Chapter 7
CHAPTER SEVEN
“And this completes the tour.” Chris entered his room with open palms as if proudly showcasing a bedroom on an HGTV reality show, except this was more like the flop before the flip.
Or something like that, Rory thought with a smile as she maneuvered around him to take it all in.
All of it being a bed and dresser that belonged to the nineties.
“These from your childhood?” She smoothed a hand over the scuffed-up cherrywood of the tall dresser, then set her eyes on the sad-looking bed.
So, so sad. Not even a headboard.
“Saved the best for last?” The room was as lacking in both furniture and personality as the rest of his ranch home. “It could use Deb’s touch, that’s for sure.”
Although no headboard meant less noise during sex. And she couldn’t believe her brain just went there. Rory nearly threw a hand to her forehead like Elaine on Seinfeld, when George or Jerry said something crazy. Her parents still watched reruns like it was their job.
I can’t even blame the brownies for that insane thought. How about residual effects? Delayed reaction?
“Got them on Craigslist.” He sat on the bed, his palms on either side of him. “Not the mattress. That’s new,” he added, then glared at her. “What’s that narrow-eyed look ya got going for ya all about?”
“What?” She blinked, her focus moving to an open door, which probably led to his en suite. “Not even a lamp. Got a thing against light?”
He pointed to the ceiling fan over his bed. The light fixture in the center of the faux palm leaf blades was yellowed with age. “I only sleep in here.” He shifted his hands to the tops of his thighs. “And by Deb, you mean A.J.’s mom? Did she decorate your place?”
Rory returned to the dresser and leaned her back to it since it was only a few inches shorter than she was. “Yup, although I think you could’ve used her help more than me, which is saying a lot since I have zero decorator bones in my body.”
“Well, in my opinion, there are a lot more important bones to have in your body.” His blue eyes that she swore always had a natural twinkle in them, shot to her face. He cleared his throat. “But I, uh, don’t need much.”
“When did you rent the home? Or maybe why? For Bear?”
Bear must have heard his name because he came trotting into the room, moving like he owned the place, then jumped onto the bed and curled up next to Chris before setting his head on top of his crossed paws.
How stinking cute is that?
“I rented it back in August after I made up my mind to find a canine. And since I hoped you’d come here and train him, I made sure to get a place with a few bedrooms.”
So, he’d been planning her arrival since August? “Well, at least you picked a place with a great backyard.” She moved to the bed to pet Bear. “You think you’ll stay in Virginia long-term?”
“I don’t know. We’ll see. I haven’t had a permanent residence in years. Most of the guys on Echo . . .” He stopped himself and smiled. “I mean, most of my buddies who aren’t married sort of drift around wherever the wind takes them. A.J. was like that before Ana.”
Maybe she and Chris weren’t so different. She’d been on the move for years with only a P.O. box attached to her name. When she arrived in New Orleans a little over a month ago, she didn’t have much aside from clothes, so A.J.’s mom came in for the save.
“You think about living in D.C. since most of your friends are there? Or maybe New York? That’s where the headquarters for Scott and Scott is, right?”
“Neither New York nor D.C. are really my style. People are too high-strung in both places.”
“What about Boston, where you’re from?”
Chris stood, and his lips formed a tight line. Was there a secret or bad memory he didn’t want to share? “I think the South might be calling my name,” he said with a big smile, his mood switching as fast as a Southern summer storm moved in and out.
“Hey now, no flirting, remember?” She meant it more as a joke, but when he closed the space between them, her body responded to his proximity immediately. Her limbs went lax and swoony, while certain other parts grew tense with anticipation.
“That wasn’t flirting, but I’d be happy to offer you an example,” he said in a husky voice.
Chris dipped his head and drew closer. So close she was actually holding her breath as he stared into her eyes with fierce intensity. This moment was definitely going to be etched into her memory. He opened his mouth a fraction like a delectable tease.
“Give me one more night.” His lips were as close to hers as they could be without touching. “Let Bear sleep in my bed one more night,” he whispered seductively before inching back with a tiny smirk on his face.
Oh, well played.
She caught sight of Bear as he lifted his head and peered at her with his big puppy dog eyes. Two against one. Not fair.
