Chapter 6
Isa sat in front of her computer in Eli’s dining room-slash-living room, staring over the laptop’s screen at the blustery day beyond, her thoughts circling one undeniable fact.
Tomorrow night was a bad idea.
When she’d invited Eli, she’d thought she had the arm candy part handled, but as the days lurched on and they circled each other at a distance, she’d begun to lose her nerve.
Not that she could un-ask him. That would be rude. He might be A-okay with eschewing common decency in his world, but in hers there were rules and one was: don’t renege an invitation. Plus, she needed him.
To thwart Josh, to be present and impress the suits. Lord knew she could use an “in,” and “I’m sure you’ve heard of the Cranes” seemed as good an intro as any.
The tailor had brought the altered tux back yesterday and Eli had disappeared into the back bedroom to make sure it fit. Isa chatted with the man—or tried, as he wasn’t much of a conversationalist—before Eli opened the bedroom door and bellowed he was “good to go” with the tuxedo.
He hadn’t shown a single inch of himself wearing the suit—not even a peek of an elbow at the doorway, and Isa had been watching closely. She did know he was wearing a white shirt with a black bow tie and the kerchief in his jacket pocket was going to be bright, almost hot pink to match her dress. The tailor had taken an inch off the length of the skirt and had fashioned some of the material into a matching kerchief. Short skirts were her signature, and she planned on showing up at the banquet dressed to impress.
Eli hadn’t asked for further details and she hadn’t offered, like both of them were choosing to ignore the fact they had a date at all. Which seemed safer considering ignoring the date and the matching-kerchief-to-dress also meant not bringing up the kiss that was so long ago it was beginning to feel like a mirage.
She’d commissioned a webmaster for the Refurbs for Vets website, and Eli had done the work for this week’s board of directors meeting, handing over the notes so Isa could call in and be present in his place.
By five-thirty, she was finished with her work for the week, and there was nothing to do save for leaving. Just get up. Grab her jacket and go…
But she should say something to him first, right? Since they would see each other in a little over twenty-four hours and need to play the part of a couple who at the very least liked each other. A lot.
Surely she knew him well enough to have a drink with him at a fancy party. Did he drink?
Sigh.
Well, she knew he was vegetarian. Who ate seafood. That had a name, but she’d forgotten what it was. Presbyterian? Something like that. Isa chewed on the side of her finger for a few seconds before noticing and stopping. No need to ruin her manicure over the man.
She pushed away from the dining room table and stalled by packing her laptop, planner, and the rest of her office implements into her Kate Spade tote. Then she mentally pulled on her big girl panties and walked to Eli’s office. No sense in acting like the girl who’d been asked to prom for the first time. It was a business arrangement, for goodness’ sake.
With a guy whose kiss sears like a brand.
Before she breached the door, she started speaking, determined to say her goodbyes and leave with as little awkwardness as possible.
“That last e-mail marked the end of—” She cut herself off when she barged into his office to find his cell phone to his ear. He raised one finger into the air to signal her to wait a moment.
“Uh-huh,” he said into the phone, casting her a glare.
She mouthed the word sorry because, Seriously, Isa, rookie move!
“How much?” he asked the caller, grabbing a pen to jot down the answer on a yellow legal pad.
While he wrote the figure, she followed the line of his strong forearm, dusted with dark hair, up to impressive biceps, and a rounded shoulder, every inch of his arm decorated in a myriad of tattoos. She allowed her gaze to trickle along his mussed hair, neatly trimmed facial hair, and down the thick column of his neck. Dark whorls of hair sat at the very edge of his V-neck T-shirt, and a memory of the way he’d looked out of it stung her brain like the snap of a rubber band.
Rippling abs and strong pecs, glistening with sweat as his chest expanded to take in oxygen…
“Earth to Sable,” interrupted a silky, deep voice.
She blinked and noticed he’d put the phone down, his expression bordering on confusion.
“Sorry. I’m…tired.”
And hopelessly attracted to a Marine with a beard and a complicated reasoning system.
“I came in to tell you I’m done for the day. I forwarded you a few questions I couldn’t answer for the webmaster. Aesthetic stuff. He is asking whether you want this color or that, this font or that.” Isa threw a hand, feeling more uncomfortable the more she talked but unable to stop.
Working with Eli was one thing, but the idea of being at his side, her arm in his, introducing him to her parents…She probably should broach that topic, but the more intensely he watched her, the more she lost her nerve.