Yet there was this unfamiliar and insistent rush of emotion whenever I pictured her face that just wouldn’t turn off even as I questioned it. That had to mean something. I just wasn’t sure what.
Checking my watch, I saw it was just now seven thirty. Plenty of time to make it to Tom’s warehouse and pick up a new oven for Stassi and deliver it before it got too late in the evening. Solid plan. And then the traffic lights were all green, and Tom was stillworking. I was able to get the same model as she’d had before. I made it to her place shortly before nine.
But she wasn’t home. So I’d wait. I was good at waiting. The job required it. And thank God I didn’t have to wait long. Seventeen minutes later, she pulled up next to my truck, an unreadable expression on her face as she exited her car produced flop sweat on my brow.
“Hey.”
“Hey, back.” This wasn’t weird at all. Two virtual strangers outside on an early February night in temps just above freezing, staring awkwardly at each other.
Stassi’s gaze left mine and landed on the box in the bed of my truck. “You bought me an oven? Why?”
“Why?” I’d been so focused on making up for not texting that I hadn’t really thought of a reason. In my experience, most women would be thrilled with any gift. Her stoic reaction threw me off my game, and I struggled for an honest answer.
“Yeah. Why, after two-plus days of silence are you sitting in my driveway at nine o’clock-ish at night with an oven in the back of your truck?”
“Well…isn’t it kind of obvious?” Heart thundering, I tried to see things from her point of view.
Stassi’s left eyebrow lifted, then her eyes narrowed, and to be honest, it was as sexy as hell. Willing myself not to grin at her, I ran my hand over my face then got out of the truck. She stumbled back a bit, and I snagged an arm to steady her. “Whoa, sorry.”
Once again, I was momentarily shocked by my body’s reaction to this woman. A low hum filled my ears. My fingers, my palm itched. To keep touching her. And this time I didn’t pull myself away. I held on and studied her face. Hoping to see the same reaction mirrored in her gaze, I waited. And was rewardedwith her widening eyes, and quick intake of breath followed by the tip of her pink tongue swiping her lips.
“I, uh. No, you’re…uh, fine. I was standing too close…and, uh. Shoot. Do you always go around replacing ditzy women’s appliances after a fire?” Her words tumbled out, and the confusion in her eyes was like a beacon drawing me in. I wanted to assure her that she was special to me. That I had never pulled a stunt like this before to get a woman’s attention. And the fact she hadn’t shrugged from my grasp fed my confidence that she wanted my touch.
“It’s the least I could do. Especially after not calling or texting you like I said I would. And no, I don’t make a habit of buying appliances on a Saturday night for women. Tom will send you the invoice. And you’re not ditzy. I’m a man of my word and I wanted to do this, okay?”
Her expression softened. She raised her free hand to her chest and sighed. At least, I think she did. Then she shyly smiled. “Thank you. I, uh, but that really doesn’t make sense. I mean, we don’t know each other and…oh, that’s very thoughtful of you. But you didn’t need to…not so late…and, oh, I’m babbling again.”
“No need to thank me. I’m not expecting anything…you know, from you in return, so please don’t worry. Just wanted to make sure you had an oven so you could cook. And I kinda like your babbling. It’s cute.” I’d noticed her eyes had fallen to my mouth, so I acted on instinct. Pressing my lips against hers—so damn soft—warm and welcoming. I pulled her close, desperate to touch her, needing her heat against me.
There was an immediate shift in the air around us. One minute we're both stumbling over our words, the next it was as if we were both dying of thirst and drinking our fill. Well, that’s what I felt at least.
Stassi’s lips were soft, responsive, and I think she might have been humming as I kissed her. God, I hope that was a good sign because I was ready to kiss her all night despite the cold.
And then she tunneled her hands under my shirt and kissed me back. Giving, taking, surrendering to my tongue as I swept inside her mouth.Hell yeah.
A mixture of validation and triumph filled me. Gripping her hips, I deepened the kiss further. She responded with a sexy little moan. The intensity of our first meeting, the connection I’d felt was returned in her kiss. And it didn’t have to make sense. None of it.
Pushing back the sudden thought thatthis, that she was more than just another hook-up or short-term relationship, that my feelings of wanting more could only be a momentary hormone surge fled the moment she pressed her curvy body closer, plastering her full breasts against me. I’d figure everything out later. Much later.
The sound of an engine ruined the moment. Followed by the slam of a car door. I didn’t bother to stop kissing her or even open my eyes to look, thinking it was probably a neighbor returning home.
“Stassi. You okay?” The worry in the man’s voice should have been my first clue. And then recognition of who the owner of the voice belonged to came just as he barked out my name. “Austin, what are you doing here with my sister?”
Shit. Hunter Sheridan had crap timing.
CHAPTER FOUR
STASSI
Austin’s lips. His arms. His body, so hard. And the heat. Scorching and all-consuming, blocked out the rest of the world as his tongue swept between my lips. Tingles everywhere. Down to my toes and back up my body. I shivered, not from the winter chill. It was him. How and why this was happening so soon but not soon enough didn’t matter.
Not after thinking about him practically every moment since he left the other night. And he’d bought me a new oven. And, Lord help me; it made me want to jump him. Electric zaps of awareness flowed from my chest to my core. My insides fluttered, and my pussy thrummed. I wanted him to touch me, to ease the ache between my thighs. Didn’t matter that we were outside.
I could have sworn that was Hunter’s voice. But why would he be at my house so late?
“Dammit, get your hands and your lips off my sister.”
I refused to be scolded. But Austin complied, although he didn’t fully pull back from me. He pressed his forehead against mine and whispered, “If we ignore him, will he go away/”
