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“Fair enough,” he says while running a hand through his hair. “But keep in mind, Chloe…”
He leans over the desk, his face coming dangerously close to mine.
“When we’re alone…” His voice drops to a husky whisper that makes goosebumps run up my arms. “I will be anything but professional.”
With that, he straightens up and winks at me. This whole friends-with-benefits thing is going to be harder than I thought. I pinch the bridge of my nose and try to organize my thoughts with Parker’s heated words echoing in my head.
“Parker…” I groan.
He holds up his hands as if in surrender. “Don’t worry, Chloe. When we’re on the clock, I’ll be good. Scout’s honor.”
“You weren’t a scout.”
He shrugs. “Details. Anyway, I was actually going to run out to the building and look over some of the units and thought I’d stop by to see if whoever was in charge of the listings wanted to join. Seeing as that’s you, do you want to go on a fieldtrip?”
I fight the urge to roll my eyes at his flippant suggestion, but I can’t deny that it actually makes sense. Seeing the units in person would help me update the listings with even greater precision. Having Parker along wouldn’t be terrible, either, as long as he can keep his promises of professionalism.
“I suppose that would be beneficial,” I say, feigning reluctance. He grins widely in response.
“Wonderful.” Holding out a hand to help me up from my desk chair, he shoots me a wicked grin.
As I stand, grabbing my notebook and pen, I realize that this is it: my first real challenge. Can I really manage to work alongside Parker without letting our personal entanglement get in the way? The thought sends a shiver of anticipation through me.
I hurry to Mr. Holt’s office to let him know I’m heading out with Parker, and I get his grunt of approval. Parker is waiting by the door when I get back, and we make our way out into the warm afternoon and head toward his big, black truck parked nearby.
As we climb into the truck, I can’t help but notice the interior is as tidy as his house. Parker slips on a pair of sunglasses and starts the engine, another grin playing on his lips as he notices my inspection.
“Something wrong with my truck?” he teases as he pulls out onto the road.
“No, it’s just…immaculate,” I answer, trying to keep my voice neutral.
He chuckles at that. “Well, I find it’s easier to keep things shipshape if they never get messy in the first place.”
We drive in comfortable silence for a while, the hum of the engine and the occasional comment about traffic being our only topic of conversation. It feels almost like any regular day, except for the fact that this isn’t a regular day, and certainly not with a regular colleague.
We arrive at the residential block an hour later, and my professional mindset starts to kick in. The building is older, its faded, red brickwork harking back to a different era, giving it an old-world charm that modern buildings often lack. Unfortunately, that probably also means more issues we’ll have to address.
Parker parks the truck, and we both hop out, standing side by side as we take in the building. We split up to start our separate inspections, agreeing to meet back in two hours.
I push open the door of one of the units, and something about its rustic interior reminds me of Parker’s sly grin back at my office. Just like him, this place has an alluring charm that’s hard to ignore.
The next few hours are spent exploring room after room, taking notes on everything from floorplan layouts to plumbing issues. My notebook fills with scribbles and diagrams faster than I’d expected. Not a surprise, but a little daunting, nonetheless.
Before I know it, the two hours have passed, and I find myself walking back down to meet Parker at his truck. As I approach, I see him leaning against the side of the vehicle, his face tilted toward the sun as he flicks through his own notes.
“Find anything interesting?” I ask.
He grins but doesn’t look up from his paperwork.
“Nothing as interesting as you,” he says, making me blush in spite of myself.
I roll my eyes at him, ignoring the fluttering sensation in my stomach. “Parker…”
“I meant professionally,” he amends with a laugh while holding up his hands defensively again.
I can’t help my small grin, but I clear my throat and get us back on track.
“Okay, what are some of the issues you found?” I question. “I’ve got quite a few.”
