Chapter 4
CHAPTER FOUR
T ressy
I woke up to absolute silence.
Which was a dead giveaway that I wasn’t at home. When you lived in a city—any city, really—the first thing you noticed when you weren’t there was the absence of sound. No bus engines, no honking horns, no sirens, no traffic sounds at all.
It was kind of freaky, actually.
Opening my eyes, I looked past the foot of the queen bed I’d slept in to the empty twin on the other side of the room. With a gasp, I sat straight up.
Where was Krista? She’d always been an early riser, but I can’t believe she didn’t wake me up when she got out of bed. I hoped she hadn’t gotten herself into any trouble. I checked the bedside table for a clock and caught sight of the note set on top of my phone.
I hope you don’t mind I set up Krista with some breakfast and cartoons so you could sleep. We’re in the small room just off the kitchen. Join us whenever you’re ready.
Raffi
I took a breath and then another, trying to get my heart rate back to normal.
Krista was fine. No one had taken her. We were safe here.
Wherever here was exactly. I really should drag my ass out of bed and find out.
And oh my god, was it really almost eleven-thirty? I had no idea what time I’d gone to bed last night, but I hadn’t slept this late in… Well, I couldn’t actually remember when I’d slept this late. Not even as a teenager, because I’d always had somewhere to be. On set. A press event. Rehearsals. Classes.
I really must’ve been out of it last night. With a sigh, I let myself fall back on the bed again, careful not to close my eyes, because I was afraid the next time I opened them, it’d be closer to five.
Instead, I stared at the ceiling. The plaster design riveled anything I’d seen in an exclusive New York brownstone and the chandelier was crystal.
Who were these people who lived in the middle of nowhere in a freaking mansion and had taken in a couple of strangers and let them sleep in their home?
I needed to find Krista, thank Raffi for her hospitality and get back on the road to…
Where are you going exactly?
Hell if I knew. What I did know was that I needed to get my shit together, but after the night I’d had, maybe I could give myself a little slack. Sighing, I let my head sink a little deeper into the mattress.
Last night had been a shit show. The stunt my mom had pulled… Ugh. I didn’t even want to think about it. But now that I had, I couldn’t stop. And the anxiety and panic began to eat at me.
Stop that. You’re safe here.
I really hoped that was true. But it still needed to find Krista. I couldn’t just let a woman I’d just met care for my child. What kind of parent was I to let a woman I’d just met take her?—
To breakfast.
Get a grip.
I pushed myself back to sitting, then read the note again, the anxiety easing just a little.
Krista was fine. She was safe with Raffi. I don’t know how I knew that so completely, but I did. We were safe here. Raffi would make sure nothing happened to my daughter.
But what kind of mother are you if you don’t check?
Tired. That’s what I was. I was so fucking tired. Anxiety. Stress. Fear. Anger. They all combined to make me exhausted. My business partners had been telling me I needed a break for months, but I’d brushed aside their worries and continued on like nothing was wrong.
And then last night had happened.
Maybe we can stay here for a while. Like a mini-vacation. Away from…everything else.
I remember Rowdy… with those dark eyes and scruffy beard and the hair I wanted to sink her fingers into… he’d told me something about the tire and needing a mechanic. Maybe we would have to stay for a few days.
Would that be such a bad thing? I couldn’t remember the last time I’d taken time away from work. Maybe last year? This past summer, I’d made sure Krista had stayed busy with classes and camps and everything New York City had to offer. But the agency Jen, Leon and I had taken over three years ago was still growing. It needed my attention.
But Jen and Leon were more than capable of holding down the fort on their own for a few days. Maybe…
Except I’d left a mess behind that I’d have to clean up eventually, because that’s what I did. I didn’t make messes, but I’d have to clean this one up because my mom would never admit she’d done something wrong, and this situation would all be my fault.
Shit.
My head started to throb, and my stomach chose that moment to growl.
Time to get up and start dealing with the shit show that my life had become.
Rolling out of bed, I headed to the en suite Raffi had shown me last night, when I’d barely been able to hold my eyes open. In the bright light of day, I noticed how lush it was. Marble shower and sink, a soaker tub, bamboo floors, gorgeous cabinetry. The room gave four-star hotels a run for their money.
Really, who are these people?
