Bare (Just This Once 2)

“Griffin?” She places the sculpture down carefully. “What are you doing here?”

I could ask her the same. I didn’t expect her to be here in the middle of the afternoon.

“It’s my assistant’s birthday tomorrow.” I smile in an attempt to put us both at ease. I don’t want the woman to think I’m stalking around Manhattan hot on her trail. This is the second time today that we’ve run into each other unexpectedly. “I didn’t realize you’d be here.”

“I work here now.” Her gaze slides from me to the door. I can’t tell if she’s hoping someone else walks in or not. “I’m here every afternoon.”

I make a mental note to drop in more often.

“Did you say that it’s Joyce’s birthday tomorrow?” She runs her long fingers over a stray strand of her hair.

I watch every move she makes, captivated by how sexy she is, even though it’s obvious she’s not aware of it. I snap myself out of the trance with a shake of my head. “She’s in love with the sketch that I bought; your sketch. I came to buy one for her.”

A small smile settles over her face. “You’re going to give Joyce one of my sketches for her birthday?”

“Show me what you’ve got.” I close the distance between us with several steps.

Her head tilts as she studies me. “I’ll show you the pieces that Bridget has framed. You can pick the one you think Joyce will like best.”

I stare down at her face. All I want is to kiss her. I want to know what those sweet pink lips taste like and the sounds she’ll make when her lips part to let me in.

“I’ll go get those sketches.” She inches back on her heels. “Don’t move. I’ll be right back.”

I nod. I’m sure as hell not going anywhere. There’s no place in the world I’d rather be right now than in this gallery.

Chapter 22

Piper

If I knew that I’d run into Griffin again today, I would have taken an extra five minutes to do something with my hair. I stand out of his view in the office as I attempt to tuck the uncooperative strands back into place atop my head. It’s useless.

I skim my hands over my cheeks to chase away the heated feeling that rushed through me as soon as I turned and saw him.

He looks just as irresistible as he did this morning. The only difference is that he’s lost his tie, unbuttoned the top two buttons of his dress shirt and the shadow of stubble that was on his jaw earlier is gone.

My lungs expand on a deep breath as I pick up the four frames that are sitting on a table in the office. Bridget showed them to me yesterday before I went to the studio for my class. She had helped herself to my sketchpad again and the results were stunning.

Each of the frames contains a sketch that I’d long forgotten about. Two of them are of the same woman. The others are of a man I drew years ago. His back was to me as I sketched every sharp detail of his body.

They all have unique traits that make me adore them and even though I feel a bittersweet twist around my heart at the thought of selling them, I know that it’s a step forward in my career.

“I have these four and there’s one on the portrait wall,” I say as I walk back into the gallery cradling the frames in my arms.

Griffin’s head pops up. His fingers stall on his phone’s screen when he sees me standing a few feet away from him. “Let me help.”

“I’ll put them here.” I motion toward a rectangular table with my elbow. Bridget uses it when she’s cataloging new inventory. It’s also the perfect place for her to sit while she talks about art over a cup of coffee or tea with a potential buyer. I haven’t done that yet since the only thing I’ve sold is one sculpture and that was to the mother of the artist.

I place the frames down carefully, adjusting them until they line up.

Griffin’s gaze sweeps over my face before he studies each sketch. His index finger trails over the bottom of the frames. “I have no idea which one to get.”

I try to contain my smile. I point at one of the drawings of the woman. “If Joyce liked the sketch you have in your office, I think she’d be happy to have this one.”

He crosses his arms over his chest. “She’d be happy to have any of them. Last year on her birthday I got her a ferry ride out to Ellis Island to see the Statue of Liberty and a box of cupcakes.”

I catch his eye. “I’m sure she appreciated it.”

“She didn’t.” He laughs through his response. “The ferry ride was free and the cupcakes were dropped off at the office earlier that day by a client as a thank you to me for a job well done.”