Every Breath You Take (Oasis Book 1) by Kenna Avery Wood Read Free Book Online Page A

pressed into a thin line. But he dragged a hand through his hair. “I’m nothing like him and you know it. I can be patient. I’ll show you.”
    My back touched the wall by the door. “I have a few more things to get to before I leave for the night.”
    “I’ll show you,” he repeated.
    “You do that.”
    His smiled returned, not quite as cocky as before, and he straightened, shoulders relaxing. “Of course. Have a good night, Charlotte.”
    Just like that? It wouldn’t have been that easy with Mark.
    “Good night,” I mumbled. I hurried back to my office and closed the door. I might have to get that glass of wine after all.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

 
     
     
     
    Chapter Four
     
     
    The entire next day, Finn didn’t mention anything about the flowers or his intentions. He talked about work when I saw him, discussed the fundraiser–a masquerade ball–and asked for a report by the end of next week on each community.
    In fact, he said so little to me, I thought he might be angry. Either way, it gave me a day of peace where I could set aside my thoughts and focus on work.
    When I returned to Housing well after six the next day, I stopped in front of my door and felt a flicker of guilt. I hadn’t stopped by Paige’s last night and hadn’t seen her around at all in between.
    I walked to her door and knocked. When I heard loud music booming from within, I knocked harder. After a moment, the volume of the music lowered and she appeared at the door.
    “Charlotte!” Her smile flashed before she yanked me inside the apartment.
    I stumbled in with a laugh, and wrinkled my nose when I smelled something like paint fumes.
    “It’s paint,” Paige said with a nod.
    Her hair was tossed into a haphazard braid that hung to the middle of her back. A splotch of creamy green paint dried on the shoulder of her tank top.
    “Come on,” she said.
    The inside of her apartment looked much like mine, a hallway leading to the bedrooms and an open concept kitchen where you could peer into the living room and see out the tall windows. Her view didn’t stretch west, however, it overlooked the rest of the buildings of Oasis and showcased an impressive bank of storm clouds brewing over the city.
    “Blue or green?” Paige asked, leading me to the master bedroom.
    “You’re painting? I haven’t even had time to unpack everything.”
    “I’m just testing colors.” She gestured to the wall with a patch of blue on it. “It’s technically called Seaside, and that one”–she pointed to the wall with green on it–“Lily Pad. Which is ridiculous to say I painted my bedroom Lily Pad, but it’s pretty, right?”
    “If my feet weren’t killing me, I’d be able to focus.” I pulled off my heels. “How about I go change and grab a bottle of wine and then come back with a clearer head?”
    Paige grinned. “Perfect.”
    As I walked from the room, she called, “Have you eaten dinner?”
    “No.”
    “I’ll order something.”
    I left her apartment, thinking Paige knew her way around here pretty well. I was going to have to pick her brain later, see what worked and what didn’t. Get her take on what could be improved in each community. It wouldn’t hurt to talk to other tenants as well. I needed to start using the facilities, too.
    Even though my feet protested, I made a tentative plan to go to the gym downstairs tomorrow morning.
    When I got to my door, I heard the elevator ding and looked over. Finn exited, smiling when he saw me. His eyes dropped to the heels hanging by my fingertips and then to my bare feet. “I like this look on you. We should change the dress code at work.”
    “Mandatory bare feet? Sounds like a health code infraction.”
    “Infraction,” he said with a smile. “That you can say that with a straight face and bare feet really turns me on.”
    I frowned, which made him smile wider. “Well,” I said, “you being here is an infraction and–”
    “It’s after work hours. I’m not being