Already the lust she felt for him had transformed into a desire mixed with warmth and respect. As much as she didn’t want another relationship like the one she’d had with Cody, she had some kind of “ship” with Smith, and they both knew it.
But how to handle him when he turned awkward or sweet and gentle? When he acted human?
“You are killing me, Smith Ramsey.” If only he’d remain an arrogant blowhard. But even that aspect of the man hid something precious, a need for affection she was dying to give.
She kept holding clothing up to the bathroom mirror, stepping back to get the right angle to see herself, when someone pounded on her door. Crap. She tossed on her only robe—in baby blue cotton it reached her midthigh—over her bra and panties and looked through her peephole.
She opened it and dragged Smith inside. “You’re early.”
“You’re late.” He looked over her with an appreciative grin. “Not that I mind, but you might want to get dressed before we go over. Reid will like the outfit, but Naomi might get jealous.”
“Just… Hold on.” She hurried into the bathroom and grabbed the two outfits she’d narrowed her choice down to. “I’m going to wear jeans. But with this shirt or this one?” She held them both out for his inspection.
He looked baffled. “It’s just a top. Who cares?” His look turned sly. “But I’ll help you pick out a bra. Or, you know, you could go without.”
“Choose.” She shook the shirts at him.
He shrugged. “The sweatshirt.”
She gasped. “It’s not a sweatshirt. It’s a pullover.”
“Jesus. Fine. The Tee-shirt, then.”
“It’s a blouse,” she corrected.
He groaned. “I’ll be at my place, waiting. When you’re dressed and ready to go, or naked is fine by me too, come on over. We’ll go in my truck.” He stalked to her, gave her a quick kiss on the lips, then left.
Breathless, she stared after her closing door.“Be his friend,”Tilly had said. But Smith didn’t feel anything so casual as a friend. Yet if not that, then what was he?
After a few minutes, she chose the pullover and dressed for casual comfort. Minimal makeup, cute earrings, and a spritz of perfume she’d picked up for herself the other day—she’d tossed the perfumes Cody had once bought her.
She knocked on Smith’s door. It opened right away, and she shoved the plate of lemon meltaways at him. “We’re bringing this. Here.”
He looked down at the plate, puzzled. “Reid said not to bring anything.”
She snorted. “Please. I go to someone’s house for dinner, I always bring something. It’s only polite to bring a dish or wine.” She frowned. “Darn it. I should have picked up a bottle.”
He blinked at her, as if having discovered a new species, and grabbed his keys. After locking up, he drove them a short distance toward Naomi and Reid’s house, also in Greenwood, but more toward Green Lake. After giving her a brief background about Reid—former Marine and genius behind a desk—and Naomi—PR guru and successful boss of her own company, he had thoroughly intimidated her. Though she tried not to show it.
“Don’t worry about anything,” he told her. “They say anything that pisses you off, we’re outta there. And Naomi isn’t a bad cook, so I hear. But she does have a thing about chocolate.” He grimaced. “If you don’t want to eat something, just pretend you like it, choke down a bite, then shove it around on your plate to look like you ate some.”
His instructions amused her. At first. But she heard his buried nerves and felt his unease. This had to be so hard for him, learning how to deal with family he’d never known existed. And knowing him, as she did, she could see how his abrupt attitude might put others off.
She put a hand over his knee. He tensed all over. In a soft voice, she said, “It’ll be fine. I have you with me, don’t I? We’ll be okay.”
He sighed. “I sound stupid, don’t I?”
“Not at all. Being social isn’t easy for a lot of people. I don’t mind it, but then, I never have to see these people again. You do.”
He shot her an odd look, but they’d pulled to a stop in front of a cute Craftsman-style house Erin would have loved to call home. It had a small though well-tended front yard, a driveway and unattached one-car garage, and a dark plum color with white shutters and a wood porch bracketed by potted evergreens.
“Wow, this is so cute.” She studied him, aware of his frown and stiffness.
“Well, we’re here. Let’s get this over with.”
From the way he spoke, she expected Reid and an ogre of a girlfriend.
She encountered something very different.
