“I never put the big lights on,” she added. “So I have lamps everywhere. The light is more warm and golden. It’s much cozier. Billie has a theory that all the harsh blue-white lights from the LEDs we all use these days are why everyone feels so zapped and headachy. Which might be true. But I just prefer this.” She said that as she walked over toward a light sitting on a small cabinet near the hallway opening and flicked it on.
“I can see it,” I agreed as a warm, yellowish light filled the room.
I didn’t have any lamps in my room. I exclusively used the ‘big light’ when I needed it. Never gave it a second thought before. Though I had a feeling each time I flipped it on now, Gracie’s voice would be in my head.
Then, sure to follow behind that, the memory of her would be in my mind. Standing there in that stupidly sexy floral sundress with the light kissing her skin, making it even more golden than usual.
My fucking fingers itched to reach out and touch the soft edges of her hair, to trace the strands down over her neck, shoulder, and chest.
I cleared my throat.
“Nice place,” I said, desperate to talk about something, anything that might distract me from my thoughts and the way my cock decided to immediately react to them.
“Thanks. There are a lot of rules about not painting or putting holes in the walls. But I think I finally got it how I like it. How do you like your coffee?” she asked as she turned back into the kitchen.
I needed to keep my feet planted two feet inside the door. I needed to keep as much space between the two of us as possible.
But I followed her like a fucking lost puppy until I was blocking the exit on the side of the island that wasn’t attached to the other counter.
Gracie reached up high into the cabinet, going up on her tiptoes that made her calves do all sorts of sexy things that distracted me for a long moment until she did a little jump in the air.
“Damnit, Layna,” she grumbled.
The small space was already filling up with her scent. The last thing I needed was to move closer to her.
Still, I stepped forward until my whole body was behind hers. I could feel the warmth of her creeping in through my clothes, heating my skin.
Her head turned as she felt me there, her pretty blue eyes flicking up to me, her soft lips parting.
I watched for one long beat.
Fine, maybe two.
But I forced myself to look toward the cabinet, looking for what she was trying to reach.
“The, uh, glass canister on the top. That’s the coffee. Layna forgets not everyone is as tall as she is when she puts things back.”
Did she sound breathless?
Or was that my own wishful thinking?
Christ.
I needed to get a grip.
I reached up, bringing down the coffee in front of her body.
But, fuck if the strange position didn’t make my damn forearm graze her tit in the process.
Close as I was, I could hear the way her breath gasped inward, could feel the shiver that moved through her.
Fuck.
What was my move here?
Apologize?
Save both of us and pretend like it didn’t happen?
