“Ah, yeah. I have some nice steaks laid out. Salad, some veggies. You’re not off meat or anything are you?” He looked her over. She was so small.
With a laugh, she shook her head. “Nope. I eat healthy most of the time, but I’m a sucker for Riley’s cookies.”
“I heard she opened a bakery a few years back. She always did make the best brownies.”
“I know.” She continued holding his hand through their short walk, and even into the house.
It tempted him, the thought of coming home to Ann—no, not Ann,some faceless woman—and their house. Of seeing his wife with child, a little boy like Josh. More and more he’d been having thoughts of settling down, but it hadn’t hit him until he’d seen Ann again how much he wanted to make that a reality.
Oh boy. Not great thoughts to be having about an ex-girlfriend who pulled his trigger faster than he could say boo.
“Can I take your coat?”
She nodded, and he slid her down vest off her shoulders, encouraged when she smiled at him. After hanging up their coats, he couldn’t hold back any longer.
He stepped right up to her, cupped her face and kissed her.
She seemed to melt into him, and like that, he was hard and ready for her. Dinner could wait. Talk could come later. He needed hernow.
Except hadn’t that been his problem all those years ago? Not seeing to his girl the way she needed to be taken care of? Hell, he’d been seventeen and she’d gotten him so hot so fast. But he’d come a long way.Not that you could prove it by devouring her two seconds in the door.He reluctantly pulled back and caressed her cheek.
He deepened his voice to embellish his seduction. “Welcome to my parlor.”
She grinned. “Well done.”
“Yeah, well, we kiss any longer and I will be well done.” To his satisfaction, she blushed when she noted the bulge behind his jeans. “That’s all for you, Ann.”
“Geez, Jack. You’re such a classy guy.” She moved deeper into the house. “Nice place Dan and Julie have.”
A two-story Craftsman with twenty-four hundred square feet. Julie had decorated the place in an eclectic style chosen for comfort more than style, or so she’d said. It worked for Jack on every level. Then again, he’d be happy sitting on a piece of cardboard if he had a TV the size of Dan’s. Time to stop dragging his feet and get his own place. He couldn’t live with his brother forever.
“I visited years back, when they were engaged. Didn’t see you then.” He’d wondered if he might, even then.
“When was that?”
“Hmm, back in the winter, when Bend had that big storm seven years ago.”
“Oh right. That was the Christmas break I went with Maya and Riley to Cancun. We had a blast.”
“I’ll bet.” He could just imagine the three sexy young women in Mexico strutting around in bikinis. A treat for any guy with a pulse. “So, what do your friends think of you going out with me?” Why he asked that particular question, he had no idea. Anything to keep his mind off the image of Ann in a tiny bathing suit though. His dick felt hard enough to break off. Not a great way to show restraint.
She grimaced. “Maya thinks I’m an idiot. She doesn’t like you.”
“Yeah, I got that impression the other day in the grocery store.”
“Riley’s reserving judgment.”
“I always liked Riley.”
She snorted. “You and every other guy.”
“Hey, I’m human. It would be a sin not to look at any of you. The funny, smart redhead, the sexy Amazon with attitude and the hot chick who can cook like a dream.” Even back in high school Riley had had a reputation for being a genius in the kitchen. Maya, though gorgeous, radiated hostility to anything resembling authority. And Ann—
“Why are they sexy and hot, and I’m funny and smart?” She looked annoyed. His fairy queen’s grimace was just too cute, but he knew she’d get pissed if he mentioned he had a thing for making her angry, just to see her expression.
“Well, if I’d said hot, I’d be insulting your feminist side demanding I acknowledge you as something other than your looks. I’m trying to tell you I was first drawn to you by your intelligence and humor.”
“Oh.” She sounded disappointed.
