He looked good, really good.Normally, he was covered in dust or wood shavings or bits of grout.Not that she was turned off by his bits of grout.If anything, they appealed to her more than she cared to admit.However, tonight, he was freshly showered and shaven and smelled like a bar of nice soap.His outfit also won her approval.He wore a clean pair of slim jeans, ones that did nothing to disguise the muscles in his thighs, and a white T-shirt with rolled-up sleeves.Her nephew Lucas would call it a muscle shirt, and it was an apt description.
Biceps alert!
He ran a hand through his disheveled hair, and the living room lights caught the golden shimmers in the tawny mass.His smile crooked to one side.“I brought beer.”
He might as well have said ‘I brought sunshine’ or ‘I brought world peace.’Her temperature soared in response.
It must be his voice.It was so deep and soft.It tugged on her loins with expert precision.“Um, thanks.”
Next to her, Adele covered her mouth with her hand and murmured, “Going concern, I tell you.”
“Nick,” said Claire.“Let me introduce you to my friend.This is Dr.Adele Sanchez, best veterinarian in the Greater Toronto Area.Adele, meet Nick Zorn.”
They shook hands and made small talk.Adele asked Nick what it was like working onHandymen.He asked her about her practice.Pretty soon, the two of them were laughing like old pals.
Claire envied Adele’s ease and conversational skills.She’d always thought she possessed those qualities too, but for some reason, they’d flown out of the window since meeting Nick.
As he talked with Adele, he kept glancing at Claire.Especially her lips.He looked at her lips a lot.
She’d worn a sparkly gloss, one that Naomi had recommended.Maybe he liked it.
She made a note to keep that gloss in her purse for regular use.
Oh, brother.She wasn’t sure she was equipped to deal with these feelings.She was growing weary of all the awkwardness.
Not awkwardness.
Awareness.
The air crackled.She could almost see the tiny flickers of electricity dancing in the space between them.Between the chemistry and her fluctuating body heat, she might pass out.
Suddenly, a masculine voice shouted, “Foosball!”
Louie ran back into the living room from the covered back patio.Claire had been storing Arthur’s old foosball table there.He ran up to Claire.“You have a foosball table?Can I play with it, Claire?Pretty please?”
Several crew members began to laugh.
Nick explained, “Louie’s obsessed with foosball.He has a bit of a reputation in this crowd.”
“Well, Louie,” said Claire, “you’d better play it, then.”
“Yeah!”Louie gave her a high-five.“Any takers?”
Adele stepped forward, one hand on her hip.She looked Louie up and down.“I’ll take you on, big boy.But only if you’re prepared to lose.”
Louie bent over at the waist in a courtly bow.“My lady.I accept your challenge.”He waved her into the back room.Most of the partygoers followed them, which left Claire and Nick mostly on their own in the living room.Aside from a couple of other small huddles, they might as well have had the room to themselves.
Unable to deal with the relative quiet, Claire said, “You must be hungry.I can get you a plate.”
“Don’t you worry about me.I can get myself a plate.Besides, you probably haven’t eaten either.”
In truth, she hadn’t.She’d been too busy making sure everyone had what they needed.She appreciated him understanding that.
“After you,” said Nick, his hand open to usher her into the kitchen.
For one, wild moment, Claire thought he might touch her lower back.Of course, he didn’t.He was too respectful.In any other situation, she would have appreciated such consideration from a man.
But, with this man, she really wanted him to touch her lower back.
