Instead, she felt his teasing smile against her skin. Jerk. He knew exactly what he was doing.
“Are all the books in your store going to be romance books?”
“Not all of them. Could you go left or right, please?”
His shoulders shook as he laughed. “Is there somewhere in particular you want me to go?”
Grasping his hair, she tugged on his head. “You know exactly where I want you to go.”
“What if I move down instead?”
“That would be good too.”
He shifted down lower and she hummed, running her hands over the muscles of his shoulders. She was already hearing bells.
“Someone’s at your door,” Tim said.
“If you keep going, you’ll be right at my door,” Zoe said.
He chuckled and kissed just below her bellybutton. “No, sweetie. Your actual door. That was the doorbell.”
“Maybe they’ll go away.”
No such luck—the doorbell rang again. This time she recognized the sound. “Droga.”
Tim rolled off her and she sat up. “I swear if they aren’t selling anything good, I’m going to punch them.”
“Maybe don’t tell the cop you’re planning on committing assault.”
“Yeah, well, I can blame it on my raging hormones. Women get off for that kind of stuff all the time.”
He curled around her and kissed her hip. “Hurry back and I’ll make sureyourdoorbell gets rung.”
Zoe pulled on a t-shirt and a pair of shorts and headed downstairs, dragging her hair into a messy bun on the way.
Checking the peephole, she dropped her head against the door and groaned. A salesman would have been preferable. At least that encounter would have been short. She opened the door for her sister-in-law. She’d always been put together whenever Zoe had seen her. Now Alicia’s eyes were red and puffy and her face devoid of makeup.
“Alicia. What’s wrong? Are the kids okay? João?”
She shook her head and looked down briefly. “They’re all right. The kids are anyway.”
Zoe’s stomach dropped. “Did something happen to João?”
“No. No, he’s fine. Physically. It’s— Can I come in?”
“Of course. I’m sorry.” She stepped aside and let Alicia pass her.
“Do you want something to drink?” She asked over her shoulder as she led her into the living room.
“Is it too early for wine?” Her laugh came out as a half sob.
“I don’t think it’s ever too early if the occasion calls for it. I have some.”
Alicia shook her head and sat on the love seat. “No. Water’s fine.”
“I’ll be right back.” She fixed two glasses of water and grabbed a box of tissues from the bathroom on the way back, handing both to Alicia.
“Thank you.”
