The doors parted, and the air of animosity swirled around her. She flinched. Taking a deep breath, she walked through the doors and caught sight of him a moment later. He strode out of the laundry room, masculinity oozing out of him with each step. The anger vanished the moment his gaze locked on hers. A warm smile slid across his lips. Surely, he was trying his best to make her feel at ease, shielding his anger and offering smiles. She would be thankful except she feared his smile more than his anger. The anger kept her at bay, but his smile, she got lost in it, forgot why she needed to stay away. “Hi, thanks so much for this. It means a lot to Annie.” To Annie. What did she expect? A declaration of love? Just because she felt things, emotions and sensations foreign to her, didn’t mean he felt them, too. She looked away from the intensity of his dark eyes. “Of course.” “It means a lot to me too, Val.” Her heart lurched with hope, and her gaze shot to his. Breathless, she attempted to tamp down her emotions.
