“I’m sorry, Brigham.” She hung her head but kept her hands on me and a beat passed before she flung her hand off me like I’d caught fire. She set the towel in the sink and grabbed another. Ethan looked on, highly amused, and a part of me felt bad for how flustered Blue Bell got. Her entire face was red and she bit down on her bottom lip way too hard.
“I’m not mad. No need to stress.” I pulled the edge of the shirt off my skin a bit and pointed to the door with my other finger. “I should go change.”
“Right. Right.” She hit her hand against her forehead and got some mix on her sun-kissed skin. “I’ll drop off whatever I bake for you.” She put her hands on my back this time and guided me toward the door. For a tiny thing, she was sure acting strong now. I barely took two steps outside before she slammed it shut, leaving me alone, covered in batter and confused.
I wanted to knock and reassure her it was fine, but thought better of it. Something was going on for her to have that reaction to some spilled batter. With a quick shake of my head, I went back into my place and showered. It was lonely.
I couldn’t call my sister. Most of the guys had partners or families to occupy their time with and my goofy temporary neighbor had kicked me out. I slipped on some loose shorts and decided to clean. What a way to pass the time. If the tabloids could see me now.Brigham Monaghan cleans microwave. How scandalous!
It took a good thirty minutes to find a groove, and soon enough, my entire kitchen was cleaned. It felt therapeutic to wipe everything down. Like a literal clean slate. The urge to reward myself with a beer made it hard to grab a plain bottle of water, and I took a long swig just as a soft knock captured my attention.Blue Bell.
She carried a tray of sweetness and had a goofy grin on her face. “Your slutty brownies, good sir.”
“Ah, yes. I like my desserts extra dirty,” I said, motioning her into my place. She waltzed in and stopped as soon as her gaze landed on my bare chest. Her eyes widened and her entire face turned red. It was too easy and I should’ve been nicer, but goddamn, it was cute. “Want me to put a shirt on?”
“Uh, um, maybe?” She stared hard at my pecs and down to my happy trail. She gulped and cleared her throat before setting the dessert on the island. “Here. Your food. Slutty food.” She backed up to the door without looking at me and I reached out to grab her wrist gently.
“Hey, you don’t need to leave.” She slowly turned around and stared at everything but me. “Do I make you nervous?”
“Um,” she said, scrunching her nose and closing her eyes until she angled her face up to stare at my head. “No. When I look at your face, no. Your chest. Strong naked chest. Very much so.”
“I can put a shirt on.”
“That would probably be better. Words are hard when you look like that.” She gritted her teeth and snuck another glance at my pecs. “I haven’t seen a lot of chests in my life. Yours is…extraordinary.”
Damn, my ears got hot at her compliment. “Thanks.”
“Really. All the curves and shadows from the strength.” She gulped and moved closer. “You’re not too bulky or a meathead.”
She took another step closer and she twitched her hand before reaching out. “Can I touch you?”
“Yes.” My voice came out rough and deeper than I’d expected. I had been with lots of women, but her touch was softer. She sucked in a breath when she feathered her fingers over my pecs, tickling down my stomach and splaying her entire hand. Blood went south, fast, and I cleared my throat. It made her jump, and she yanked her hand back and turned as red as a tomato. Her breathing hitched, and for the life of me, I didn’t want her to stop.
“Blue Bell,” I pleaded. She looked up at me with curiosity and heat in her eyes. The air seemed heavy as I closed the distance between us. Her full lips parted, and just as I was about to do something stupid, my phone rang. The disturbance changed everything and Sarah ran toward the door. She stopped before completely exiting and laughed.
“I’ve never been so bold in my life. I’m terrified and proud.” She shook her head and pointed to the tray. “Enjoy your slutty brownies.”
Charles’ face popped up on my phone. He was the last person I wanted to talk to and our conversation earlier tainted everything. Sarah was innocent in this and I needed to remember that. It wasn’t fair to get involved with someone like her when I was a mess, and it couldn’t happen again. With a sour taste in my mouth, I called my agent back and prepared, I hope, listen to an upcoming opportunity that could clear my name. “Hey, Charles.”
“Got news for you, bud. You need to sit down for this.”
Chapter Five
Sarah
Cluck cluck.
I was being a chicken and avoiding any run-ins with my dear, sexy sports ball neighbor. The fact that I’d groped him still shocked me. I didn’t do that.Ever.
I was a twenty-three-year-old virgin and had acted like a hussy. “Ugh!” I stopped wiping the counter down for the third time and shook my limbs. The unsettled feeling took root in my gut and I didn’t know how to get rid of it. Apologize to him? Tell him it wouldn’t happen again?
Ask to touch him again?
No. No. Not that.
Pico whined by the front door and I growled at him. “We’re avoiding the hallway, boy. Get with the program.”
He whined again while Cassie perched herself on a pillow on the couch, obviously judging every move I made. The attitude of these dogs could give my best friend Megan a run for her money. I groaned while Pico continued to whine, then slipped on my Birkenstock sandals and a large sunhat. If these damn dogs needed to pee outside, I refused to let my neck get burned. I positioned the dogs safely in the stroller and I hustled down the hallway to the elevator with my heart practically beating at the base of my throat. No sign of Brigham. No accidental groping.