I really wanted to know the answer to that question. Pulling the t-shirt I’d slept in over my head, I almost tossed it on the bed before I realized there was a face on it. I hadn’t really noticed last night, but that was Rowdy’s face staring back at me. Beautiful dark eyes and long lashes that couldn’t possibly be real. Cheekbones to die for. And a panty-dropping grin.
It took me way too long to lay that shirt on the bed and head for the bathroom. And some sense.
After a quick shower, I walked back into the bedroom and looked for my clothes from last night. My dress was laid over a chair, and my luggage sat next to it. On top of the dresser was an unopened pack of underwear in my size, a pair of cream lounge pants with a matching top, and a bralette in my size with the tags still attached. A pair of fluffy slippers sat on the floor .
I just shook my head. If this was a dream, maybe I didn’t want to wake up.
By the time I was dressed, my stomach had become an angry monster and, when I opened the door, I caught a whiff of something delicious. Following my nose, I walked down the hall, taking note of the original artwork on the wall and the Persian wool rug on the floor.
Maybe this place was actually a bed and breakfast, and I just hadn’t noticed last night.
The hall dropped me back into the entrance foyer I remembered from last night. I looked for a reception desk or a sign to the dining room, but of course, there were none.
Did Rowdy live here? Not that I cared. Of course I didn’t. I was just curious. At least I wasn’t wearing the guy’s face on my chest anymore.
I really hoped I didn’t see him first thing in the morning. Okay, late morning.
Liar.
Yeah, maybe I’d just go back to bed and stick my head under the pillows.
From farther back in the house, I heard Krista’s laughter. The sound immediately lifted my mood. I hadn’t realized how low I’d been feeling until everything seemed just a little brighter at my daughter’s joy.
How long had it been since I’d heard Krista laugh like that? Months, maybe. A little of the brightness dimmed. I was a totally sucky mother if my daughter hadn’t been laughing and I hadn’t noticed.
Cut yourself a little slack. The last couple of weeks haven’t exactly been normal.
I snorted. That was a bit of an understatement.
My daughter’s laughter rang out again, a carefree giggle this time. I followed the sound through another couple of amazingly decorated rooms, including a library, before I turned a corner and entered an open-concept kitchen.
This place was freaking huge. It’d probably fit four of our apartment.
“Ah, Tressy. You’re up.” Raffi smiled at me across the huge island. “How did you sleep?”
“Mommy, Rowdy made me pancakes, and Miss Raffi gave me pineapple juice. I didn’t know pineapple’s had juice.”
Krista held her arms out to me, so I walked over and gave her a hug, just like I did every morning. But this morning, Krista was sitting in someone else’s kitchen, and I was wearing someone else’s clothes.
“Do you want something to eat?” Raffi smiled as she opened the built-in refrigerator that looked big enough to feed an army. “I can whip up an omelette or a sandwich or?—”
“I can make you pancakes.”
My gaze tripped over to Rowdy, who leaned against the counter on the opposite side of the huge island. And my mouth dropped open for a split second before I snapped it shut.
Had he been this hot last night?
Tight, worn jeans showed off bulging thighs. Tight, worn t-shirt stretched across a broad chest. My fingers curled with the desire to pet him. Like actually pet him. Dark stubble on a strong square jaw. Dark messy hair with a wave that made me want to run my fingers through it.
It only took seconds for my gaze to reach his eyes, which were so dark, I felt like I could fall into them and drown. I got caught in those eyes and only realized I was staring when Krista said, “Mommy, you should try Rowdy’s pancakes. They’re really good.”
I blinked, breaking the connection as I turned to smile at my daughter.
“Oh, I’m sure he doesn’t have the time?— ”
“Actually, I do have time.” His voice sent a shiver down my spine. “I don’t have anywhere to be for another couple of hours.”
“Rowdy’s gonna play hockey, Mommy. He has a whole team.”
“Yes, I know. That’s why I don’t want to bother?—”
“It’s no bother.” Rowdy shifted against the counter, recrossing his feet, which I now realized were bare. “You like blueberries?”
“Um, yeah?”
His smile made my breath stutter, damn him. That was not good. I needed to watch that. No, I needed to make sure it didn’t happen again. Taking a breath, I shoved all those wayward feelings into a little ball that I then slam-dunked into a wastebasket in my brain. My therapist had taught me that one.
Rowdy’s gaze narrowed as he pushed away from the counter and headed to the refrigerator. As if he knew exactly what he was doing.
“Chocolate chips?” he asked.
