His lips grazed her cheek where he lingered for several seconds before stepping back. She opened her eyes in surprise, almost certain he was about to kiss her. She had imagined the way his mouth would feel on hers since the day they met. Using the back of his fingers, he gently stroked the place he’d kissed.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said before he opened her door and waited for her to step in.
Completely off balance, it took everything for her to not fall into the car. Her face burned, and she could feel his lips as if they were still there. Once she was inside the car, he closed her door then walked away.
Chapter 5
CHRISTIAN
Chris knocked on Alyssa’s door the following evening. He wasn’t able to convince Mallory to cancel her dinner plans while they were at the gym, so he accepted Alyssa’s invitation to hang out. Michael, Alyssa, and Chris all picked up extra shifts when they could, so it wasn’t easy to find time to get together, and Alyssa had made it her mission to make sure they spent time together since they weren’t partners anymore.
“Hey!” Alyssa greeted after she yanked the door open. “I’m so glad you could come over. I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever.”
Chris rolled his eyes. “I just saw you on a call the other night.”
She pulled him into the house and then into a hug. “You know what I mean. Whenever I see you at work we’re working. I miss just being around you and hanging out.”
“Pregnancy has made you soft,” Chris teased. “Speaking of … where’s your baby’s daddy?”
“Myhusband,” she enunciated then paused for emphasis, “had to go help his dad with something. He’ll be back at some point. I hope you don’t mind Chinese food. I didn’t feel like cooking.”
Chris looked her up and down, unsure of how to react. Cooking was her favorite hobby. He could count on one hand how many times she’d invited him over and didn’t provide a home cooked meal. He didn’t mind takeout since he was there to spend time with her, not just eat her food. But still.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked after following her into the kitchen.
“Just fix your plate. Growing a baby is exhausting.”
He piled his plate high with fried rice, lo mein, sesame chicken, and two eggrolls, before making his way to the dining room table. He laughed when Alyssa sat across from him with her plate piled just as high as his own. She always had been a big eater.
“So, tell me how I managed to catch you free on a Friday night. I figured you’d be out sticking your thing in every single woman in New Jersey since you got your test results back.”
He almost choked on his food. “God, you haven’t even popped that kid out yet and you already sound like an old mom.”
Her eyes sparkled and he could tell he gave her the reaction she had been hoping for. “Seriously, though. It’s Friday night.”
“I think something happened to me while I was busy not getting any. I’m reformed.”
It was Alyssa’s turn to nearly choke on her food. “You can’tnotflirt with women. You mean to tell me you haven’t created a waiting list for when you got the all clear? Personally, I’m surprised you didn’t just wrap it up and get back to it after your first negative test.”
He had considered it, but as much as he enjoyed sleeping around, he was always careful. The idea that he could havesomething and accidentally pass it on made him rethink his choices. He knew the real reason behind the change. He was no longer interested in sleeping around indiscriminately.
“A waiting list? I’m not that bad, am I?”
Alyssa just stared at him as she continued eating.
“There’s no waiting list. But I have been talking to someone,” he admitted.
“I knew it. I knew you wouldn’t have gone all this time.”
Chris shook his head and laughed. He knew his next admission would get the biggest reaction, yet. He took a few bites of food and braced himself. All the years they’d been partners, he’d never had more than casual flings; and those flings always started off as a one-night stand. No promises, and no pretenses.
“I’m not sleeping with her.”
Alyssa’s eyes grew wide, and she swallowed quickly. It was the exact reaction he had been expecting. She picked up her napkin and wiped her mouth.
“I’m sorry, I think I heard you wrong. It sounded like you said you aren’t sleeping with her.”
“Dios mio,” he groaned. “Am I seriously that bad? I haven’t corrected her from calling me Christian, so hopefully it’ll be a while before she finds out about my reputation.”
