Chapter 7 #2
The word had landed like an unspoken question between them.
Her freckled cheeks blushed prettily.
Whatever this was between them, it couldn’t only be in his head, right?
Hell, maybe it was. Maybe he was imagining what he wanted to see.
He continued, “I let AB know this would just be temporary. I don’t want her getting too attached, you know? She loves real hard.”
“She get that from you?” Olivia said, smiling softly.
“Maybe,” he said with a laugh.
Definitely.
She pulled a sweatshirt over her sports bra—thank god—but unfortunately it did that incredibly sexy thing where it sloped down, exposing one shoulder.
Goddamnit. Can’t she just do something to make me hate her?
She leaned against the back of her couch. “Can you give me a rundown?? My schedule is pretty flexible, except for the handful of classes I have to teach at The Barre.”
Yes. Logistics will calm my cock down. “Pickup and drop-off for all her activities and school. I’ll try to pack her lunch ahead of time so you don’t have to do that.”
“Oh, I’m happy to. If I get to wear the unicorn apron.” She gave him a mischievous smile.
He burst out laughing. “Sorry, that’s a hard no. Can’t risk anything happening to it. But I’ll buy you your own. Purple looks good on you anyway.” He let the flirty sentence escape his lips as he pointed to her all-purple outfit.
A sparkle danced in her eyes as she licked her cupid’s bow lips, rubbing them together with a smile.
He almost moaned at the sight of it.
Back on track, dummy. Payment, car, number. The three things you came for.
“The one sticking point.” He held up his keys. “You’ll need to drive my SUV until I can service your car.”
“Oh, that’s not necessary. I’d feel so bad taking your car.” She looked worried, as if she was putting him out. Not saving his sanity by hanging out with her number one fan.
Maybe number two fan.
He was starting to think he might beat AB for first place.
“It very much is necessary. That’s a death trap that you’ve been driving. I have a work truck I can drive in the meantime. I’ll service your car sometime and get you a booster seat so AB can ride in it. There’s a house key on here too,” he said, setting the keys on the entryway table.
Don’t need to get half-hard again from brushing her fingers.
Last one. Don’t be awkward. It’s totally normal to need your babysitter’s number.
“Can I, uh, have your number?” he said, the ask caught in his throat. “For, you know, logistics.”
The longing must have been obvious on his stupid fucking face because a blush tinted her cheeks.
“Yeah,” she said, avoiding his eyes.
He handed his phone over. “School’s at 7:30, and be warned, she’s a monster in the morning.”
“Same!” She laughed, snorting hard and long, and slapped a hand over her nose. “Oh my god, so embarrassing,” she muttered with closed eyes.
His breath caught at how adorable she was. It was ludicrous to think she’d be embarrassed by anything she did.
“I think it’s, um”—he cleared his throat, avoiding looking at her—“it’s cute. It’s not embarrassing.”
“Yeah?” The hope in her eyes nearly broke him in half.
He nodded in response, biting the inside of his cheek to deal with his feelings.
How had someone not told her yet that she was perfect? That everything she did—how she moved, smiled, spoke, fucking blinked—was exactly right.
Right for me.
They stared at each other in that hungry silence. His stomach ached from the fucking yearning for her coursing through his bloodstream.
“I should go,” he said suddenly, realizing he needed to get the fuck out of here.
“If you could text me a list of approved recipes and ingredients that AB likes, that would be really helpful,” she said, opening the door for him.
He loved that she was taking this seriously.
“Yeah, I’ll do that. Tonight.” He hovered in the doorway, betraying his own voice of reason telling him to leave.
She leaned against the open door. His eyes feasted one last time. His hands itched to frame the curve of her hips hugged by her yoga pants.
“Good luck getting home,” she said with a mischievous smile. “I’ve heard when it’s dark out, it’s not very safe.”
He laughed with surprise. Of course she’s funny. The universe must fucking hate me.
“Yeah,” he said stupidly in response.
He stepped back but didn’t turn his back on her. Don’t want to stop seeing her.
He didn’t talk much as a rule, but everything seemed to come out dumber when she was near.
“I’ll see you on Monday morning,” she said with a wave.
He nodded, deciding to keep his mouth shut.
He jogged down the steps, noticing the last one was wobbly.
I’ll fix it next time.
He looked over his shoulder as he walked to his house, wanting one more glimpse. She watched him from her front window. Glowing in the candlelight, hair framing her pretty face.
A fucking movie star, that’s what she looks like.
Perfect, perfect, perfect.
She waved as she sipped from a mug of something warm, her long elegant fingers peeking out of the oversized sweatshirt that still exposed one pretty shoulder.
He waved back and growled out a miserable, tortured groan in the night air.
The next time AB made him watch The Sound of Music, he was going to feel way sorrier for Captain von Trapp.
* * *
Reed
How’s Project Raven coming along?
I convinced Pearl to sign up for the fall festival as a vendor, so we’ll need to have it ready in time for that.
Luca
The what?
Oh. The airstream. Fine.
You and your code names
Reed
She might see my texts! It has to be perfect AND a surprise.
Pearl gets this dewy, misty look in her eyes when she’s surprised and it’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.
But also somehow she gets cuter every day.
Luca
Baaaaaaarf.
But you know, thanks for seeing that she’s great. Pearl needs more of that in her life.
How did you know she was…you know. Your person.
Reed
You asking as a big brother or the guy who had his brain knocked out by two toe shoes and a tutu the other day?
Luca
Reed
Toe shoes, got it.
Luca
She moved in next door and I asked her to be AB’s nanny. So I can get things done and not bother you guys.
Reed
Hahahahahahahahahaha
Hahahahahahhahahaha
Haaaaaaaaaaaa
hahaha
Luca
Alright, fucker, I get it.
It’s fine. We’ll hardly see each other. Probably.
AB just loves her and her references and background checked out. I don’t know anyone else in the area.
Called your sisters who grew up with her and they said she was great too.
Reed
Luca, I say this with all the love in my heart for my best friend
Who I would take a bullet for
Who I already think of as my family.
This
Is the dumbest idea
You’ve ever had.
Including when we tried to fly from the treehouse using wings we made from cardboard.
Luca
Trust me
I am fully aware.