Oh, he was good. Tempting me with chocolate and worn jeans and a tight t-shirt.
After he caught you in his arms like the hero of some ridiculous movie.
Did this small-town Romeo have some kind of weird mojo? Or was I simply so messed up in the head that any tiny bit of attention from a man made me crazy?
“Blueberries are fine.”
“Yeah, but you’ve never had my blueberry and chocolate chip pancakes. Trust me, they’ll change your life.”
Something warm began to unfurl in my stomach, something I hadn’t felt in years.
Nope, not happening. Not now. Not here. Not this guy.
At twenty-seven, you’d think I’d be better able to control this shit. And it was shit. Because there was no way in hell I could even think about falling for this guy.
My practiced smile came easier this time. “Well, then I guess I have to, don’t I? ”
The smile he gave me was a shot across the bow. He knew. Somehow, he knew that I was walling him off, shutting him down.
Smarter than the average bear.
But it didn’t matter, did it? Because Krista and I were leaving as soon as we could. Well, as soon as my car was ready. Damn it.
Raffi and Krista watched me from the other side of the island, my daughter’s eyes wide and interested, Raffi’s expression carefully neutral.
“Tomorrow morning, we’ll have a proper spread.”
My brain stuttered. Tomorrow. We wouldn’t be here tomorrow.
Won’t we?
“What’s a proper spread?” Krista asked.
“Well, I don’t know where you’re from, but around here, a proper spread includes all the food groups.” Rowdy held up one hand and started to count off fingers. “Meat. Cheese. Carbs. Sugar.” He shrugged. “Maybe some fruit. Definitely no vegetables.”
This man thought he was irresistible. And maybe he was, but I wasn’t going to give him any more ammunition.
“Mommy likes vegetables.” Krista chimed in. “She eats them all the time.”
“Then she’s missing out on the finer things in life.”
He winked at Krista, whose smile widened. So did his. Rowdy honestly seemed enchanted with my daughter and not just playing up to Krista to get on her mom’s good side. He was either a damn good actor or a decent guy. And I hadn’t met many of the latter.
“Krista, honey, I have a few errands to run.” Raffi filled the short silence that fell. “Would you like to come with me? If it’s okay with your mom, of course.”
Krista turned to me, her eyes wide. “Can I? Miss Raffi said we could see the hockey rink where Rowdy plays. ”
“Why—”
I stopped before I asked Krista why she cared about seeing some small-town hockey arena and insulted the family who’d been so good to us. I’d taken Krista to a couple of Rangers games at Madison Square Garden, which had to be a palace compared to whatever was going on in St. David. Krista hadn’t cared about the game. She’d been more interested in whatever snacks were available in the private suite we sat in that night.
“I don’t know, honey. I need to get in touch with the mechanic about the car and I don’t know when we’re going to leave.”
Krista’s mouth tightened into a little pout. “Miss Raffi said we could stay as long as we want.”
“I know she did and that’s very nice of her, but we can’t just stay?—”
“Actually, you can just stay.” Raffi’s smile never faltered, never showed any sign that she didn’t mean exactly what she said. “For as long as you like. As you can see, our house is big enough to get lost in, and it’d be nice to have company for a while. The Colonel and the kids are going to be wrapped up with games all this weekend, and I’d love to have some girls to talk to. And you still need to check with Donny about your tire.”
“Donny?”
“He’s the only mechanic in town at the moment.”
This town had one mechanic? Where the hell had we gotten stranded?
My brain whirred and clicked, like a broken computer trying to boot.
What can it hurt? If you’re just gone for a few days?
We had nowhere to be. We had nowhere to go. Except home. And home wasn’t where I wanted to be right now.
No one knew who we were here. And no one, especially my mom and sister, would ever think to look for us here.
“Mommy, I wanna go to the hockey game tonight. ”
Krista looked at me with that face, the one that usually got her whatever she wanted.
What could it hurt to stay another night? Krista didn’t have to be back at school until Tuesday. And it wasn’t like the private school I paid so damn much money to would kick her out if she didn’t show up for a day or two. Attendance wasn’t required for children in kindergarten. If we decided to stay a few more days?—
We’d be home by Tuesday, at the latest. We couldn’t hide forever.
We’re not hiding. We’re just taking a well-deserved break.
Jesus, I couldn’t even convince myself of that.
“I guess…” I carefully didn’t look at Rowdy, “we could stay to see the game. We could leave tomorrow.”
