Insurance advisors, I’m sure, are taught human psychology as part of their training programs, to distinguish between truth tellers and liars.
I stuff my phone back into the pocket of my sweatpants. It sounds like I already have one legal team on my case. Better not make that two.
“What are you doing out here?” Caleb calls, his voice still etched with sleep.
“Making a few phone calls.”
“And? Any luck?”
I see one of six abs peaking out from under his T-shirt and forget all about the conversation I had only moments ago on the phone.
Caleb follows my eyes and brings down the rest of his T-shirt.
Damn. Abs so defined the shirt gets stuck between the grooves of each one.
It’s so not fair that he gets to be this attractive, meanwhile I’ve given birth to his baby and gone up three sizes.
Working for fire and rescue has its physical perks. Saving people from fires doesn’t exactly make you put on weight. It takes a lot of strength.
And courage.
“Piper?”
“Not really. They can’t compensate at this time.”
“Compensate?” Caleb squints through the sun…or my bullshit. “I thought you were filing a home insurance claim.”
“Yes, that’s what I said.”
Awkward tension floats between us.
My eyes drift up and down his body on their own accord, admiring undulations of muscle that are visible even through his shirt.
Caleb is the kind of guy you’d find posed in those raunchy firefighting calendars. If he ever decided to model for one, I’d keep it on the same month all year round.
“I made coffee.” He raises a giant hand, shielding his eyes from the morning sun. “I normally drink it out on the porch and watch the sunrise.”
Wholesome.
“Um,” I stutter. “No, thanks. I’m good for…coffee.”
Bullshit and he knows it.
“Hart.” He drops the act for a moment and encourages me to do the same. “You admitted there were no feelings, so let’s try and not make this weird. Please.”
“Fine,” I huff, retreating to the porch to have coffee with the man of my dreams.
Although, perhaps that’s no longer the case. After getting off to a total stranger last night—minus the slight mental intrusion from Caleb—times might be changing.
I’m moving on.
“So.” He clears his throat—classic Caleb when he wants to change the topic of conversation. “I thought it would be good to set down a few ground rules.”
“Ground rules?” I laugh. “Relax. I’m not planning on burning down your house. Not on purpose, anyway.”
“Yeah, I know that,” he says, no hint of a smile in his eye. “But while you and Sonny are staying here, I think it’s important to establish a few…boundaries.”
“I’m not planning on jumping into bed with you. I promise.”
