We parked in his driveway and my pulse quickened tenfold. I was a wreck. My panties were wet with desire, and my heart was racing on coffee or feelings or both.
It was a cute bungalow tucked back from the street. As soon as I opened my car door, I could hear Harriette barking from inside the house. Layton rolled my suitcase along the concrete, the rattling wheel mimicking the rattle in my lungs.
Lord help me.
“Hey, girl.” He opened the front door and a whirl of fur and licks took us over.
“Harriette, meet Charli. Charli, meet the other woman in my life.”
“So this is who keeps you warm at night?” It was wishful thinking and prodding all rolled into one on my part.
I didn’t want to bring up how much he changed again; I’d already nailed the lid on that issue.
We’d talked about his transformation incessantly over the first few weeks before Layton had finally said, “You changed too, Char. You’re doing your own career thing. Less crazed with appearances. You’re happier, I believe. So am I. Let it go.”
So I did. I’d already spent too many sleepless nights wondering if I didn’t deserve Layton because of my past bitchiness.
“Check your fears and all your bullshit at the door,” Layton had said, and that’s what I was continuing to do, even now.
“She does keep me warm while working, lying at my feet, but there’s only one gal in my bed these days, and she’s never even seen it.”
Oh.
“Come on. Let me get you a glass of water or something and you can relax.”
Relax? I wanted him to jump me.
He pointed out the living space and the kitchen, and led me to a small back patio. There I collapsed onto a lounge chair, more tired than I cared to admit.
“Pellegrino?” Layton called from behind the sliding screen door.
“That would be amazing.”
He reappeared with a tall glass of bubbly water, a lemon wedge floating at the top, and I took a long sip.
“This is glorious.” I sighed, and he sat on the end of the chair and gathered my feet in his lap, slipping my boots off. “That’s even better.”
“Relax,” he told me. “I’m going to walk Harriette around the block so she settles down, and I’ll be right back.”
All I could do was nod, the sun shining on my face, its heat warming my bones. Or was that Layton?
I didn’t know, but I suspected the latter. I felt so good, and within minutes I drifted off.
“Hey, Sleeping Beauty.”
I felt his knuckles brush my cheek and my eyes flickered open. “Wow. I didn’t mean to do that, fall asleep on you.”
“Feel better?”
“Yeah.”
He stared at me for a beat, then two, and then he leaned in and brushed his lips against mine. He was perched on the edge of my lounger, next to my hip, and his eyes were wholly focused on me.
“My breath,” I murmured into his mouth.
“Is fine,” he murmured back before taking advantage of my protest and slipping his tongue inside my mouth.
In one quick move, he leaned over me and released the lounge flat, never moving from my lips. He made sure I didn’t fall suddenly, keeping hold of the back of my neck, guiding me slowly into place before he stretched out on top of me.