“There’s another game tomorrow,” Raffi said. “We always have two home games opening weekend. Keeps people in town to spend money. If you maybe wanted to stay another day.”
That meant we wouldn’t leave until Sunday. But of course, traffic back into the city would be awful. So it wouldn’t hurt to wait until Monday.
“I really don’t want to impose.”
Raffi’s smile widened. “Oh, hon, you are not imposing. I love to have company. Especially this time of the year when Reston and the kids are so busy with the start of the season.”
So, we’d be doing Raffi a favor if we stayed?
Sure, you can justify it like that.
“If you’re sure we’re not imposing…”
“I’m very sure.” Raffi’s tone was decisive. “Now that that’s settled, do you mind if I take Krista with me on my errands?”
Krista’s smile was infectious, and I found my lips curving to match my daughter’s.
Still… “I really don’t want to intrude on your home, though. There has to be somewhere for us to?—”
Raffi waved a hand through the air. “Honestly, you’ll be doing me a favor if you stay here. This house gets really empty around here on game days and, since my youngest left for college, I have to admit, it gets lonely. My grown children don’t exactly visit as much as I’d like.”
“Don’t let her fool you with the ‘woe is me’ routine.” Rowdy’s voice made a shiver snake up my spine. And not a creepy shiver. No, this shiver was definitely not creepy. “When Rocky left, I’m pretty sure she and my dad drank a bottle of wine and danced all night.”
Raffi gave her son the side eye. “When you drop your last baby at college, then you can tell me how to act. Until then, your mother gets to have her feelings, and you don’t get to comment on them. Of course, that may never happen, since you don’t seem in any way ready to settle down and give me grandchildren.”
Rowdy laughed under his breath, but the look he gave his mom was filled with so much love, it made my heart ache. This was the relationship I wanted to have with Krista. Loving, teasing, understanding. Functional. I wanted so badly to give my daughter one functional parent. She’d never had a father, probably never would if my track record with men was any indication.
And I’d never actually had decent role models growing up, except for the fake ones.
That’s pretty damn pitiful.
“You can stay in the same room you stayed in last night,” Raffi continued. “It has its own private entrance and two bedrooms. We renovated it for my mom, but she lives in Florida now and won’t even think about coming back up here to stay for more than a few months. Especially not during hockey season. You and Krista can have your privacy, for as long as you like.”
Were these people for real? They were opening their home to complete strangers. Krista and I could be grifters or serial killers or … or just awful people. Or maybe the Lawrences took people in off the streets all the time and those people just disappeared. Happened all the time in the city .
But I knew that wasn’t what was happening here. Raffi was just a decent person.
It’s the perfect place to lay low. Just for a few days.
“Mommy, please?”
Krista stared at me with so much anticipation, I was answering before I realized I was going to.
“If you’re sure we’re not intruding?—”
“Not at all.” Raffi’s smile widened, eyes twinkling with the same light I’d seen in Rowdy’s. Not that I’d been looking. Nope. Not looking.
“Does that mean I can go with Miss Raffi to do the errands?”
Leaving me alone with Rowdy.
I swallowed hard and smiled at Krista. “Sure. If Miss Raffi really doesn’t mind?—”
“I absolutely don’t mind.” Raffi looked thrilled, actually. “I’ve got a lot to do today, so would it be okay if we had lunch while we’re out?”
“Sure, but she’s kind of a picky eater…”
Which was putting it mildly. My daughter was used to living in a city where she’d acquired a taste for authentic Thai and Indian food. Krista had become a real food snob.
“Is there anything she can’t have?” Raffi asked. “Any allergies?”
“No, no. Nothing like that.” This woman was almost too good to be true. “Thank you again for… everything. I’m so grateful?—”
“Oh, now, none of that.” Raffi waved her hand like she could make worry and distrust disappear just by willing it so. And who knows, maybe she could. “Come on, Krista, let’s get you dressed and then we’ll get started our errands.”
Krista hopped off her chair like she’d had a fire lit under her butt. I wondered if I should be worried about how fast my daughter wanted to get away from me. Then again, maybe I should just be happy she didn’t seem to be traumatized by last night’s shitshow.
“We’ll be back by four. Rowdy, don’t burn Tressy’s breakfast. ”
Behind me, I heard Rowdy mutter, “Shit,” and when I turned around, he was sliding perfectly browned pancakes off the griddle and onto a plate.
