“No, don’t kill the illusion.”
His smile carved a path past her protests, eliciting more warmth inside.Oh, why did Kyle always have this effect on her?Too much time in his company, and she would be willing to do anything.Almost anything, anyway.She had learned the hard way that there were consequences.
“Gen, relax.A little bit of time off isn’t going to kill you.But working these crazy hours may well.”
She bit her lip.Maybe he was right.She tended to work too much, saying yes to extra shifts even when she didn’t want to.How else was she supposed to pay off these loans?“Just for the record, I don’t want you organizing me like that again.”
“Hey, I don’t think you staying here overnight is going to be a habit.”
She blushed.Eyed him.
Saw his cheeks had darkened too.“This is a little awkward, huh?”
“Yes,” she whispered.Was he thinking about the last and only other night she’d woken up with him like this?Well, technically it had been her bed, and it had been the sound of her mom returning that had seen him scurry out, then getting caught.But still.
“Come on.You need to eat.”
As if triggered by that last word, her stomach gave a groan.But first—“I need your bathroom.”
“Fine.But I’m serving up food, so don’t take too long.”
She stumbled to the bathroom, then saw her reflection in the mirror.Oh no!It was a good thing she didn’t wear mascara, but it looked like she had a little bit of dried drool trailing from the corner of her mouth.How could he not have told her?She hesitated, then hunted through the mirrored cabinet.If the man wasn’t going to tell her when she wore drool, then she had no problem looking for deodorant so she wouldn’t smell so bad.
She found some, sprayed her armpits, all the time wishing she could change her top so she didn’t smell so bad.Oh well.It was his fault.If he hadn’t asked her here, then she wouldn’t have fallen asleep on his couch, so really, if she smelled bad he only had himself to blame.
She soon returned to the dining room.A bowl of fresh fruit centered the table, the purple grapes the size of mini globes.She glanced at him, and sat at the chair he indicated.“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
“This looks nice.”
“It’s the least I can do, especially as apparently I’m such boring company that you’d rather fall asleep than talk to me.”
“Good to see you’re so secure.”
He chuckled.“Here.”He handed her a plate of omelet with a side of bacon and a pan-seared tomato.“Eat.”
Her mouth watered.“What are you having?”
“Mmm, I’m looking forward to a fruit smoothie.But without the milk.”
Her nose wrinkled.“You’re still on your liquid diet, huh?”
“It’s now only one liquid meal a day.”
“Oh.So the pasta last night…”
“Wasn’t one of them.”
And she’d spoiled his meal by falling asleep.“I’m sorry.”
“Hey, it’s okay.I still ate it, and it was delicious, even if I do say so myself.”
She tasted the omelet.Mmm.“I’m not surprised.This is really tasty.”
He smiled.“I’m glad.It was made with love.”
Her heart skittered.He didn’t mean that.Not really.
