Audrey pulled back to look up at him. “Casablanca?!” she gasped. “This is the song fromCasablanca!”
He grinned crookedly at her and nodded, obviously deeply pleased with himself. “Great cover, isn’t it?”
“Billie Holiday’s version is gorgeous.”
“Yes, it is. She’s a legend.” He smoothed some of the hair away from her face and looked her in the eyes. “Were you really all that worried about me? About this?”
“I got nervous.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
Audrey sighed and rested her head against his chest. He was so solid, so warm. “No. I wasn’t worried aboutyou. I was ashamed. I got self-conscious and freaked out.”
“You shouldn’t have. Do you really thinkIwould be one to pressure you to sleep with me?” She shook her head and buried her face in his shirt. “How long did it take for me to even show you my face?”
“Too long.”
“Too long,” he agreed, nodding along with her. “I only asked you to stay because I didn’t want to worry about you. And because I love spending time with you—and I thought it would be nice to wake up with you tomorrow.” He drew her closer and rubbed his hand soothingly along her back. “I want more. More time, more of you.”
“You want more? Greedy,” she teased, finally looking back up at him.
“Very.” When Theo smirked at her, a single dimple emerged from the depths of his cheek. “When it comes to you, yes, I’mexceedinglygreedy. Always. And once I thought about you leaving me tonight, I missed you so much that it hurt—even though you were right here with me still.”
The song changed to something a little jazzier, and they stopped swaying. The rain still barreled down outside, though the lightning and the thunder had calmed somewhat. Theo’s quiet gaze was softbut intense as he watched her, his fingers plucking idly at the hood of his jacket she wore.
“I’m going to be very honest, though, Audrey: Iwouldlike to sleep with you. I’ve already dreamed of it more times than I can count.” His eyes warmed, and he rolled his lips together as his fingers migrated upward and tugged gently at the hair on the base of her neck. “I mean it when I say you’re the most gorgeous thing I’ve ever seen.” His voice dropped lower. “And I won’t deny it: I really like seeing you wearing my clothes. It’s sexy.”
“Oh?” Audrey raised an eyebrow. “This baggy, shapeless look does it for you?” When she pulled her arms away and shook the sleeves of the hoodie down from where she’d pushed them, her hands disappeared completely, swallowed whole into the fabric. It was the most comfortable thing she’d ever worn, but easily five sizes too large.
Theo nodded enthusiastically, and his mouth split again into that familiar roguish, crooked grin. “Oh yes. You have no idea what it does to me, to see you looking so small in my old college practice gear and favorite hoodie like that.” He rested his hands on her hips and his face grew serious again. “But I’m perfectly content to wait as long as you need me to. Even if it’s forever. Even if it’s never.” He cupped a gentle hand along her cheek. “When it comes to you, I’m interested in so much more than just sex,” he whispered in her ear. “It might even be my lowest priority right now, especially since I’m not entirely sure I’m all the way up for it tonight, given my hip—asdeeplyas it pains me to admit that it hurts today.” He drew back from her with a grimace and a sigh. “But if you stay over tonight, I’ll even take the couch if you want. You can have my bed, just as long as I can see your face first thing in the morning when we wake up.”
She didn’t need to think about it anymore.
She lifted a hand and covered his with it. “No,” she said with a firm shake of her head.
“No?” His face fell. “Oh.” His disappointment was palpable. “All right. That’s—that’s fine. I understand. I’ll call a cab, and—”
He reached for his phone in his sweatpants pocket, but she grabbed his wrist to stop him. “No, Theo. I meant that you’re not sleeping on the couch. I’m staying over with my boyfriend and you’re not getting kicked out of your bed.” She gave him a wry look. “I haven’t seen it yet, but I’d guess it’s plenty big for the both of us—and probably a lot larger than the twin bunks I have at home. Am I right?”
He stared down at her, his eyes dark and his breathing quick. “You might be.”
The last song on the album finished, and though the vinyl continued to spin and crackle on the record player, the house was suddenly plunged into stillness, save for the snapping flames in the fireplace and the rain still pelting the windows. Audrey stood on her tiptoes and slid her arms around Theo’s neck.
He was so sweet.
So unlike anyone she’d ever met before.
She’d never known she could ever have something like this.
She’d never known she could have someone likehim.
“Of all the coffee shops in all the towns in all the world, you walked into mine,” she whispered. His lips parted in surprise as he looked at her. The shadows of the fire danced along the curves of his face, alternating between concealing his scar in darkness and revealing it again in the soft, golden light. “You wonder whereIcame from, Theodore Henry Sullivan?” She huffed and shook her head. “I wonder every day what I did to deserve meetingyou.”
When she pressed her lips to his, he didn’t hesitate. He only closed his eyes and lowered his hands, placing them on the backs of her thighs to lift her up to the perfect height while he kissed her. Audrey wrapped her legs around his waist and buried a hand in his hair, holding on tight while Theo began to move around the livingroom. Without missing a beat, he bent down and clicked the remote buttons to turn off the fire and the record player before gathering the empty mugs by their handles in one hand. A quick trip to the kitchen to deposit them into the sink and a few flicks of light switches later, all that was left was the large neon sign from his father’s shop glowing in the darkness and reflecting in the glass of the windows overlooking the East River.
He left it on to light the way and hobbled carefully up the stairs, his lips locked firmly with her own.
Ten
