The driver’s-side door opened on the white truck. A man with long dark hair and a goatee flicked his crystal-blue eyes up at me before joining the others at the tailgate. When another man popped out from the passenger side, my heart quickened and my thoughts derailed.
Of all people, he brought the man I slept with? Am I in the middle of a nightmare? Wake up! Wake up!
Before I could slink into the bedroom and hide, the Adonis looked up and noticed me.
Too late to hide now.
“This way,” Noah said before jogging up the steps. While the men lowered the tailgates on the trucks, Noah cast a critical gaze to my black dress and bare feet. Then he curved his hand behind my neck and smiled. “Today’s the big day. Go put on something nice before we head to your new store. You have a lot of work to do.”
The men hiked up the porch steps and crowded us.
Noah slid his arm around me tight. “These gentlemen are helping with your merchandise. Boys, this is my girl. She was justgetting out of your way. Everything’s in the back room on the right. The door should be open.”
The bearded man smiled at me. “Ma’am,” he said, tipping his head before ducking inside. I breathed a sigh of relief. The second one, who favored a fictional Vampire from Italy in his black attire, forced a smile that looked more like a scowl before following his friend. And the third man with the faded blue T-shirt and missing arm ignored me as he walked inside.
Noah lowered his voice and spoke to me. “Keep out of the way. You have the keys, right?”
I tapped my dress pocket, and the keys jingled.
“Good girl. Don’t lose them. I want you to keep the store locked up, you hear me?”
“Yes.”
The bearded giant emerged with a large box. As he slid it into the truck, I dove inside to change clothes. After putting on a burnt-orange skirt and an oversized cream top, I laced up my boots and stayed as quiet as a mouse so I could eavesdrop. But all they did was grunt, cuss, and crack a few jokes.
It still hurt to think he didn’t remember me. Or perhaps he wanted to forget me.
Once in the living room, I stared through the open door at the boxes stacked on the porch.
When the Adonis emerged from the spare room with a small box on his right shoulder, I jumped out of the way.
“Fuck,” he hissed to no one in particular. “Guess I don’t need to work out tonight.” He strode onto the porch and stacked his burden on another box. When he turned around, my stomach tumbled into the abyss.
He wiped his sweaty brow with the bottom of his T-shirt, flashing a six-pack and V-cut that made my throat dry up.
The long-haired man bustled through with a box in his arms and stormed out the door. “Hold the fuck up!” he called out. “You’re stacking them too high. They’ll fall out of the damn truck.” Then he stepped over boxes and joined the others, who were loading up the vehicles.
The man with the smoldering eyes kicked the front door with his heel, causing the door to close halfway.
I played with my bracelet in the open space, avoiding his gaze.
He crossed the room as if to return to the boxes but stopped short, eyes trained on me. “Were you two together when we…?”
Oh my God. He remembers.
“I recognize the car.” He studied my face. “Don’t worry. I can keep a secret.”
I looked toward the front window but only saw Noah’s car in view.
He prowled toward me and stole a quick glance over his shoulder before rooting his feet in place. When his tongue swiped across the seam of his lips, my breath hitched. “I thought you were leaving town?” he asked quietly, lingering close to the second bedroom.
“I thought you were too drunk to remember me.”
He stroked his bottom lip. “Iwasdrunk, but not enough to forget the way you wrapped those thighs around me.”
My face flushed as I turned my attention to the front door. The men outside were busy slamming boxes into the truck and talking.
The man eased closer. “We were never properly introduced. I’m Archer Swift.”
