She looked up from the gray towels she was petting. She’d probably call them moody windstorm or something equally weird, because apparently there were ten billion colors outside of the color wheel.
“Like what?”
He got distracted by her pretty eyes for just a moment but cut himself some slack based on his shopping-related foot pain.A man can withstand only so much.
“Like the world might end if we don’t buy absolutely everything we see?”
Grace picked up the towel. “Don’t be a wimp. I warned you.”
He leaned on the display, enjoying the softness of those towels under his arm. These got his vote; he didn’t know why she looked uncertain. “You said you were going to Julia Roberts my creditcard. I thought you were going to buy a bunch of sexy outfits, some big hats, and chocolate-dipped strawberries.”
Her jaw dropped, bringing his gaze to her lips. Her plump lower lip, in particular. “Someone knows theirPretty Womanfacts.”
Oops.“That stays between us.” He blamed the shopping for lowering his defenses.
Tipping her head to one side, she picked up more of the towels. “We’ll see.”
Just like that, his mood notched up. Poking her in the shoulder, he grinned. “What’s it going to take?”
Grace set the towels into the cart she’d grabbed—leading him to believe there were a lot more items to purchase—then“tsk”ed him. “You call yourself a negotiator? You folded.” She snapped. “Like a twig.”
Leaning his forearms on the cart, he pushed it forward, side-eyeing her. “I disagree. That’s not folding. It’s luring you in.”
Falling into step beside him, she continued to browse, and for a minute he felt like they were a couple setting up house together. Something he’d never imagined doing with anyone. Giving it a second of thought now, he realized, everything she’d picked,so far, worked for him. Would they be compatible in other areas?One, for sure.But there were already others. This woman was special and if he couldn’t take ittherewith her, he wanted something else.Damn, Noah Jansen. Did you just grow up and decide to really be friends with a woman?
“You’re easy prey, Jansen. You think you know me,” she said.
Always look for the opening.His father’s words rang in his ears. He shrugged off the smidge of guilt for applying it to this moment. “Let’s change that.”
“What do you suggest?” She stopped in bedding.
“Every time we agree on something for the house, we take turns asking each other questions. Every time we disagree, we take turns sharing a secret no one else knows.”
Grace turned away from the comforters and stepped closer, tilting her head back. “What’s your game?”
It took actual effort not to brush the wisps of hair off of her forehead. “No game. I want to know you, Grace. Stranger, I want you to know me.”
She looked around, leaned in a touch farther. “You really think we can make this friend thing work?” She whispered it like they were conspiring.
He played along, glancing around, then giving her a wide-eyed nod. “I do.”
Her nose scrunched up. “Friends bring ice cream at any hour. Day or night.”
He wanted to laugh but didn’t. “Done.” Ignoring the couple walking past them, he took a turn. “Friends ask each other for help when they need it.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Okay. Friends hang out, have fun together. They go places together.”
“We’re out right now.” It seemed important to point that out.
“We’re working. That’s different.”
It was no hardship to spend time with her. “Anytime. We can go grab lunch and a beer right this second,” he said.
“It’s ten o’clock. You’re such a wimp.”
“Only when it comes to shopping. I promise.”
Grace stepped back and he missed the feel of her standing close. He shouldn’t, but as long as he didn’t act on it, things would be fine.
