Page 26 of Second Time Around
“How so?”
“You’re twelve years older than when I last saw you.”
He could have pointed out that he’d just seen her two days ago, but wisely decided not to.
“So?”
“So, most of the guys around our age have gone soft or have a beer gut.”
He raised his eyebrows, curious as to how many guys she’d seen without a shirt, but also not wanting to know. “I like to keep in shape.”
“Obviously.”
He turned it around on her. “What about you?”
“What about me?”
“You haven’t gone soft.” He scanned her body like she’d just done to him.
“You haven’t seen me naked,” she said.
Her cheeks flushed, although it might have been due to the excessive heat. Just thinking about her naked made him feel overheated too. “Maybe I should take off my T-shirt too.”
“NO! Just keep your clothes on!”
Chuckling, he said, “Mind holding this while I get to work?”
She reluctantly took his dress shirt, handling it gingerly like it might bite her. Then, because he didn’t want her to change her mind and call a tow truck, he got to work.
He took out the spare tire and tool kit from the back of the car and was just about to kneel on the pavement when she stopped him.
“Wait. I have a towel you can use so you don’t ruin your pants.”
She bent into the back seat of her car and pulled out a brightly colored beach towel.
“You don’t mind if it gets dirty?”
“Better that than your pants.”
“Thanks.” He folded the towel and laid it on the ground. As he loosened the lug nuts, he said, “Are you going swimming tonight, or do you always have a beach towel on hand?”
“I’m going to a pool party.”
“Oh yeah? Where at?” He purposely took his time loosening the nuts just so he could keep talking to her.
She hesitated, but then she said, “Stacy’s boyfriend lives in an apartment complex with a pool. I’m meeting them and some friends there.”
He was dying to know if “some friends” included any guys, specifically guys she was interested in. Not that it was any of his business.
“And before you ask, it’s another couple.”
“Hmm. So you’re the only one without a date?”
When she didn’t reply, he glanced up at her and realized his mistake. “Not that you couldn’t get a date if you wanted one. You probably just didn’t want one, right?”
“It’s none of your business, but I’m not dating anyone right now.”
“Oh.”
