“So, what was this fantastic offer?”
“His grandparents are in town, and they bribed him with some 3D dinosaur movie.”
“Totally unfair. Me against dinosaurs? That’s not even a contest.” Kiki rolls her eyes, skewing her mouth to the left in the most adorable fashion.
Not certain she realizes how appealing that maneuver is, or how perfectly shaped her lips are.
Seriously, stop staring at her mouth.
I hold up the wine and cookies. “While I know I’m a poor stand-in for my son, I brought these along to soften the blow. Question is, are you going to let me inside or are you leaving me to freeze on the porch?”
“Shit.” Kiki steps aside, waving me in. “I’m sorry. It’s sowarm in here since you fixed the stove that I forgot it’s like the arctic out there.”
The second I walk into her living space, the heat envelops me. “You aren’t kidding. At least that explains why you’re wearing a t-shirt.”
Not that I’m looking at how that t-shirt hugs her curves. Nope, definitely not doing that.
She glances down, pulling at the hem of her shirt. “I love it nice and cozy but this is…”
“Like a sauna?”
“It’s a bit much,” she giggles.
I jerk my hand toward the stove in the corner. “How about you open the wine and I’ll set the thermostat to a temperature conducive to actual humans.”
“I’ll gladly open the wine but I thought you were a beer guy.” She reaches into the fridge, pulling out my favorite lager. “So I grabbed these for you.”
“Good woman.”
She holds up the wine and beer. “Which will it be, Mr. Landry?”
I motion toward the beer, smiling when she brings it over. “You know me well.”
But somehow, not well enough.
Okay, that’s enough. Time to downshift intofriendlyconversation topics.
How hard can it be?
Turns out the universe wants to test that theory.
“Hey, do you want your receipt?” A piece of paper floats to the floor from the bag holding the cookies, and Kiki bends over to grab it, effectively derailingallmy platonic plans.
How did I miss the greatest ass I’ve ever seen? Seriously, it’s perfect—round and plump and the way I would wrap my hands around her?—
Jesus man, get a damn grip.
Look, I always thought Kiki was a good-looking woman. That’s not an opinion, either. It’s a straight-up fact.
But when we first started hanging out, there was this fragility to her. Like she might shatter if the wind hit her wrong.
Now? She’s glowing, and filled out in all the right fucking places.
“Everything okay?” Kiki stands in the doorway, her brow raised, and a smirk on her face that tells me she knows exactly where I was looking.
“Yep.” I clear my throat, heat creeping up my neck. “All good.”
Real smooth, Eddie.
