Page 31 of Thaw My Heart

“Did you change your mind about me?” I ask with a flirtatious smile, running my gaze over the length of his body. Heat builds in my core just looking at him.

“Water, and then I’m gone.” He strides towards the kitchen, filling up a glass before handing it to me moments later.

“Drink,” he shoves it towards me.

“I don’t like being told⁠—”

“Just do it for fuck’s sake,” he interrupts.

I drink, but it tastes awful.

Several outfits I almost decided to wear are thrown around the living room. If I’d known he was going to come into my house tonight, I would’ve cleaned up. It looked as if a raccoon had snuck in and thrown around my fancy underwear. “Are you going to watch me drink this whole thing?” He hasn’t stopped staring at me since he gave me the glass.

“If that’s what it takes,” he says, glancing at my mouth, and he lingers.

I lick my swollen lips in response.

Kit sighs with a rough exhale, deciding to sit on the leather couch a few feet away, awkwardly moving a red lacy bralette out of his way. “You know you have a decent-sized closet in your bedroom, right?”

“Yes, I know, but—wait.” My pulse spikes at his question. “How do you know that?”

“I’ve been in here before.”

“You what?” My heart races.

“I did maintenance on this place a year or so ago,” his eyes graze casually around the room.

My body relaxes at his response. “Oh. Right. You’re a man who fixes things.” I recall the fact that he fixed my front door because it irritated him.

“Something like that,” he scratches at the tidy scruff on his chin. “Our houses are actually pretty similar, for the most part,” he shrugs.

“Your house is twice the size of mine,” I deadpan. While the exteriors of our houses are similar, mine is a cute one-story, one-bedroom. Kit’s house is two stories, with at least three or four bedrooms. Pretty similar wasn’t even close to the mark.

The corner of his mouth tugs up. “True. At least that.”

I take a step towards him, ready to change this conversation into something more fun. “Maybe you could show me around yours sometime. Seeing as how it’s much bigger than mine.”

“Absolutely not.”

“Because the idea of me being in your house excites you?”

“Keep drinking,” he mutters as he runs a hand through his dark brown hair, removing his ballcap temporarily. “If you finish that in the next five minutes, we can be asleep before midnight,” he glances at his watch.

But sleep isn’t really a part of my plan. There are things I need to know. Boundaries that need to be crossed to see where this man truly stands with me. Dislike aside, I’m very attracted to him, and I know he’s attracted to me. “Or,” I set down the glass, feeling a rush of confidence from the tequila burning inside me. “We can not sleep.” I can think of several activities that would be much more fun.

A soft smile tugs at his lips. “Okay, Tequila.”

Tequila?

I smile and place my leg on the couch next to him, slowly pulling off a boot. “I’m serious, Cowboy.” He tracks the movement as I pull off the other. “I’m not tired yet.” I flip my hair over my shoulder and approach him.

Hopefully, walking in a straight line, but I’m confident that I’m zigzagging towards him. Badly wanting to step in between his strong legs, but he stops me before I get too far.

He stands, gently pushing me back. “I think that’s my cue to leave.” He points to the glass of water. “Finish that.”

My hands find his chest, stepping into his warm body. The height disparity between us sends a thrill right through me. “I’d like to finish this.” The feel of him hard and ready against me makes me smile. “And I think you do too.” I gesture to his erection between us. Something I noticed the minute he stood. I wonder what I did to excite him. Heat rushes through me just thinking about it.

“We’re not having sex, Sadie,” he levels his eyes at me.