Emma shot him a look that said,Nice excuse, then kicked off her boots and hung her coat on the hooks. “I’ve got some food in the fridge—”
“I’m not hungry.” That was a lie. He was starving but wouldn’t be able to eat a thing when his body was riled up like this.
Emma put a hand on her hip. “I haven’t had dinner, and you just had practice. I doubt one donut—” He reached for her, and she wriggled out of his grasp, scampering toward her bedroom.
Tyler held up his hands. “I’ll make you something. Hurry up.”
Emma shot him a look, then disappeared behind the door.
* * *
Inside the safety of the bathroom, Emma's heart threatened to burst through her ribcage. She leaned on the counter and stared at herself in the mirror, noting all the pink patches of skin where Tyler had kissed and nibbled.
They’d touched and kissed before, but not like this. This was an expansion of what happened in the storage room, all desperation and need. This was real, and it was so much hotter than anything she’d ever fantasized about.That was saying something.
She closed her eyes and forced herself to draw a deep breath, then held it before exhaling. This was just a mild panic attack, no big deal. She dropped her pants and sat on the toilet, continuing to breathe deeply.
Tyler was standing in her kitchen. Tyler brought a toothbrush.
Emma flushed the toilet and stood up to wash her hands. She should shave. Maybe shower?
“Hurry the hell up! Your dinner’s ready!”
She snorted. Never mind. Despite her rabbit heart spasming in her chest, she ran her hand through her hair, swept her fingers under her eyes to smooth the smudges of her mascara, and then walked back out into the living area.
“What is this?” She stopped and stared at the plate on the counter.
“Egg salad.”
Emma blinked. “You made that in the last two minutes?”Hot. Funny. And now he could cook?Again, blatant oversight by the personality gods.
“You were in there for five, and the eggs were already boiled.” Tyler turned and pulled a glass from the cupboard, filled it with water, then guzzled it down.
“Thirsty?” She grinned.
“You have no idea.”
Tingles shot through her from head to toe as Tyler’s eyes darkened. She slipped onto the stool, never dropping her gaze from his as if she were trying not to disturb a wild animal. “You’re not eating?”
“There’s more in the fridge. I’ll eat later.” He clamped his hands onto the lip of the counter. His toothbrush now sat next to his hand.
Emma picked up the sandwich. “So you’re going to stand there and watch me eat?” Tyler nodded, and Emma shook her head. “Nope, that’s not going to work for me.”
Tyler huffed and stalked out of the kitchen, moving to the back patio window to stare out into the storm. Emma took a bite and nearly groaned. There was celery and onion in this.So. Good.“Thank you,” she murmured, her mouth still full.
She got about halfway through the sandwich before she felt something brush her shoulder. Every nerve ending turned into a live wire as Tyler swiped her hair off her neck and hovered there over her skin. Emma dropped her sandwich back to the plate.
“You can keep eating,” Tyler murmured. She reached for a napkin and wiped her hands. “I just couldn’t wait any longer to touch you.”
Emma pushed off the edge of the stool and turned to face him. She snaked her arms around his neck. “That was delectable.”
“Perfect choice of adjective.”
“You make me wax poetic.”
Tyler’s eyes danced. “If I find a knight getup in your closet—”
“Then you’ll obviously wear it for me.”
