.”
She laughed. “Then maybe you need a new image to focus on.”
Dammit. That slipped out without permission.
Leo stilled for a full second before he turned toward her with a sexy, lopsided grin on his face. “Exactly what image do you have in mind, Kaydee?”
A fluttering instantly commenced in her belly. She couldn’t tell if he was just toying with her or serious. Whatever it was, she was too befuddled to say something catchy. “It’s a surprise,” she said, unwilling to show fear. Or stupidity. She’d shown him enough of that tonight.
