And the same breath punched out of my lungs.
The jeans he wore were faded along the knee and the oldscreen T-shirt stretched across his broad shoulders.He lived in these kinds ofclothes.Not dress shirts and pants, and while he looked good in his detectivegetup, he lookeddamngood in jeans.
“Mornin’,” Colton drawled, stepping inside.He held a whitecardboard box that smelled like heaven, and as I moved to close the door, heswooped down, pressing his lips against my cheek.The innocent brush of hislips across my skin sent an acute shiver down my spine.“I swung by thehardware store and picked up the stuff.”
Closing the door, I ordered myself to pull it together.“Andthe bakery?”
“Always the bakery.”He tossed a grin over his shoulder ashe headed toward the kitchen, where he placed the box on the counter.“I gotsome muffins and éclairs.You haven’t eaten yet, right?”
My tummy grumbled happily.“No.Thank you for doing that—fordoing all of this.”
“Like I said before, my pleasure.Do you prefer chocolate orfruit?”
I watched him from under my lashes.“Chocolate.Alwayschocolate.”
He chuckled as he plucked the chocolate éclair out, placingit on a napkin.“I’ll have to remember that.”Picking up a fruity éclair, hefaced me and leaned back against the counter.“Did you sleep well last night?”
At first, I had tossed and turned, thinking about his kissand what he’d said.I’d been turned on and I had to take care of that.Not thatI was going to share that piece of info.Obviously.“I slept okay.You?”
His lashes lowered as a small grin tugged at his lips.“Ittook me a while to fall asleep.”
Could he have had the same problem as I?An image of himtook hold in my thoughts, vibrant and seductive.I saw him in bed, his handbeneath the sheet, gripping his cock.My stomach hollowed at the thought, mymouth dried.His back would definitely be bowing and his head would be kickedback against the pillows as he worked himself…
He tilted his head to the side.“What are you thinkingabout, Abby?”
“Nothing.”Turning away hastily, I all but shoved the éclairin my mouth.“So…um, how much do I owe you for the stuff to fix the window?”
“Dinner.”
I dabbed at my lips when I turned back around.My browsrose.“Dinner?”
A half grin appeared.“Yes.Dinner.You know, where twopeople, sometimes more, go out to eat?”He took a bite of his éclair while myeyes narrowed.“Tonight.”
I started to ask why but managed to stop myself before Ilooked like a complete idiot.Well, I wasn’t sure I would look like a moron,but it would be so evident that my confidence in what was going on between uswas somewhere between crappy and craptastic.
So I smiled as excitement and hope bubbled, and prayed therewasn’t chocolate on my teeth.“Dinner would be nice.”
Colton was as handy as he was good looking, and Ireally could get used to him doing work around the house.Actually, I could getused to him just being in my house in general.
As he boarded up the window, making it more secure until thewindow guys could come out, an easy conversation flowed back and forth betweenus, and it was the same when he reappeared later that evening to take me todinner.
After he’d left in the late afternoon, the struggle had beenreal when it came to concentrating, but I managed to get some work done onMcGuire’s novel.I was lucky; her manuscripts were typically clean.
Nervous giddiness had my heart and pulse jumping all aroundas I picked out a dress that I hadn’t worn in what felt like forever.Actually,there was a good chance I’d never worn the sleeveless pink and blue floraldress.I sort of felt like I was wearing my grandmother’s couch when I slippedit on over my head, but the high waist and heart-shaped neckline were superflattering.I felt pretty in the dress.
Maybe even a little sexy.
I carried a pair of pink heels downstairs and then slippedthem on mere moments before there was a knock on my door.Colton had texted,letting me know he was there.With my heart lodged somewhere in my throat, Iopened the door and my tongue nearly lolled out of my mouth and rolled acrossthe floor.
Once again dressed in jeans, he’d paired the dark denim witha plain, white button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows,showcasing powerful forearms.I didn’t know what it was about sleeves rolledup, but it had always been a huge turn-on for me.
I was so weird.
Colton’s gaze glided over me as a small grin appeared.“Youlook lovely.”
Like I was love-struck or something equally silly, I felt mycheeks flush.“Thank you.So do you.I mean, you don’t look lovely.You lookhot.Sexy.Very nice.”
His brows rose.
