I nibble my food and watch him move about the kitchen. He’s eating, but he’s also cleaning up after himself as he chews, and I love watching his broad shoulders move in his white T-shirt. He has some new tattoos on his left arm that weren’t there when we were younger. I’m still so damn attracted to him.
Maybe more now than ever before, and I wouldn’t have thought that was possible.
If there’s a way for Brooks and me to start over, to put the past behind us and move forward… yeah. I’d love to try that.
But it also makes me so nervous because if it doesn’t work again, it could destroy me. I’ll have to keep my walls up for awhile. Protect myself until I can trust that things between us could work out.
“I don’t even know where we are,” I realize out loud, frowning. “I think I fell asleep in the truck as soon as you pulled out of your parking spot.”
“You did,” he confirms. “We can walk outside when you’re done eating so you can get your bearings. We’re in town.”
Nodding, I glance around. “It’s a great house, Brooks. How long have you lived here?”
His fork pauses midway between his plate and his mouth. “A long time.”
I take a bite of bacon, and he picks up the conversation.
“Are you planning to live in your apartment long term?” he asks.
“I don’t know. Probably not, but it’ll work for a while, once I get it fixed. It’s going to take more work now.” Sighing, I push aside my mostly empty plate. I was hungrier than I thought. “I should get back to the restaurant and figure out how I’m going to tear out the floor, and all of the million other things that I need to do.”
“Come here.” Brooks holds his hand out for mine, and without hesitating, I slide my hand into his, linking our fingers, and just like last night, it feels like coming home. “Let me give you a quick tour around here. The house isn’t huge. One story, four bedrooms, two bathrooms.”
He leads me back down the hallway, past the guest room and bath, and points out the other rooms.
“I use one room for a small home gym, and the other is my office. This at the end is the primary suite.”
He leads me inside, and I can’t help but smile. This issoBrooks. Decorated in browns and oranges, it’s masculine. And it smells like him.
Like leather and whiskey and a little motor oil.
His bathroom has recently been remodeled, just like the kitchen. The vanity and double sinks gleam, there’s a soaking tub in the corner, and the standing shower looksheavenly.
“I have to say, I have bathroom envy.”
He smirks, and without thinking about it, he brings my hand up to his lips and kisses my knuckles.
“The laundry is off the kitchen in a mudroom.”
“Nice.”
He leads me back out through the living room, where a brown leather couch and recliner sit in front of a massive television, and we walk right out the front door.
When I see what’s across the street, my jaw drops.
“Holy shit, Brooks. You live across from the big house.” I’m staring at my dream home, and it honestly brings tears to my eyes. “This is a good spot.”
“Yeah.” His own voice is rough. “It’s walkable, but you won’t have to do that. Come on.”
He leads me down the stairs of the porch and around to the garage, where my car is parked out front.
“How—”
“Gabe dropped it off for you this morning. I finished it up last night before I came to your place. The keys are in it.”
Oh man, the cost of these repairs on top of the cost of renovating my restaurant is going to kill me.
I have no choice but to use Justin’s money.
