“Wrong way, beautiful.”
My head snapped up, and it was then that I noticed the Nest doorbell had a glowing blue ring around the button.
“You see, the doorbell that I installed on both our homes works jointly with an app I mentioned in the welcome email I sent after you signed your rental contract. The app is handy to have on one’s phone since it alerts them to activity on their property. So you can only imagine my surprise when I saw it was you outside of my front door. Now the question is, were you planning to ring the bell or do a drop-off and run?” he asked through the speaker.
A moment later, the door swung open, and he stood casually leaning against the doorjamb in nothing but a pair of ripped, low-slung jeans that made me nearly swallow my tongue. Boden’s upper torso was an exquisite wall of solid muscle, toned to perfection, with tight abs and obliques that flexed with even the slightest movement, making my head fuzzy with admiration.
Then there were his arms.
From the limited time we’d spent together, I knew he had some ink on one of his forearms, but that apparently was only a sampling. The ink was part of an intricately woven full sleeve that stretched the expanse of his arm, branching out over his pectoral muscle. If arm porn were a thing, I’d subscribe and turn on the alarm for instant alerts because this was equivalent to pouring caramel sauce over ice cream.
Seeing him so exposed had the power to undo me.
The sound of his throat clearing flooded my cheeks with embarrassment.
“Are those for me?” he asked with a deliberate grin.
I looked down at the Saran wrap-covered plate before extending it to him. “I wanted to thank you again for being there for me last night, staying, and apologize for my awkwardness. I’m grateful, and if it came across as anything but, I wanted to clear the air.”
“Why don’t you come in.”
“I . . . I just intended to drop these off. I don’t want to intrude.”
“I insist, please.”
The way the man smiled at me and held me captive with his gaze was sincere and comforting, and I found myself entering his inner sanctum without further hesitancy, and once I did, I gasped.
It was no secret that Boden was exceptionally talented in the handyman realm if my rental had been of any indication. However, seeing inside his personal abode only further cemented that knowledge.
His home wasn’t the typical bachelor pad you might expect from a man who, no doubt, was highly coveted by the single female population of Sutton River; no, it was warm, cozy, and inviting, with a masculine flair that was worthy of gracing a home magazine cover.
“Make yourself comfortable.” His hand on the small of my back encouraged. “Can I get you something to drink?”
“A water would be great, if you don’t mind.”
While Boden stepped away, my eyes continued to absorb all the intricate details that made the space so uniquely him. In the center of the room was a huge custom couch, complete with two chaise lounges, one on either end that formed a boxy U-shape around two rectangular coffee tables that had been pushed together to make an oversized square. Underneath were four upholstered puffs that were neatly lined up and could be pulled out and used as extra seating.
From there, my eyes drew up to the main focal point of the living room, a built-out shiplap-covered wall painted black and accented with a thick chunky reclaimed wood beam anchored between an electric fireplace back-lit with LED lights and a large mounted TV. Then there was the ceiling above, covered in a walnut-stained tongue-and-groove treatment, complete with a black ceiling fan. The walls were shockingly white and bare, with a pop of color coming from a faux fig tree in the corner by the window and an accent throw bunched in the corner of the couch.
I tucked my legs under myself on the couch and pulled the blanket over me before I realized I was making myself a little too comfortable.
“Are you stealing my blanket?”
“Force of habit. I like being cozy, but you can have it back.”
“Nah, how about we share.” He handed me a glass of water as he lifted the corner of the blanket and sat down half a cushion away.
“Says the man, currently without a shirt on.” I lifted the glass to my mouth and took a sip.
“I can grab a shirt if I’m making you uncomfortable?”
“Gosh, no, no, this is your home. You get to do whatever makes you happy. It’s funny, you’re shirtless, wearing long pants, and have bare feet, yet you need a blanket?”
“Are you checking me out, Lakelyn?”
“Just stating the facts.”
“Maybe I have an ulterior motive.”
