Chapter 15 #2
Before doubt can sink its claws in, her fingers slide over mine, curling gently into my palm.
I glance her way, and the look she gives me completely undoes me.
It’s not a big, flashy smile, but just a small curve of her lips.
It’s her eyes that hit me like a damn wrecking ball.
Deep. Endless. Her lashes flutter, and I catch the tiniest hitch in her breath, barely there, but enough to make me forget every reason I was hesitating in the first place.
I’d give anything to keep that look, to keep her, just like this.
A couple hours later we’re pulling into the underground car park beneath my building.
I bought this flat last fall when business started picking up in Edinburgh.
At the time, it was just a practical decision.
A place to crash when I needed to stay close to the action.
It’s turned out to be a lifesaver for these last-minute trips.
I shift the truck into park and hop out, circling around to help Bree with her door. With her bags slung over my shoulder, we head toward the lift, the click of her boots echoing against the concrete.
“This is a nice place,” she says, glancing around as we walk. “Is it new?”
“It is. I was one of the first to buy a place here.”
As we step into the lift, I shift her bags higher on my shoulder. She watches me with a hint of amusement in her eyes. “Do you always insist on carrying everything, or is this just part of your charm?”
I smirk, pressing the button for my floor. “I’d say it’s about 70 percent charm, 30 percent me trying to show off.”
Her lips twitch. “Good to know.”
The lift dings as it begins its ascent, and for a minute, neither of us speaks. The silence stretches, and the air itself seems charged. Maybe it’s the close quarters. Or maybe it’s the way we’ve been dancing around whatever this is all damn day.
Bree shifts, fingers toying with the strap of her purse, but her gaze stays locked on me. “So, do I get the grand tour when we get inside?”
“Depends. You planning to behave, lass?”
She lifts a brow, her expression pure mischief. “Absolutely not.”
Christ. She has no idea what she’s doing to me.
The doors glide open, and we step into the hallway, the lights above casting a golden glow across the polished floor. The rhythm of our footsteps is the only sound, echoing as we move down the corridor.
I unlock the door and push it open, stepping aside to let her go in first.
“Dang,” she breathes, her voice hushed as her eyes roam the sleek, modern space. “This place is gorgeous. And so different from your house.”
She’s not wrong. The flat is a world apart from my usual style.
Open floor plan, dark accents, and arched windows framing a view of Dean Village that makes the whole place look like it’s floating above the city.
The furnishings are clean, sharp, and sophisticated.
It’s the kind of place you see in glossy magazines.
The opposite of what anyone would picture when they hear my name.
I lean against the doorframe, watching her take it all in. “Thanks, lass. You want your bags in the spare room or mine?”
“Yours,” she says without a second thought, already kicking off her shoes as she steps farther into the flat. I can’t help the smirk tugging at my lips. She’s making herself at home, and damn if it doesn’t feel…right.
After stashing her bags in my room, I wander back out to find her sprawled on the white couch in the living room, feet propped on the coffee table. She’s got that cheeky grin on her face.
“So, this is how your alter ego lives, huh?”
“Yep,” I say with a shrug before dropping into the chair across from her. “The real me prefers pizza boxes and mismatched socks, but, you know, appearances.”
“Of course,” she laughs, her eyes crinkling at the corners. “Really, though. It’s gorgeous.”
Her gaze drifts over to the bookshelf that spans an entire wall of the living room, and she raises a brow. “I didn’t know you were such an intellectual.”
I lean back, stretching my legs out in front of me and making myself comfortable. “Aye, I guess I don’t advertise that. Gotta keep the mystery alive, lass. Wouldn’t want you to get too cozy.”
“Oh, trust me,” she says, motioning to the furniture and spotless surfaces. “Cozy isn’t exactly the vibe I get here. More like…dangerously pristine.”
I chuckle. “Good. Keeps people on their toes.”
She tilts her head, narrowing her eyes. “You mean it scares them off.”
“Same thing,” I shoot back with a wink.
Her laugh softens as she shifts, pulling her legs up onto the couch. “What time are we going on this ghosty tour, then?”
“Not until dark, so we’ve got time to relax. Thought we could order takeaway before we head out?”
“Sounds great. Mind if I freshen up? You can order whatever. I’m not picky.”
“Sure thing,” I say, nodding toward the hallway. “Your bags are in my room, first door on the left. The en suite’s all yours.”
“Thanks,” she replies, flashing me another smile before making her way down the hall.
And as she walks away, well… There’s no point pretending I don’t notice the sway of her hips or the way her jeans hug her just right. It’s impossible not to look. Hell, I’d challenge any man alive to resist.
My mind doesn’t exactly behave, either. My imagination runs wild with the thought of her soft, smooth thighs locked around my waist. Even better would be tasting her and hearing her moan my name as she comes undone on my tongue.
I run a hand through my hair, letting out a slow breath. She’s down the hall, trusting me to be a gentleman, and here I am, letting my imagination get the better of me.
I glance toward the hallway, half expecting to see her standing there, ready to catch me in my not-so-gentlemanly thoughts. Guess that’s the price of being this damn attracted to someone. My brain’s running at full speed while my body’s stuck in slow motion.