Setting the plate on the island, he added a fork and knife and a napkin, then got a bowl of fruit out of the fridge. Strawberries, grapes, melon.
“OJ or coffee?”
It took my brain a second to process his question, because I was still a little shocked by the sight of this big man with the long wavy hair and the muscles in his arms on full display, who looked like he’d just come in from a hard day of building houses or maybe wrestling cows or something stupidly masculine like that.
He didn’t look like he should be asking me whether I wanted coffee or juice after he’d just made me breakfast.
“Um, orange juice, please. I’m not a big coffee drinker.”
Sliding into a chair at the island, because I couldn’t think of anything else to do and I was starving, I picked up my fork and started eating. After the first bite, my eyes widened and my gaze shot up to Rowdy, who was staring at me over his mug.
“Oh my god. These are amazing. What did you put in them?”
He sipped his coffee before answering, lips curving in a smile that made me think of warm summer nights and stolen kisses. Then he winked, and my stomach did a flip-flop that was not at all related to intestinal distress of any kind. No, this was the butterflies-flapping and thigh-clenching kind of flip-flop.
The kind I hadn’t experienced in years. Mainly because I wouldn’t let myself feel those feelings. Attraction, love, lust, whatever. Not in my plan for the next few years, at least. Been there. Done that. Had my heart broken for the trouble. And when he’d exited stage right, I realized I’d won the lottery, because he’d been all kinds of wrong for me.
Maybe I was still tired from last night and these feelings would pass.
My inner bad girl snarked out a laugh .
“Little bit of this. Little bit of that.”
I gave him a look designed to let him know he wasn’t as cute as he thought he was. Even if he actually was.
His expression shifted into playful hurt. “What? Can’t give away all my secrets on the first day.”
“Do you have a lot of secrets?”
Now, why had I asked that? It sounded like flirting. I wasn’t flirting. Hell, no. Not even a little bit.
Bad Girl laughed louder this time.
Rowdy’s gaze narrowed, as if he knew exactly what I was thinking.
“Not really.” He opened his arms like he was inviting me in for a hug. “What you see is generally what you get. What about you, Tressy? You have secrets?”
Way too many.
“So you’re a hockey player.”
The left corner of his mouth twitched, as if he wanted to smile but wouldn’t give me the satisfaction. He let my words hang in the air for long seconds, while I forced myself to continue eating. When what I really wanted was to take a bite out of his perfect chin.
Bet he’d taste yummy.
Nope. Not happening.
Finally, when I thought for sure he wouldn’t let me get away with the change in conversation, he pushed away from the island and turned to pour more coffee.
“Yep, since the first moment I could skate. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t have skates on my feet and a stick in my hand.” He took another swig of coffee and my gaze slipped from his lips to the strong column of his throat. “What about you?”
Uh oh. “What about me?”
He waited until I looked up at him. “What do you do?”
“I own my own business.” Which was true, just not the whole truth .
I went quiet, and I thought maybe he would let it go. I should’ve known better.
“You don’t like to talk about yourself, do you?” His voice sounded wry. “Just a warning, but gossip is even more popular than hockey in this town. And you made a hell of an entrance last night.”
I held his gaze but wasn’t sure what I should say, or if I should say anything at all. I felt like I owed him an explanation. I’d fallen into his arms last night like the heroine in a romcom. His mom had given me and Krista a place to stay with no questions asked. And the women in the bar last night had been ready to rip the limbs off whatever man had done me wrong.
“I’m not in any kind of trouble. And I want you to know there’s no one dangerous following me.”
I just couldn’t stomach returning to the shit show I’d left behind. My mom was going to be pissed as hell and my sister…
“I guess that’s good to know.”
His voice had an amused edge that tweaked at my conscience.
“Look, I know I owe you more?—”
“You don’t owe me anything.”
Yes, I did. And I hated that. I hated owing anyone anything. I’d spent so much of my life being told I owed my family everything.
“I do. I owe you my thanks.”
“You’ve already thanked me.”
“Well, let me say it again. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
I wished I felt better for saying it. And I wished I didn’t feel like I wanted to tell him more. Something about him made me want to keep talking.
He’s definitely going to be a hazard to my well-being.
Dropping my gaze to my plate, I continued to eat, breathing a sigh of relief when he let the subject drop. When he turned to the sink and started to wash the dishes, I thought I’d be able to catch my breath. For some reason, though, I couldn’t. Probably because my gaze got stuck on him.
