“Well, shit, Sasha. If you wanted to see me so bad, all you hadto do was ask. You didn’t have to pull out all the stops and move in next door. Didn’t take you for the stalking type.”
Her cheeks flush as she wrinkles her cute little nose. The piercing on the right side catches the light right before her eyes narrow and she huffs, “Are you just going to stand there and be an ass or are you going to get over yourself and grab a box?”
I can’t help but laugh. That sharp tongue of hers is one of the things I could never—not in a million years—ever forget.
“Yes, ma’am,” I say, giving her a mock salute as I move to step past her.
Grabbing the heaviest box I can find, which just happens to be filled with books, I hoist it onto my shoulder. “Where do you want it?”
Briefly thrown off by my nonchalance, she quickly recovers. “Um… Living room?”
She grabs another box, and I follow her inside, trying not to stare at her sweet ass and the way her hips sway as she walks. Shit. If her shorts were any shorter, I’d be able to see the crease where her butt cheeks meet her thighs.
Stepping inside, her living room is pretty much set up already, with a cream colored sectional, sleek entertainment center and a few empty bookshelves.
“Just set it down anywhere,” she says with a vague wave of her hand.
I place the box on the floor next to the bookshelves and straighten, taking a moment to look around. “Nice place. Getting settled in okay?”
“I was until someone woke me up this morning mowing their lawn,” she frowns, crossing her arms over her ample chest.
My gaze flicks from where it’s locked onto her tits and back up to her face. “Itwasafter nine,” I counter with a grin. Her frown deepens. “But point taken. Sorry about that.”
An awkward silence falls between us. There’s so much Iwant to say, so many questions I want to ask, but instead I settle for, “So, you’re moving to Lakeside, huh?”
“Yeah. I’m opening a Summit Studio in the empty building next to Rise and Dine.”
My eyebrows shoot up. “No shit?”
A hint of pride crosses her face. “Yep. Just closed on the sale. Took a lot longer than I thought it would. Small town red tape is no joke.”
“Trust me, I know.” I shove my hands back in my pockets. “Well, congratulations.”
“Thanks. Figured Lakeside could use a yoga studio. The only other one I know of is in the next town over.”
“And you just happened to pick the space right across from our shop?” I tease.
A flush creeps up her neck. “My only thought was that the location is perfect. I didn’t even think about Skin & Ink being across the street until Noia brought it up.”
“Right,” I drawl. Still not able to hold myself back from giving her shit, I take a step closer. “And it was just a coincidence you moved in next door?”
“I didn’t know,” she snaps. “Trust me, if I did, I would’ve picked somewhere else. Anywhere else, actually.”
“Ouch,” I cringe, arching an eyebrow. “Was I that bad, sweet-cheeks?”
Her back stiffens in annoyance. “Let’s just get the rest of the boxes inside,” she mutters, turning away to stomp out the front door. “And don’t call me sweet-cheeks.”
“Why not? From my vantage point—and if those shorts you’re wearing are any indication—you’ve got some pretty sweet cheeks.”
All I hear as she walks out the door is a frustrated groan, and it makes me grin.
We fall into a rhythm, moving back and forth between thepod and the house. I try to focus on the task at hand rather than how her legs flex with each box she lifts, or how the short hairs at the nape of her neck are curled with sweat. But it’s damn near impossible.
An hour later, the pod is empty, and I’m sweating bullets again.
“Water break?” I suggest, wiping my forehead with the back of my forearm.
She nods. “I’ve got some in the fridge.”
