“Ready to eat?”
“Absolutely.” I start to take the bag from him, but he shakes his head.
“My mission was food. And I plan to see it through.”
Laughing, I head for the stairs leading up to my apartment. I hold the door open for him so he can walk inside. And if I take a nice, deep breath as he moves close to me? Well, that’s just a coincidence.
He smells so good, too. Shouldn’t it be illegal for a man to look and smell this good? How am I supposed to keep it friendly when I’m already picturing his mouth on mine? What would it feel like?
Will he move slow? Or will the spark between us ignite upon contact?
Will it be a fast burn? Or a lasting firestorm?
“You okay?”
“Huh?” His question pulls me back to reality, and I realize that I’m still standing here, holding the door open, like an idiot. “Oh, yeah. Sorry.” I shut the door, then cross over toward the kitchen to pull some plates down while he unpacks the food.
It smells delicious.
“Burger with extra cheese and mayonnaise—still gross by the way—onion rings and a side of ranch.”
“If by gross you mean delicious, then sure.” I grin and take my plate, then carry it into the living room. As he finishes plating his food, I turn on the TV and pull up the first episode of Hogan’s Heroes.
Sawyer has no sooner sat down than Axel comes running out of the room and jumps up next to him on the couch. “Hey, buddy, you going to watch with us?” he asks, his tone the same one someone might use to talk to a toddler.
It’s adorable.
And then it hits me—Axel never came out when Jack was here.
If he happened to be out, he’d go back into the room within the first few minutes of Jack’s arrival. So what does it say that my kitty seems to adore Sawyer as much as I do? Is it because he remembers that he’s the one who saved him?
“Ready?” I ask.
Sawyer turns to me, his caramel eyes bright. That gaze drops to my mouth for just a split second, and my pulse races. Then, he meets my gaze again. “Baby, I’ve been ready.”
Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy.
“Then let’s get started.” I press play and set the remote down. As I focus on the show playing out before me, it’s all I can do to keep from scooting just a bit closer to the man beside me.
“You know, I think I would have been a good spy,” I say as I carry my plate into the kitchen. Sawyer is right behind me, his plate in hand since he refused to let me take it.
“You think so?” He rinses the plates and loads them into the dishwasher as I start heating the skillet I’ll make the popcorn in.
“I do. I mean, I’m kind of scrappy, right? And very resourceful.” I face him, leaning back against the island behind me.
Sawyer reaches out and brushes his thumb over my chin.
A shiver runs through me.
Want.
Need.
Desire.
“Plus, you have a very innocent face,” he adds with a crooked smile that undoes me right here where I stand.
Will you just kiss me already? I don’t need time. I need you.
