“But you told me to!” She threw her hands in the air, frown lines forming on her forehead as she stepped back.
“I was wrong, Nora. I like hearing you gush about your plants and dreams. I like you that way.” I moved closer again, needing to be near her. Her pulse raced in her neck, and I wanted nothing more than to kiss her, show her without words how amazingly weird she was and how I found it charming. I swallowed, my throat tight and uncomfortable with how much I wanted her, and I cupped one side of her face. I ran my thumb over her smooth skin and almost groaned when she trembled at my touch.
God, the things I wanted to do to her.
“Oh shit,” someone said, pushing the bathroom door open and backing out. It was a harsh reminder we were in the bathroom, at a restaurant, on a date with other people.
I dropped my hand like her face had caught fire. “Sorry,” I mumbled, rushing out of the room like it was my damn job. My entire body flushed with embarrassment and want, and I didn’t know what to do. My insides twisted with confusion, rivaling how I felt in junior high around the first girl I kissed.
It was like the last fifteen years of my life hadn’t happened, and I was the same awkward tween dealing with insane hormones without a plan. I ran my hand over my face, took a deep breath, and went to the bar to get the next round. After this drink, I’d offer to take Tessa home and be honest and polite. It was the least I could do.
My heart still raced when I brought the drinks over to the booth and found Nora sitting there, no trace of the blush or what just happened in the bathroom. Conversation flowed with Nora and Tessa taking lead, and I survived the whole thing by sheer charisma. I was excellent at bullshitting people and had been doing it for years.
So that’s what I did.
I laughed when prompted, answered when asked a question, and didn’t look at Nora once. I couldn’t. It would give too much away.
My body sagged with relief when the date was over.
Tessa slid out of the booth, and I followed.
“Want me to take you home?” I asked, giving her the choice since she used a rideshare to get there. “I really don’t mind.”
“Sure, that’d be great.” She smiled up at me, and I wished, more than anything, to feel a pull toward her. She was beautiful, insanely so, but she didn’t have pink hair.
Fuck. What did this mean? I was stuck on my neighbor?
I led her to my car, opened the door for her, and glanced up as Nora and Dave walked out together. After avoiding her for the last hour, I met her gaze, and it was like she sucker-punched me right in the chest. She looked at me with the same expression I felt on the inside. Confused. Mad. Worried.
Would Dave kiss her? Do more? Invite her inside? Did she want him to? Would he treat her right like she deserved or laugh when she talked about plants in her sleep?
I waved, nodding to Dave before pushing all thoughts of them out of my mind. I’d drop Tessa off and drive around for an hour, giving Nora plenty of time to either go home with Dave or invite him in. I’d rather not hear or see it.
Angry,raging rock music blasted out of the car’s speakers, and the evening air had the slightest chill to it. It smelled like summer. Like pool parties and lightning bugs and milkshakes after the sun went down, and all I could think of was showing Nora how to live. It was like my mind didn’t care that she was only here temporarily or that she hated it. And worse! She wanted to marry Anthony Carter so she could get her inheritance. There were so many red flags, but I didn’t care.
She lit something up inside me that had been dormant for so long, I was desperate to see it come to life again. I tapped my fingers on the steering wheel as I pulled into the driveway.No sign of Dave’s car.
That could be a good sign.
Could also mean they were at his place.
I parked and took my time getting out and locking the doors. I wouldn’t be able to sleep, so I had nothing to rush home for. Just more worry and thoughts about Nora. My stomach knotted as I walked into the main foyer and unlocked my door. No sounds came from her place, solidifying she was with Dave, and the disappointment and ache in my chest were the worst.
I tossed my keys on the counter, yanked off my shirt, and threw it on the floor. I needed to run, work out, do something to burn off this angry energy when a very loud, urgent knock sounded outside my door.
Just wearing jeans and shoes, I opened the door and couldn’t help the huge smile on my face. She stood there, wearing her overlarge white shirt that saidTHE PLANT LIFEand slippers. “You’re back,” she said, her hands fidgeting like crazy in front of her.
“As are you.” I arched a brow, fucking elated she wasn’t getting naked with Dave.
“Did you mean it?” she asked, her gaze moving toward my chest and heating. I’d seen glimpses of her checking me out, but this was more. She wet her bottom lip with her tongue, and there was a hazy look in her eyes.Fuck yeah.
“Mean what?” I asked.
“You like me this way?”
I laughed and closed the distance between us, forgetting all the reasons why this shouldn’t happen. I was done pretending. Done fighting it. If she wanted me, she had me. I stopped just short of touching her. “Yes.”
Her breathing picked up as she reached one hand up to touch my chest. She trailed her soft fingers up and down my pecs, over my stomach, and up my collarbone. The innocent touch was potent, setting my skin on fire and sending all my blood south. “Fritz,” she said, her voice raspy and deep and full of lust.
