Something?Try everything.You’re attentive.Thoughtful.Funny.And you are one hundred percent as sexy as your green sofa.A giddy wave rippled through her body with the anticipation of where this might lead.
“I’m not sure what I expected, but it certainly wasn’t this.”
“Full disclosure?I can’t take credit for anything in this apartment.It came fully furnished, right down to the glass in your hand.I literally just showed up with my suitcase.It’s like a hotel, minus room service.And housekeeping.And unlimited fresh towels.”
“Well, it’s gorgeous.And you’re so lucky to have that.”She pointed to the brick fireplace on the opposite wall, framed by an ornately carved mantle.“I’d kill to have one in my place.I love a fire, even when it’s too warm for one.”
“That one’s just for show, I’m afraid.And it’s not nearly as grand as the one at the old country estate.”
“Country estate?”she questioned, confused.
“Are you telling me you don’t remember our night at the estate?We went back there after the pub and sat in front of that enormous fireplace.”He inched closer to her, his eyes never leaving hers.
“I don’t believe I do.”
“That’s the dream I had—the night we met in the piano bar.After I’d combed the hotel searching for you."
Claire blinked."You looked for me?After I left the bar?"
"Hobbled all over that damn place,” he admitted.“I finally gave up in favor of avoiding a scene with your spouse."
He looked for me?No way!Why did I check out early?
"I'm all ears.I want every sordid detail, if you can remember that far back."
"Oh, I remember it vividly.We'd gone into this little pub.None of the local crowd would have anything to do with us.Everyone just stared, but no one said a word.We threw darts for a while.Drank a few pints.Then we ended up at this old English estate.You know, the ivy-covered walls.The stone facade.Anyway, it rained—we got drenched—then we ran inside and dried ourselves in front of a large fireplace.Only the fireplace contained a large bank safe full of Christmas lights."
"Christmas lights?In a safe?What do you think it means?"she asked coyly.
"It means you should take a drive with me.Tomorrow.Let’s pack a lunch and head out.See the countryside."
“But you don’t own a car.”
“Everything’s for sale in this town…or for rent at the very least.”
Claire hesitated, biting back a grin.“I don’t know.After the way you treated me with that snowball…”
“Snowball?”Jay asked, a curious glint in his eyes.
“Ah, yes, well, that wasmydream.”
“I'm all ears.I want every sordid detail.I mean, if you can remember that far back," he teased, repeating her words.
“In my dream, I threw a snowball at you, and it exploded into a hundred tiny basketballs when it hit your face.You pretended that I’d hurt you, screaming out like Marcia Brady when she got pegged with that football.”
“Well, the irony is not lost on me.My NCAA bracket blew up after the first round, remember?”
“Anyway, when I ran to see if you were okay, you rubbed a huge snowball all over my face and in my hair.I couldn’t even breathe.And then…” She stopped, lost in the memory of the still-vivid dream.
“And then what?Don’t leave anything out.”
He inched a little closer, giving Claire his full attention.Her limbs went all tingly, anticipating the moment their lips would touch.As delicious as it would be, Claire loved the tension.
“You said you couldn’t feel your nose so I, uh, I rubbed mine against yours,” she said, a flush growing on her cheeks.
“Like this?”
Jay leaned in and gently brushed the tip of his nose back and forth across hers, turning Claire’s insides to something that resembled the bowl of oatmeal she’d had for breakfast.A warm and mushy feeling.
