I’m about to turn and see what has caught his attention, when a deep voice says, “I believe what your date meant to say was that it’s time for you to take off.” The voice sharpens. “Isn’t that right?”
I bolt out of the recliner and swing around to face Carter. The firstshock is that he’s here at the apartment. The second is that he’s wearing the tight, leave-nothing-to-the-imagination rooster underwear and nothing else.
I slap a hand over my mouth as my eyes lick over him. Forgetting about Adam, I whisper, “What are you doing here?”
Carter shrugs and casually leans against the doorframe. His muscles ripple with the movement. That’s all it takes for my panties to flood with heat. I’m like one of Pavlov’s well-trained dogs. When it comes to Carter, I can’t help myself.
“I was hoping we could talk,” he murmurs, and his eyes soften.
I wave a hand at his practically naked state. “Like that?”
A lopsided smile curves his lips. “You seem to go all mushy when I’m naked, so I thought it was worth a shot.” He jerks his head toward Adam. “Plus, I heard we had a guest.” He raises a brow. “So, I figured, appropriate attire was mandatory.”
I spin toward Adam, only now remembering that Carter and I aren’t alone. My date for the evening frowns and shoots to his feet. He spears a finger in Carter’s direction.
“Who’s this guy?” He pauses for a beat. “And where the hell are his clothes?”
The last time this scenario played out, I was pissed as hell. This time, I couldn’t be more thrilled.
A smile tugs at the corners of my lips. “Oh, him?” I blink innocently. “He’s one of my roommates.”
“Actually, I’m the boyfriend.”
My widened gaze collides with his. I wasn’t expecting him to say that.
He clears his throat as if suddenly unsure. “If you’ll have me back, that is.”
Everything in me melts into a gooey puddle as I nod. He’s right. His nakedness does make me go all mushy inside. Sure, I could play games and tell him that I needed some time to think it over, but I’m not going to do that. As much as Carter’s rejection hurt, I understand his rationale for pushing me away.
“You know,” a disgruntled Adam says. “I paid for dinner. I deserve a little compensation in return.”
Does a kick in the nuts from yours truly qualify as compensation? Because that’s exactly what he’s going to get if he doesn’t shut his mouth.
I plant my hands on my hips. “Excuse me, but you used a buy one, get one free dinner coupon,” I remind him.
I hadn’t mentioned anything at the time, but come on…
That’s not something you do on a first date.
“Frugal is where it’s at, baby,” he says defensively.
I roll my eyes, not only is he going to get that kick in the nuts, but he’s going to get tossed out on his ear. That can bemytwo-for-one special.
Carter pats his hips as if searching for his nonexistent pockets. Then he does the same to his ass cheeks. I bite my lip to keep from laughing at how ridiculous he looks. Not to mention, hot and sexy.
“Guess I forgot my wallet,” he quips.
Adam narrows his eyes. “Well, this night has turned out to be a bust.”
I shrug. “Sorry to disappoint.”
When I say nothing more, he grunts and stalks to the entryway. There’s no goodbye, just the door rattling on its hinges as he slams it. Now that we’re alone, Carter and I stare at each other in silence. The air shifts around us, becoming more charged.
“You have the worst taste in guys,” he murmurs, pushing away from the doorframe.
My heart picks up its tempo as he stalks closer.
“Present company excluded?” I ask.
