“Wow. You two sure moved fast. A few dinners, and all of a sudden you’re livingtogether?”
“Well, why waste time? He’s a great roommate—he sleeps a lot, doesn’t drink my wine or eat my cupcakes, and he has yet to borrow any of my clothes. Of course, he does like to carouse and come in late at night. He had an extended visit at the vet Monday, and I only brought him home yesterday. He seems to like ithere.”
“I can see why.” Declan’s eyes slid around the room once more, then settled on her just long enough for her belly to flutterhappily.
Leslie realized she was a little flustered—but in a good way. “Have a seat,” she said, gesturing to the sofa. Sitting in it was like lowering oneself into the palm of a big hand: you were cupped comfortably in all the right places, and could lean back with neck support exactly where you neededit.
He hesitated perceptibly, then chose a spot just past the center of the L-shaped sectional. Close enough to touch Rufus if he liked, but far enough away that she’d have room to decide where to sit. Lesliesmiled.
Touché, sir,she thought.Now it’s up to me to decide how close to sit to your handsomeself.
Then her smile faded. Something was bound to happen between them if she sat anywhere in his vicinity. Maybe it was best to clear the airfirst.
“So…” she said, picking up the remotes for the TV. “How was your dinner with the Deltons Mondaynight?”
His attention snapped to her; he even put the popcorn bowl on the table in order to look up at her. “To tell the truth…it was pretty awkward.” He looked chagrined yet determined, and plowed on. “My daughter seems to think I need her help with my love life. So she’s been doing her best to…ah…encourage Emily…ah…in my direction. Not that Emily has needed any encouragementanyway.”
Leslie managed to smother a laugh. Well, that explained a lot. “I see. I guess Stephanie’s a big fan ofThe ParentTrap?”
“Maybe…I don’t know. Is that a movie? But I told you…I told you Friday night, there’s nothing going on with me and Emily. Even if Stephanie has indicatedotherwise.”
“I have to admit, I wondered about that when I walked past Trib’s Saturday night and you and she were sitting there in the front window, looking rather cozy.” Leslie sank down on the couch, on the other limb of the L, and used the remote to wake up the video streaming device. Rufus apparently didn’t like having his sleep disturbed, and he gave an abbreviated, irritated yowl before leaping lightly off thecouch.
“Yeah. Well, I sort of didn’t have much choice in the matter. Emily’s car broke down and she needed a ride to the pre-Homecoming festivities, and then she needed a ride home, and she wanted to join the other parents for dinner at Trib’s,and—”
“And you’re too nice of a guy to say no, even when you know you’re being—shall we say—managed.” Leslie was grinning by now. Poor thing. It was amazing how powerful and strong and assertive men could be…and how completely and utterly clueless when it came to women and theirmachinations.
Females really were the strongersex.
He laughed uncomfortably as Rufus slunk along between Leslie’s legs and the coffee table. She bent to pet him, careful to avoid his tail—which had been carefully mended by DocHorner.
“Yeah, I guess,” Declan said. “But I had a nice little talk with Stephanie and let her know she didn’t need to interfere anymore. I didn’t tell her the reason,” he addedhastily.
“Thereason? What reason is that?” Leslie asked, her voice light andteasing.
His cheeks colored a little but his eyes narrowed with warning. “I think you know, Leslie Nakano.” A tiny bit of a smile teased his lips. Then he eased back, leaning against the couch. His expression lost the bit of levity and became closed off. “But I’ve been wondering whether you had a good time Saturday night yourself. I heard you were at theRoost.”
“I was.” Rufus settled on a puffy ottoman and turned around in four circles as Leslie replied. “With Aunt Cherry and Orbra and Iva. And that author—John Fischer? He stopped by too, and so did Baxter. I’ll be honest…I thought I might hear from you on Saturday sometime, but I didn’t. And then I saw you with Emily and…well, I thought I’dmisreadthings onFriday.”
“You did not misread anything,” he said in a sort of annoyed, growly voice. “Unless you don’t know what it means when a guy can’t keep his hands—or his thoughts—offyou.”
Oh.Well. Leslie subdued the sharp stab of lust that took her by surprise at his very honest, primitive words. She smiled a little. “It’s been a while, but I’m pretty sure I have an idea about that.” She turned toward the television and lifted the remote. “Now that we’ve got thatsettled…”
And she clickedplay.
Declan gave a short laugh, relinquished the popcorn bowl to her, then settled back to watchGilmoreGirls.
And that was the moment Leslie fell hopelessly inlove.
* * *
Declan probably wouldn’t have gonearound telling Baxter or his other guy friends how much he enjoyed the evening—watching what amounted to a chick-flick television series with four feet of space between him and the woman he wasdyingto get with—but damned if he didn’t have a goodtime.
Even if he did give up the rest of that sinful popcorn to her. It was more than worth it to see the expression on her face when he made such asacrifice.
Even if he was completely and utterly aware of her the whole time. Her slender, pale feet were propped only a few inches away from his on the ottoman they shared with the cat. He swore he could feel the heat radiating from hertoes.
Even if she looked pretty adorable, sort of bedraggled and frumpy after her long cry into the front of his shirt—which dried before the end of the second episode, by the way. Despite the fact that he thought Leslie looked delicious, he suspected if she saw herself in a mirror, she’d behorrified.
