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Ignoring my reply, he stepped in front of me. “I got it.” He hoisted it into the almost overflowing dumpster a few steps away. When he turned back around, the way the lonely streetlamp illuminated his face made my heart skip a beat.
James was built to pure perfection. He spent countless hours in the gym, and it showed in every way. He smoked in silence for a moment before unbuttoning the cuffs on his shirt, rolling his sleeves up to his elbows. I gulped, wondering what it would be like for him to pin me against the brick building by my neck, fucking my brains out. What?! My thoughts were too loud for my comfort.
“You okay?”
“Huh?” I tore my gaze from his muscular arms. “Yeah, Antonio made me take a break, so I told him I was bringing the trash up on my way.”
“And where are you going to take your break?”
“I like it up here.” I shrugged, knowing there was food downstairs. I just couldn’t bring myself to walk away. I leaned back on the brick building. “The fresh air is nice.”
The corner of his lip tugged into a smirk. “It smells exactly like a New York City alley. I would hardly call this fresh air.”
“Well, the way you smell is quite nice.”
Instantly, his smile faded. His tongue rolled over his bottom lip.
“Sorry, I just meant—”
“I know it was you.”
3
TOO CLOSE
MADDIE
“You know what was me?”
Dropping his cigarette to the ground, he twisted his foot on it, the loose gravel crunching beneath his black Oxford shoe. He took a step closer. “Well, it wasn’t until after you left earlier that I realized it was for sure you.”
I tried to take a step back, forgetting I was against the wall already. He stopped in front of me, only a small gap remaining. Swallowing hard, I tried to speak, but no words would come to the surface.
“Today was the first time I put it on, besides that night when I tried it.”
“Why’d you wait so long?” I should’ve left it alone at that point, but I didn’t.
“I thought she gave it to me, and we’d been having problems, and I didn’t want to wear it. I was just being polite that night, so I didn’t ruin Christmas.”
“What changed today?” I shifted my weight.
“Alicia hated blue because I love it. She wouldn’t have even used a blue ribbon.” He inched a little closer. “The ugly Christmas sweater wrapping paper? You and I used to joke about having that as a themed party because we’re goofy that way. That’s when I chose to wear it. When I was sure she wasn’t the Secret Santa.”
“Petty,” I joked, trying to make the heavy mood lighter.
“New start.” A subtle smile emerged on his lips as he lifted his palm, leaning on the wall next to my head. “Why did you never own up to it? I made such a big deal about it. I feel like an ass.”
“Well, you don’t smell like one,” I whispered, trying my best to swallow both the urge to pounce on him and the need to run away to protect my friendship with Elizabeth.
Normally, James would’ve laughed at my joke, but it was evident things were different right now. Maybe he was mad at me for the photos. Finally, my lips parted to speak. His eyes instantly lowered to them.
We were both frozen. Me, wondering what it would be like to kiss him. Him, probably waiting for a lame explanation from his daughter’s friend as to why she bought him an expensive bottle of cologne.
I sighed. “I didn’t know what to get y—”
The squeak of the metal door pushing open caused him to promptly drop his arm and back away. My chest heaved as we turned our attention toward the noise, only to see a pissed-off Antonio emerge on the phone. He glanced back and forth at us before he hung up.
“Everything okay?” I asked.
