Perfect Partners by Carly Phillips Page A

work?
    She closed the tablet and placed it on the cushion beside her. “Not a problem. How could I begrudge a dirty man a shower?”
    “Feeding Alix is an experience,” he said, laughing.
    Laughing? In the time since the hearing, Chelsie couldn’t recall Griff treating her to a simple smile.
    He ran his fingers through still damp hair as he entered the room, coming up beside her. She’d always thought him good looking, despite his brooding intensity. Now a relaxed grin transformed him into a different man. A small scar near his left eye crinkled when he smiled. Deep grooves surrounded dimples she’d never realized he possessed. She assumed that the last month or so of grief and sleepless nights had taken its toll, but instead of aging him, the lines gave his face character. The effect was devastating.
    She sucked in a deep breath and prayed for the strength to survive the coming months. “Yes, well, mealtime might be easier if you asserted some authority instead of allowing Alix to manipulate you.” She tempered the lecture with a smile and a laugh of her own. After all, she’d done her own share of allowing the little girl to have her way. Looking at that lopsided grin and mop of curls, Chelsie could almost see her sister. She lost her heart every time.
    “Manipulate? I don’t”—he shook his head—“yes, I do. But I pay for it, believe me. My clothes were covered with food.”
    She chuckled. “Might be easier, not to mention cleaner, to feed her with nothing on.” A flush heated her cheeks and she rolled her eyes in embarrassment. “I can’t believe I just said that.”
    “Neither can I, but I’ll take it under advisement.”
    Having already let her mind wander in that direction, visions of him naked came much faster this time. She was certain he’d be magnificent in the nude, and just as certain she had no intention of finding out.
    These wayward thoughts didn’t bode well for her handling of their time together. She needed to gain some control of herself. “Sorry. I tend to speak my mind.” She shrugged, determined to forge ahead, regardless of her big mouth.
    “I noticed.” He smiled again. “Mind if I join you?” He gestured to the beige couch and nodded, sliding her tablet onto the stone cocktail table before her.
    “What made you change your mind?” His penetrating gaze assessed her, and she struggled not to fidget under his scrutiny. After all, she’d set herself up for this and had to see it through.
    “You didn’t just drop in for the hell of it?” he asked, suddenly wary.
    “No, but we do have to work out the details and you’ve just pinpointed one major flaw.”
    “What?”
    “Your blatant and undisguised distrust of everything I do or say.” She sighed and leaned on an armrest. “Look, I’m not asking for your complete faith. After that hearing, I understand your position. But this is your idea, so you must think I have some positive qualities or you wouldn’t want me around Alix. Am I right so far?”
    “So far you’re on your way to one hell of an opening argument, counselor. Go on.”
    “All I’m asking is that you reserve judgment. Let my actions speak for themselves without your coloring them with preconceived notions that may or may not be correct.” Chelsie grinned. “And for the record, they probably aren’t.”
    “We’ll see.” His lips twitched as he tried to suppress a laugh, letting her know she’d made progress.
    “Good. So for the duration, no more jumping to negative conclusions and unwarranted assumptions. Agreed?” she asked.
    “Agreed. What else?”
    “Watch it, counselor. I might begin to think you’re easy.”
    His eyes focused on her lips. “As I said, we’ll see.”
    Flustered by his double meaning and wanting what she could not let herself have, she rushed on. “I’ll give you all my free time.” It was the best she could offer and up to Griff whether or not her offer was enough.
    *     *     *
    Griff smiled, pleased