“We’ll see you soon,” her father said.
She left and drove the fifteen minutes back to get Rory. She knocked on his door and stood there for a minute. After waiting a bit longer, she was ready to text him when the door opened.
His hair was wet and standing up in all directions, he had glasses on his face, his jeans were unbuttoned and there was a shirt in his hand.
“Whoa,” she said. “Did you just wake up?”
Her gaze swept over his chest, the defined muscles a pleasant surprise, before drifting lower to his flat abs. He was lean and toned, with a strength carved into him without the bulk or exaggeration of power. As if he was in perfect proportion.
“Sorry,” he said. “I had a late night. I’ll fill you in. I didn’t fall asleep until close to three. I thought I set my alarm to get up at noon but guess not.”
It was two now. She moved into the house and shut the door behind her.
“Here I thought you were trying to tempt me.”
“I heard the knocking the minute the water was off and yanked on what I could.”
Her finger came up to capture a drop of water, then rubbed it between her thumb. “This is going to be hard to forget.”
He laughed. “You can return the favor and answer your door the same way.”
“Something tells me if I did you’d tackle me to the floor.”
“I want to do that now with the way you’re looking at me. Or maybe you want to do that to me.”
“I’ve been known to tackle a male body before,” she said, wiggling her eyebrows. “Not in the same context and it’s been years, but you know, I bet I still have some good moves.”
“I’m positive you do,” he said, pulling his shirt on. “Come in. Sorry. I won’t be long.”
“Don’t worry about it. There is no rush. I was just at my parents and came back to get you.”
“Why?” he shouted from the bathroom. She moved closer down the hall to watch him put contacts in and comb his hair. He put some product in his hands and ran them through the wet locks and then was done. “I could have met you there.”
“I know, but I wanted to talk to them first.”
“Oh boy, about what?”
She smiled. “Just give them some background. Or more of one. I told them not to hold back and talk, that you could handle it and would ask questions.”
He frowned and went to step out, but she didn’t give him much space, causing him to brush against her. He winked and moved to his room to get a pair of socks and sit on the bed.
His jeans were still unfastened and she wondered if he knew that or not. She’d keep quiet on it for now.
There was an urge in her fingers to help him close it, just to touch, tease or tempt any part of him.
She’d never been this reckless before.
But was it really reckless when she was honest with her feelings? It wasn’t as if she was asking him to stay or make any promises to her.
“If I can handle what I have so far in my life, I can handle anything else thrown at me.”
“I told them that.” He was reaching for his sneakers to put on. “One more thing.”
“What’s that?”
“My parents asked if this was personal or professional. This thing with me and you.”
“Not professional,” he said. “I don’t want that. You know it.”
