She finally smiled. “It’s not bad.” She glanced back down at the dog. “So, Alex, can you show me how to drive her?”
Alex laughed. He liked this spunky young woman. “Sure, I can. I’ll take you home, get her situated, and teach you some basic commands.” He looked at Brock. “Sound good?”
“Perfect. I’ll get through this meeting as quickly as I can.” Brock cupped Brianna’s cheek. “See you soon, gorgeous.”
Alex led Brianna back to his truck. Her apartment wasn’t far away. As Alex drove he realized that he’d dropped the bag he was bringing to Sylvie’s house on the passenger floor without thinking about it. He hoped Brianna wouldn’t notice it or kick it and, God forbid, see what was inside. But by the way she fidgeted, he figured she was too preoccupied to notice much of anything.
“Sorry you had such a rough day,” he told her.
She glanced his way and smiled sweetly. “Thank you. It’s…a lot.”
“Good luck with the contest. I hear you’re quite the musician.”
“Even if I don’t win, it’s been an amazing few days just getting the chance to play and meet so many others.” Her attention drifted back out the window and they drove another few blocks in silence. He parked in front of her apartment and Brianna waited silently while he got Valkyrie out along with her gear. Brianna led them upstairs and into her apartment.
“Don’t be nervous about her,” Alex said as he took the dog off her leash. “She knows her job is to protect you and she’ll do it. She’s one of our best.”
“Thanks,” Brianna said.
“Let’s go over some basics.”
It didn’t take Brianna long to get comfortable with Valkyrie and vice versa. By the time Alex was ready to leave, woman and dog were friends and he had no doubt that she’d be safe.
“Just don’t open the door to anyone, all right?”
“What about Brock when he gets here?”
“He knows how to let himself in without setting Valkyrie off.” Alex told Brianna good night, then headed downstairs to switch out the SUV for his truck and make his rendezvous with Sylvie.
CHAPTERSIXTEEN
Sylvie was upstairs looking in the mirror when she felt as much as heard Alex’s truck pull up in front of her townhouse. A glance out the window confirmed it was him. As soon as she saw him get out of the truck, a huge wave of sensation rose from her core, cascaded, and infused her with desire, threatening to knock her legs out from under her.
And he hasn’t even come to the door yet.
This went way beyond anticipation and into something like compulsion, a need she absolutely could not deny. She’d spent the last hour deciding what to wear, and the fabric of each dress sliding against her bare skin teased her as she slipped one dress off and put a different one on. Her skin had never felt so alive, so in need of another person’s touch.
Alex’stouch. No one else would ever compare.
She shivered as she spritzed on her perfume and turned in front of the mirror. Yup the blue silky dress would be just fine. She was glad Carla had talked her into buying it at the beginning of the summer ‘just in case.’ She turned the knob next to the gas fireplace and the bedroom lit up with a soft orange light. Sylvie didn’t bother with shoes as she took the stairs two at a time, practically giggling to herself at her own eagerness. This was fun. This was being alive.
She heard his soft knock just as she hit the landing, almost quieter than the playlist coming over the speakers. Sylvie took a deep breath, feeding the anticipation, then walked to the door, her steps deceptively calm compared to the storm inside. She put her palm against the wood and imagined she could feel the heat of his body through the wood. This was it, the magic moment just before seeing him framed against the night, before looking into his eyes, before watching his sexy smile slide into place when he saw her.
She turned the knob. Pulled the door open.
The reality of him surpassed her anticipation. The look in his eyes turned her vivid imagination to dust in comparison. His smile was ten times sexier and it was just for her. There was an energy rolling off him that made her believe he’d been suffering his own anticipation, and that she looked as good as he’d imagined. They stood staring at each other while the night made its quiet music behind him.
Invite him in. You need to invite him in, remember? That’s what people do.She swallowed before she could speak.
“You look so good,” she said instead.
“So do you. So much better than I remembered.”
Sylvie laughed lightly. “You saw me this morning when I came to see Chewie.”
“And it feels like forever.” He raised his eyebrows almost imperceptibly in question.
Oh, right.
