Page 43 of This Could be Love

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!”

He slowed me down with his free hand, which landed on myknee and lingered there for a fraction of a second. Until he pulled it away and moved his fingers as if they’d been burned. Judging by the heat that was spreading through my body, maybe they had.

“Sorry,” he mumbled and looked back to the hammer.

Overwhelmed by his minimal touch—which had had maximum effect—I took a tiny step back. Hardly more than a shift in weight, but I involuntarily drew his gaze. His eyes flitted over my dress, lingering on my bare shoulders before our eyes met and he…swallowed. The second wave of heat coursed through my body, and I prayed he didn’t notice. But there was no mistaking the goose bumps on my arms. Not to mention my wildly throbbing jugular vein.

“You here to see Laurie?”

For a second, I was distracted by how dark and husky his voice sounded. Maybe that’s why it took me a moment to answer.

“Yeah, we’re going to Chip’s party.”

He knit his brow. “She didn’t tell you?”

I looked at him without understanding.

“She went to lie down a little while ago. She wasn’t feeling well. A migraine or something.”

“Oh.”

He looked at me in surprise. “Strange that she didn’t write you.”

“Umm…” I pulled my phone out of my handbag and indeed saw a message from Laurie. She’d written to me almost an hour earlier. Around the time Kay had come into my room.

Sorry, but the party’s not going to work out.

That time of the month and I’ve got a headache.??

“Guess she did.” I sighed. “I just didn’t look at my phone.” I looked into the distance.

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay.” I shrugged. “It’s my own fault.”

“Annoying all the same. You look like you spent a good while in front of the mirror.”

My eyes darted toward him, and I raised my right eyebrow. “Is that an insult or a compliment?”

“Umm…an…observation?”

A grin appeared at the corner of his mouth, and I decided to let him get away with it.

“Well, then. I guess I’ll go back home,” I said with a touch of disillusionment, already seeing myself on Kay’s couch in my pajamas. To be honest, I’d been looking forward to the evening. And I liked this dress. How it felt on my skin. How I felt inside it.

“Or you can come with me.”

I looked at him as if I hadn’t heard properly.

“I can give you a ride, I mean. I wanted to get going soon anyway.”

I looked at his work pants. The hammer in his hand. He didn’t look like he’d be going to any parties today. And hadn’t Laurie said parties weren’t really his thing?

“I just have to jump in the shower.”

I was still so caught off guard that all I could do was stare at him stupidly.

“I don’t drink when I’m driving.” Then he added, “If you’re worried about that.”