It moved her that he’d brought her flowers. “Oh, wow. They’re so pretty.”
“They smell good too.” He stared at her so long without saying anything, she wondered if she’d missed part of the conversation.
“Reggie?”
“You’re beautiful.”
She flushed. “Well, not half as much as you. Who knew you cleaned up so nice?”
He chuckled. Then he leaned close and kissed her softly on the cheek. The scent of his cologne made her dizzy. And hot. Very, veryhot.
Maggie darted from him to the kitchen to find a vase for the flowers. “Come on back. What do you want to drink?”
“I’ll get it. You look busy.”
She smiled over her shoulder at him before turning back to the cabinets. Shoot. The vase wasn’t on the lower shelf, as she’d assumed. She’d forgotten that she’d had Benny move it for her last week to make more room for things she actually used. She reached up on tiptoe but still couldn’t reach it. Before she could turn to grab her step stool, a large body brushed against her back.
“That what you want? Way up top?”
She felt him everywhere. The press of him sent waves of desire crashing through her. “Um, yeah. The blue glass one.”
He leaned closer, and she had to close her eyes to focus on not turning and just kissing him. Once again jumping the poor guy in the kitchen.What is wrong with me?
He eased back and placed the vase on the counter.
“Thanks.” She sounded way too breathy.
His low chuckle told her he might have been teasing her on purpose. But when she turned around, she saw an innocent smile before he fetched himself a lemonade. “What do you want?”
You. Naked. Now.
“Lemonade works for me too.”
He took their glasses to the table she’d set. After she put the flowers in the vase, opting to get Doug to help her rearrange them the following day, she took the vase to the center of the table. Then she lit a pair of tapered candles.
She saw Reggie watching her. “What do you think? It’s a table set for grown-ups.” She winked at him. “You sure you don’t want anything harder than lemonade?”
“I’m good. I met the guys for some beers earlier today. I’m not a big drinker anyway, so I hit my limit.”
She nodded. “Sounds good. Now if you would just—”
“Hold it. I realize I’m a guest, but no way am I going to sit and watch while you try to balance hot dishes with one arm.”
“I was going to ask if you’d help me get the food from the oven.”
“Oh.” He looked embarrassed. “Okay then.”
The dinner was perfect. The chicken tender and flavorful, the potatoes and green beans melt-in-your-mouth amazing. The salad was crisp, and the bread added just the right touch.
Reggie finished off his chicken and was steadily working his way through the rest of the plate. “So good.I don’t know how you’re not eight hundred pounds, eating like this all the time.”
“Trust me. This is a first. Everything cooked the way I wanted it. That never happens. And to be honest, I bought the bread.”
“But you heated it up and put that herb butter on it. That’s amazing. I’m going to have to try that at home.”
It was important to her that he like the meal, and she treasured his compliments.
“I have dessert too.”
