Of course, he’d spent so much of his life studying and working and didn’t get to enjoy the company of women as often as he would have liked. Certainly not women who were anything like Marcelle.
She flipped her black braids over her shoulder, and her perfume teased his nostrils. So sweet. Was she wearing a peach scent? Or was it mango?
Who cares what fruit she wears?His bear’s deep voice crackled with interest.She smells tasty.
Josh coughed, worried she’d somehow hear his bear’s incoherent ramblings. Maybe he’d been inside too long. Maybe he needed some fresh air. “I wouldn’t mind stepping outside these four walls for a few minutes, but I don’t want to go far. Are you okay to sit here on the step with me? It’s not exactly fancy.”
She dismissed the idea with a wave. “Please. Do I look like a fancy girl to you?”
She didn’t look like a girl at all. Marcelle was all woman. With soft breasts and shapely legs and big brown eyes, there was no way anyone would ever mistake her for anything else.
“I’ll just grab my jacket.” He went inside, threw on his bomber jacket and shoes, and joined her outside. Using his arm, he brushed the light layer of snow from the step. She sat there, and he sat next to her, inhaling strong coffee and the softer scent of her perfume.
“It’s black, but there’s sugar and cream in the bag.”
“Black is perfect.” He drank the brew, swallowing with gratitude. “This is the best coffee I’ve ever had.”
“You poor thing, that might be your exhaustion speaking,” she teased. “You didn’t even get to change your clothes. You’re going to ruin your nice suit out here.”
Right now, sitting next to her, he couldn’t care less about his suit. “Don’t worry about it.” He grinned. “I didn’t even get to see your dress. I’m sure it was pretty.”
“Oh, it was. You missed out.” She winked.
“You’re a bit of a joker, aren’t you?”
“Maybe.”
“That’s good. I need some distraction. So…describe your dress for me.”
Yes.His bear’s ears perked up.We like this plan.We will imagine her later.
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Okay, if you insist. It’s black and sleeveless and comes down to just above my knees.”
His gaze strayed toward her denim-clad knees. They might be covered now, but he remembered exactly how cute they were under her waitress uniform.
“And it has a purple flower design that scrolls from my left shoulder all the way down to my right hip.”
Those hips. He’d taken a couple of long looks at those hips when she’d walked into the back room to change.
Josh’s bear prowled, hungry. A bit of drool collected on the beast’s mouth.
He cleared his throat. “Your dress sounds nice. Of course, seeing is believing. I won’t know for sure unless I get to see it. Maybe I could take you out for dinner and you could wear it.”
“I’d love to, Josh, but it would have to be soon.”
Sooner was better for him too. “Sure. My schedule at the clinic is tight during the week, but I’m sure I can work something out.”
She gnawed on her bottom lip. “You don’t understand. It would have to be really soon.”
“Okay.” His bear let out a triumphant roar, pleased with the timeline. “I can do Tuesday, but it would have to be a late dinner. Like, really late.”
She looked at her lap and sighed. “Josh, I’m headed to Europe next week.”
“A trip? Cool. Listen, if it’s easier, we can have dinner when you get back.”
