Page 46 of My Favorite Hero

Once I didn’t feel as exhausted, I got the broom and swept years of dust from the floor where the armoire had been. Jesse was right—the wood was indented where it had sat for years, and I wondered why that had been chosen as the spot. Even another ten inches to the right and it would have looked better. I got the mop and washed the spot I had swept, pleased to see the floor was in good shape. The baseboards needed touching up, but⁠—

I stopped, frowning. There was a long gap of about three feet with no baseboards. I stepped back, studying the wall. I traced what I had thought was a crack, realizing it was too perfect. I narrowed my eyes, peering at the wall. The crack ran up the wall on one side and right where the baseboard was missing, down the other side. I could discern an interconnecting line at the top.

“It’s a door,” I breathed out. “There’s a door here.”

I recalled Lou telling my mother the family who’d originally owned the house had lived here with their daughter until she married later in life. They must have had a door that opened to both sides here. When it was closed off, they put the armoire in place to hide that fact.

Where did it lead? Was there a wall behind the door? Did it lead into a closet at Jesse’s? Did he know about the door?

I was so excited, I almost missed it. A flat pull that extended slightly from the edge of the door. I gripped it, but it stuck. Unfazed, I went to the kitchen and grabbed a pair of pliers, returning and pulling on the tiny piece of metal that stuck out. It was barely noticeable since it had been covered with paint, but once I tugged on it a bit, I could make out the old brass.

I pulled and pulled and was about to give up when the door opened with a low creak. I fell on my ass, staring at the now-open door. It led to⁠—

Nothing.

A blank wall met my gaze.

I frowned. “Why cover this up if it goes nowhere?” I asked, disappointed.

I leaned forward, feeling around the wall. My fingers found a slight indent, and I got excited again. There was another door. I hesitated, knowing it must lead into Jesse’s place. I should probably go and see if he was home and show him.

But curiosity made me bold, and I decided just to check if it would open first.

Assuming it was as stuck as the first one, I stepped back, flexed my shoulders, and pushed my arms forward. I rushed toward it, not expecting it to open with ease. But it flew open, crashing into something beside it. I found myself falling into piles of cloth. I twisted and turned, spinning out of control, crashing forward, grasping at mysterious soft items, stumbling over objects on the floor. I yelped as something caught on my camisole, and I heard the material tear. I was grateful when I hit another wall, leaning on it, panting and confused, hearing Miller barking like crazy. I had to be in a closet at the front of Jesse’s place, but where⁠—

I gasped loudly as the wall I was leaning on suddenly disappeared, and I fell forward, my arms flailing as I reached for something to break my fall. I grabbed a handful of damp material, the cotton stopping my face from hitting the floor. I groaned into the fabric, rolling over to find Jesse staring down at me, shocked and confused, a fireplace poker in his hand.

For a moment, there was only silence. Then Jesse let out a growl the likes of which I had never heard before.

“What. The. Fuck?”

I gazed up at him, transfixed.

Two things became very apparent.

One: Jesse was home and had been in the shower.

Two: It was his towel I had grabbed, and now he stood over me, wet, dripping—and naked.

Chapter Eleven

JESSE

Istepped out of the shower, rolling my shoulders. It had been a busy day at the Habitat house, and I had built several walls and helped put them up. We’d made lots of progress, but I was glad to be home. The hot water had felt great on my sore muscles. I wrapped a towel around my waist and was reaching for one to dry my hair when I heard it.

A loud commotion coming from downstairs. It sounded as if a cupboard had fallen, taking everything with it as it hit the floor. Miller started barking loudly. I raced down the stairs, realizing it was coming from the closet where I kept coats, shoes, and extra items I wasn’t using at the moment.

And from the noises I was hearing, someone was in the closet. I instinctually grabbed the closest weapon, a fireplace poker, and reached for the door handle.

The last thing I expected was for Casey to fall face first out of the closet.

The second-to-last thing I expected was for her to grab my towel to stop her fall, leaving me naked.

I was so shocked, all I could do was stare. My gaze bounced to the closet, where I saw a passage to her place, open wide. The closet was a disaster, clothes and footwear scattered.

I dropped my gaze back to her as she rolled over and froze. Somehow while she’d been acting like a tornado in the closet, her camisole had torn.

Her right breast was bare, her left not as exposed but close, the creamy flesh on display. Round, full orbs that beckoned to be touched.