She met my eyes and I saw a flash of steel in her blue gaze. “Yes.”
Well then.
More people had gone outto the hot tub, but the kitchen was still packed and getting noisier as more people consumeddrinks. A few people in a corner were sharing shibari tips with a length of rope.
“Come somewhere quieter with me,” I told her as she sipped her wine.
She looked up at me and nodded. “Okay.”
I think I fell in love just a tiny little bit as she followed me to the formal living room at the front of the house. It was warm and cozy with deep couches, a crackling fire, and a Christmas tree all lit up with lights that looked like candles.
“This house is gorgeous,” Gray said as we sat down together on one of the couches closest to the fire.
“I know. Pays to marry a doctor.”
“Which one is a doctor?” she asked.
I smiled. “They both are.”
She exhaled, impressed. “Damn.”
Gray looked into the fireplace while I looked at her.
“Guess I’m in the wrong line of work.”
“And what would that be?” I asked. I’d never wanted to know more about anyone I’d ever met before.
This attraction to Gray was immediate and intense and I couldn’t ignore it if I tried. Unless I was losing my touch, she was feeling the same way.
Leaning closer to her, I got a hit of her scent and wished I could bury my nose in her dark waves, but that would definitely be pushing things too far.
“Oh, I work for the museum, but I’m just an assistant. Not very exciting. I write a lot of emails and do a lot of scheduling and ordering food.” She shrugged.
“I bet that office would fall apart without you, though. I bet they beg you not to take a day off because you know everything.”
Her eyes went wide. “What makes you say that?”
I lifted one shoulder. “Just a hunch. I’m good at reading people.”
Her eyes narrowed and she pressed her lips together, as if she was holding something back. I wished she wouldn’t.
“And what do you do?” she asked.
“I teach English Lit at the community college. And I’m also a freelance fact checker.” I loved both of my jobs so much. I just wish my level of pay matched my level of passion.
“Oh, wow. I’ve never met a fact checker before. What’s that like?” While I didn’t mind talking about myself, I really did want to know more about her. So I told her a little bit about both my jobs and swung things back around to focus on her.
“Why did you decide to come to this tonight?” Why not cut through all the small talk and get right to the point?
I was rewarded with my boldness by another blush from her. God, I could make her blush all night. And into the next day.
“Oh, well. Uhhhhh, Tally invited me.” That was clear. Her friend was bolder than she was, which didn’t interest me. Gray was much more of a challenge. Things weren’t satisfying if they were just handed to you.
“And?” I asked, raising one eyebrow. I’d left my hair down and some of it fell over my shoulder. It hadn’t escaped my notice that her eyes had lingered on it. I would be lying if I said I didn’t use my hair to my advantage. Both in and outside of the bedroom.
“And…I don’t know.” There was that flush again. “I was curious.”
I bet she was.
