Maya followed my gaze. “Is that him?”
“Yeah.”
“Oooh, here we go!” Maya bounced up from the sofa and crossed to the window, peering out.
Of course I followed her.
We watched as he climbed out of the driver’s side and moved to open the back door. Alice tumbled out first, backpack wobbling, already talking a mile a minute. Audrey followed more carefully, adjusting her own bag on her shoulders.
“Oh my god.” Maya’s voice had gone slightly breathless. “You weren’t kidding. He’s gorgeous.”
He was. Even from a distance, the man was a masterclass in kinetics. Controlled strength, easy confidence. Too fucking hot for words.
“I mean, objectively speaking,” Maya continued, still staring, “that man is a work of art. Look at those shoulders. Look at those arms. Is he always that attractive or is it just because he’s doing the dad thing?”
“It’s always like that,” I said without thinking.
Maya turned to look at me, eyebrows raised. “Always, huh?”
“I just mean…”
“You’ve been paying attention.”
“He’s my neighbor. It’s hard not to notice.”
“Uh huh.” She was grinning now, clearly delighted. “And you made him cupcakes.”
“For his daughters.”
“Sure, Jan.”
I was about to defend myself when Cam straightened up, his hand on Alice’s shoulder. Then he turned, his gaze sweeping across the street toward my house.
My heart stuttered.
For a second, just a second, our eyes met through the window. His expression didn’t change, but something passed between us. I felt it in my chest, warm, unsettling and entirely too much.
I stepped back quickly, letting the curtain fall back into place. My pulse was racing like I’d just run a marathon.
“Oh, you are so into him,” Maya said, laughing.
“Shut up.”
“You practically jumped away from the window.”
“I did not jump.”
“You absolutely jumped. Like a guilty teenager who got caught staring at her crush.”
I grabbed the throw pillow and hit her with it. “I’m going to make some coffee. You want some?”
“Don’t think I didn’t notice the change of subject.” She was still grinning as she followed me into the kitchen. “But I’ll allow it. For now.”
“Gee thanks.”
EMILY
Ipulled into my driveway with my brain already halfway to what I’d paint tonight. Maybe that landscape study I’d been avoiding, or something smaller, less ambitious. Yeah, that fit my mood tonight. It had been a long week.
