In all the different scenarios, not one time had she even considered hugging him. Punching him in the nose had crossed her mind a time or ten. Kicking him in the balls had been at the top of the list, too.
Sitting at a booth with him and Nico had not been part of the plan.
Yet here she was.
Stevie glanced at Nico, trying to figure out how he could be so calm. He didn’t appear wracked by nerves or even the slightest bit put off. He was watching Stone as though he wanted to havehimfor breakfast instead of pancakes and sausage links, which were theusualhe’d asked for.
Stone sat up straight, resting his forearms on the table, his eyes zeroed in on her.
“What?” she prompted.
“You look good, Stevie.”
She didn’t thank him for the compliment. Hell, her tongue was so twisted, she couldn’t.
“So what’re you two up to this mornin’?” Stone asked, this time directing his question at Nico.
“Headin’ to work.”
Stone gestured toward the logos on their shirts. “D and S Landscape Solutions.”
When he looked at her, Stevie raised her eyebrows, encouraging him to read between the lines. It didn’t take him long.
“Daugherty and Shepherd,” he said. “Very nice. How long’ve you been in business?”
“Eight years,” Nico answered.
Stevie chewed on her bottom lip, spinning the silverware wrapped in a paper napkin. She didn’t bother opening it because they wouldn’t be staying. Theirusualincluded a to-go bag. Thank God.
She could feel Stone’s eyes on her, and it took every ounce of self-control to keep from squirming. She inhaled deeply, wishing someone would turn down the heat.
She saw Stone’s hand move, gesturing between them. “Are you two a couple?”
“No,” they both said at the same time.
“But you live together.”
“Yeah,” they answered in unison again.
“Roommates?”
“Yep,” they both chimed.
Thatwasn’t creepy. Not at all.
A slow smile curved the corner of Stone’s mouth, and Stevie felt the tension in her core. Her pussy actually clenched. That damn smirk was what had attracted her to him in the first place. Looked as though she wasn’t immune to it now, either.
“Interesting.”
“Why’s that?” she asked, wishing she had the nerve to say something else. Something with substance. Something that didn’t make her look like she was stunned (and maybe a little happy) to see him.
Which she was, of course.
Buthedidn’t need to know that.
***
Nico wasn’t sure why his ass wasplanted in this seat.