“Fine,” she conceded, her body like butter after that moment. “One more night.” She turned away from the both of them, desperately needing some air.
Chris followed behind her, flicking off the ceiling light as they strode from the bedroom.
“Tomorrow morning, bright and early, we’ll start.” She spun around in the hallway to make sure he was listening to her orders, and nearly bumped into the man. They were way too close to each other. “Maybe with leashes,” she added, then whirled back around and retreated to the living room.
When she chanced a look back, he was leaning against a wood column. One foot propped up behind him. A casual look on his face.
“I should probably swing by the grocery store in the morning,” she said, shifting her focus to the kitchen. “I imagine your place is also empty of food.”
“I have a healthy appetite, so that’s one thing you don’t need to worry about. The kitchen is fully stocked.” He grinned. “I was only gone for two days this time.”
“How long are you normally gone?” Her eyes journeyed back his way, a sinking feeling in her stomach when his statement reminded her of a conversation she’d had with Savanna back home. That conversation had gone in a different direction than the one she’d had earlier with Ella.
“About that.”
Oh, she hated those two words. “Yeah?”
“I should have mentioned this yesterday, but the thing about my job is that I never know when I’ll get called away. I could be gone for a day, a week . . . I never know.”
This conversation she could handle. “It will be a challenge since you’re Bear’s handler, but yeah, I knew what I was getting into when I signed up for this.”
“Right. You’re A.J.’s friend,” he said with a nod, his bent knee relaxing, foot meeting the floor again as he shoved off the column.
“I’m also a friend of Savanna’s,” Rory reminded him.
She took a moment to gauge his reaction.
She had no clue how he might respond to her talking about the wife of his coworker he’d tragically lost. “I didn’t know Savanna all that well before Marcus passed, but I see her almost every time I visit Birmingham, and we’ve grown closer over the years.
” Her throat was tight with emotion, and the prospect of opening old wounds had her drawing in an uneasy breath.
Marcus’s death had been particularly brutal on A.J. since they’d been close friends, and of course, on Savanna. At the time, Marcus was the only married guy at Scott & Scott. Rory knew little else except that Asher had replaced Marcus.
“Does she know you’re here?” He swiped a hand over his head, a look of concern on his face.
“She knows, yes. But she’s as tight-lipped as A.J. about your work, so don’t worry, she didn’t spill whatever secrets y’all might have.”
“Six years in November, that’s how long Marcus has been gone. It’s hard to believe.”
She rolled her lips inward as tension crackled between them. A strong need pulled and tugged at her. It was as if someone else was in control of her body, urging her closer to Chris. “Savanna’s worried you could—”
“Die,” he finished for her. The word rolled harshly off his tongue, his tone heavy with the grief of his loss.
A loss for so many. “That alone is a pretty good reason not to fall for me. My job is dangerous.” His spine went stiff.
“But I could also get hit by a bus tomorrow. When it’s your time, it’s your time. ”
Rory had always lived that way until Carter Dominick had served as a reminder her lifestyle could also get the people she cared about killed.
She’d always been so cautious, but her ill-fated encounter with him had proven that the only way to keep her family safe was to turn her back on what she’d been doing.
Chris eased closer and placed his thumb to her jaw. He slowly traced along her chin, sweeping his thumb from earlobe to earlobe.
She swallowed and did her best to remain still and not lean into his touch. “Savanna just doesn’t want to see me get hurt.” On the other hand, Ella wants to make sure I don’t hurt you.
Chris tilted his head and brought his palm to her cheek. “Shouldn’t be a problem if neither of us falls, right?”
“True.” His palm was rough and warm, and it felt so good.
“I imagine you’ve broken a few hearts. Considering you felt the need to warn me against falling for you.
” He slipped his hand from her cheek to thread his fingers through her hair as his hooded gaze burned into her.
Rory tipped her head back and allowed herself to savor his attention for a few moments.
“I’m not sure I’m the feet-planted-to-the-ground kind of girl,” she said. Did that even make sense?
His brows dipped inward, and a serious expression flashed across his face. He leaned in close and whispered, “And what’s wrong with flying?”