Today was turning into hell. And it wasn't even noon yet.

"Sloane, the truck is out back with the fabric samples!" Allison, my assistant yells from my office doorway.

I wave a hand in her direction but don't look up for the sketch of Mr. Davis' living room. This guy was the biggest asshole I've worked with to date and I think his sole purpose life is to make my miserable. Trust me, he was doing a great job.

Every single patter, fabric, paint color, rug he turned down. He had told me when we had our first meeting that he wanted to do something simple and elegant but everything I showed him wasn't what he was looking for. He kept saying it wasn't ‘right'.

If this guy wants right, I'm going to end up cramming it down his throat.

"Truck! Outside! Now!" Allison yells again.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." I sign and put the sketch pad away from me.

The California heat is making the hair stick to my neck and it's at times like these that I miss Rhode Island's cooler summers.

"Alright, show me what you got." I groan out as I climb into the truck. I hate that this vendor doesn't have a local warehouse for me to check out. God damn you, Davis. I will kill you.

Since he wasn't happy with anything I had showed him, he brought me a magazine with a couch that was ‘exactly' what he wanted. And of course it was from a small company that was only in Georgia. And of course, I'd have to have the samples sent overnight to look at them.

I surveyed the fabric rolls mounted on the walls of the truck. They looked nothing like the picture in the magazine. He's going to hate all of them.

I turn to look at Allison and I can see it in her eyes. She knows he's going to hate this.

"He's going to yell, isn't he?" She asks, eyes widening as she looks at the fabric in front of us.

I nod. "Yes. Yes, he is."

That mean old man was going to be here any minute and he's going to have a shit fit when he sees all this. The colors are wrong, the texture is wrong, the style is wrong. It all needs to go back. But I'll be damned if he thinks I'm not adding this to his total. It cost me almost two grand, out of my own pocket to have this truck driven overnight. That is no easy task.

"Alright, here's what we're going to do," I pull my hair into a ponytail. "We're going to show it to him and if he gets pissed, which he will, and then we'll bend over and take it up the ass." I grin at her.

Her face breaks into a bright smile and she starts laughing. "That man is the devil."

"I know that but a client, is a client." I put my hands on my hips. "Go back inside so there's someone there to greet him when he gets here."

She mocks salutes me and jumps down from the truck before heading inside.

Three hours later I collapse into the chair behind my desk. "That man needs to be committed."

Allison giggles. "At least we didn't lose money on the truck."

I grin and shake my head. That man actually liked everything in the truck. I was in shock when he saw everything and actually smiled. It was the first time he had smiled the entire month and a half we had be working together.

She turns her head to the doorway when the bell for the front door rings. "I'll get it."

I nod as she walks from my office. All I want after today is to climb into a bath with a glass of wine. It's my idea of heaven and as I slide my shoes off my feet, I've decided today is date night with my bathtub.

"You have a gift."

I look up to see Allison walk back into the room carrying a bouquet of flowers. Lilies and sunflowers to be exact. I smile and sit up a little straighter in my chair.

"Open the card." She hurries me as I just look at them, goofy smile on my face.

I reach out and pull the card out of the holder.

I really wish I could be there to ask you this face to face but I'm hoping you won't hold that against me. What do you say to us making our casual thing exclusive? You and me.

I'll call you later,

J

I chew on my bottom lip as I re-read the card. It had been three weeks since we finished all the work at Justin's house. We've been out several times and each time I find myself liking him more and more. I know we hadn't talked about what we were doing but I'm not stupid. It wasn't a serious thing. So to get this card is a little surprising. A good surprise. But a surprise none the less.

"Oh God." Allison rolled her eyes. "They're from Justin aren't they?"

I look up at her. "Yes."

"I'm outta here." She smiles before leaving the room. "The amount of giddiness is making me sick."

I'm itching to reach out and all him but he's in New York on business and I don't want to interrupt whatever he's doing.

I look at the clock and realize that I'll be heading home in a few hours and he'll be calling shorting afterwards. It never fails when he's away. I get home right at five and he calls at 5:15. Just enough time for me to change out of my works clothes and heels.

~~

Right on time. I smile when I see Justin's phone number flash on the caller ID.

"Hello?" I can't stop smiling.

"Hello." He draws out and I know he's smiling too.

"How are you?" I sink into my couch, completely relaxed for the first time all day.

"Good. How was your day?" I hear a car door shut through his end. "That crabby old guy flip out today?"

"Nope. That old guy actually liked everything. So, he was happy and I didn't waste money. Good day all around."

He chuckles. "That's good to hear. Cause I'd really hate to have to send Trace to take out some old guy for giving you a hard time."

I laugh. "Much as I adore Trace, he'd lose to this guy."

"I'm going to tell him you said that." He laughs. "So....anything else happen today?"

I grin and stretch out on the couch. "Well, I did get some flowers today from this guy."

"Yea? That guy know you have a boyfriend?"

My breathing picks up at that word alone. He's such an arrogant asshole sometimes. But I love it. "I don't have a boyfriend."

"No? I thought you did."

I shake my head, biting my bottom lip. "Nope. No boyfriend for me."

"Hmmm. I don't know how I could be wrong then."

I start to respond but was interrupted by a knock on my door. "Shit. Hang on. There's someone at my door."

"Sure."

I pull myself off the couch and walk across the house to the front door. I pull it open and my jaw drops in shock when I see Justin standing there, phone to his ear.

"No boyfriend?" He grins, cocking his head to the side.

"What are you doing here?" I can't believe he's here right now. He's supposed to be in New York through the end of next week.

He reaches out and pulls the phone from my hand, turning it off. He slides his own into his pocket. "I finished up what I had to and left the rest to Trace."

"But...I thought..."

He steps closer and smiles at me. "I left because I was done."

I nod but can't find anything to say. I'm in shock that he's here. I know his work is important to him and he's going a lot going on with the new fall lining finishing up. Fashion week is next month and it's going to be a big thing for him and Trace.

"Did you like the flowers?" He smiles softly as he tucks a piece of hair behind my ear.

I look up at him, his eyes a bright blue. "Yes. Thank you." I return the smile.

"You never did answer my question."

I swallow. "For real? No one else. No hiding."

"I haven't hid you yet have I?"

I shake my head and glance down. He hasn't. We've been photographed together a few times, mostly while I was working for him but I was quickly labeled ‘the mystery woman' in his life."

"Sloane. I'm serious here." He traces my check with his fingertips.

"Ok. You and me."

A smile slowly takes over his features. "You and me." He takes another step closer, cupping my check.

"I'm glad you're back." I say softly just before he leans down and kisses me.