Jesus, when did backs become sexy.
Maybe because it’s his.
His t-shirt was tight enough that I could see the play of muscles beneath. The man had a body I wanted to touch. And that was something new and different for me. I hadn’t dated in a really long time, mainly because I hadn’t met anyone I remotely wanted to date. That didn’t mean I didn’t notice men. Especially nice-looking ones. In my world, those men were either married and out of bounds or they knew just how good looking they were and used it to their advantage.
I’d never met a man with a body like Rowdy’s. When I did date, those men usually wore expensive suits, kept their bodies in shape with cycling classes, and loved a good brunch.
I wasn’t sure Rowdy had ever been to brunch. Or a cycling class. And he probably didn’t own a suit. But, damn, the man could cook. The last bite of pancake was on its way to my stomach when he turned from the sink. Since I had nothing more to eat, I couldn’t ignore him. And honestly, I wasn’t sure I wanted to. He was hard to look away from, making my blood tingle and my stomach flutter.
The feelings made me short of breath, as well, and that was?—
“So, what do you want to do today? After we drop your car off at Donny’s.”
I wanted to forget that last night had happened. I wanted to forget I’d run away from my problems like a child. Wanted to forget that my mom had ambushed me and that my sister had once again nearly gotten her way without any thought for anyone else.
“I think I’d like to sit in a corner and breathe.”
The way he looked at me made me feel like he could see straight into my soul. It was weird and oddly comforting.
No, no. It was just weird .
“I can arrange that,” he said, “if you don’t mind sitting in the corner of a cold ice rink and watching a bunch of guys be idiots.”
Without trying to be, I was curious. And amused.
“Aren’t you being a little harsh on your teammates?”
“You wouldn’t think that if you knew them.”
“Do you count yourself among the idiots?”
I hadn’t meant to sound catty, and I immediately opened my mouth to apologize, but he started to laugh. The sound curled down into my core and made it clench.
What a god-awful time for my body to decide to be attracted to a man, which meant I really shouldn’t go with him.
“Yeah, actually I do.” He didn’t look at all offended. “But I’m the captain of the idiots, so…” He shrugged, his smile widening.
And I saw how Rowdy made all the women around him smile whenever they said his name. The guy was a charmer. Not slick, at least not in the ways I was accustomed to. Rowdy was…different. I liked him. Which was kind of shocking.
“So what do you do the day before a game?”
“Well, we all get together at the rink to give offerings for a good season.”
I blinked. “I’m sorry, did you say…offerings?
He nodded. “I know. You’re speechless at our amazing ingenuity. Or struck dumb with wonder at our incredible stupidity. It’s a toss-up, I admit.”
My smile escaped, even though I tried hard to suppress it, and I watched his gaze dip to my mouth. That heat in my core spread through the rest of my body like a flash bomb. My cheeks flushed bright red, but luckily his attention was completely focused on my lips.
I swallowed hard and drew in much needed air. But his gaze narrowed when my lips parted, and now that air got stuck in my throat.
Tell him you can’t go. Tell him you’re exhausted. Tell him you’re sick. Tell him you’re allergic to ice. Do not go anywhere with this man .
“When are we leaving?”
My inner, reasonable self smacked the Bad Girl’s forehead and called me an idiot. Yep, totally agreed.
“Whenever you’re ready.”
I looked down at my borrowed clothing. I tried to remember what I’d packed in my suitcase. Did I have something appropriate for a hockey rink? Had I packed any practical clothes?
“I’m not sure I have the right clothing.”
I caught a flash of his bemused expression before it evened out into a grin. “If you’ve got jeans, I think I can come up with something that’ll fit you on top. Just give me a sec.”
He walked away and disappeared through the door, leaving me sitting there, wondering what I’d agreed to and second-guessing everything.
I’d almost talked myself out of going when he walked back into the room.
“I guessed on the sizes but if they don’t fit, we’ve got a whole damn room full of them.”
He held out his hand, and I took the plastic-wrapped packages. A t-shirt and sweatshirt, both black, with red lettering. It took me a second, but finally, I remembered my manners.
“Thank you.”
“Welcome.”
Then I was staring at him again, struck by the dark beauty of his eyes.
Damn it.
“I guess I’ll go change.”
Then I left before I could do something even more stupid than agreeing to go anywhere with this man.