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Seeing Alesha was the only thing that got Reece through a brutal day of demolition at The Daily Scoop.

His shoulders ached, and he was more than a little tired, but none of that mattered now. He was seeing her for dinner—and they were about to spend almost the entire weekend together.

When she climbed into his truck and smiled at him, the lingering tension in his body seemed to melt away. She leaned over and kissed him softly, and he savored the feel of her lips for a moment before she pulled back.

“How was your day?” she asked.

“Long,” he chuckled. “Demo always takes it out of me, but we got a lot done.”

“If you’re tired…”

Reece shook his head immediately. “I’m fine. Seeing you is exactly what I needed.”

She studied him for a moment. “Still…I wouldn’t be opposed to maybe just grabbing a pizza and staying in. My dad’s home, obviously, but we could go to your place.”

Reece blinked.

Was she really suggesting they go to his place? It was something he’d thought about bringing up at some point, but he hadn’t wanted to seem pushy.

“Um…yeah. Sure. We can do that,” he said, trying not to sound too eager. “Are you sure?”

She nodded, smiling. “Back in Oregon, I work from home. Alone. Since getting here, I’ve been around people all day, every day. A quiet night in with you sounds pretty darn perfect.”

“Okay,” he said, unable to hide his grin. “Pizza it is.”

They called in the order as they drove and picked it up on the way to his townhouse. It was the first time he had brought a woman home with him, and he found himself oddly nervous about what she’d think.

“You live here alone?” she asked with a small chuckle when they pulled into the driveway.

Reece glanced at her. “Yeah. Why?”

His townhouse sat in a newer development he’d actually done some work on—brick exterior, three stories, two-car garage. If he were being honest, it was a little impressive.

“It’s just kind of big for one person.”

“Maybe,” he admitted. “But part of it doubles as my office.”

They went inside and up to the main living area. Reece set the pizza on the coffee table before grabbing drinks, plates, and napkins from the kitchen.

When he came back, Alesha was standing by the bookshelf, studying the framed photos and scattered books.

She glanced at him over her shoulder and smiled. “I like that you have photos like these. It makes a house feel like a home.”

“I enjoy having them around because they make me smile. They’re all good memories.”

They settled onto the couch, and suddenly Reece wondered if this was too casual.

“Would you rather eat at the kitchen table?” he asked. “I just assumed…”

“This is perfect,” she said, leaning over to kiss him again. “Exactly the kind of relaxing night I was hoping for.”

Relief washed over him. “Good.”

He turned the TV on low while she opened the pizza box and served them both a slice.

“Are you planning to put up a tree and decorate for Christmas?” she asked.

“Next weekend,” he said. “I usually get a real tree so it lasts through New Year’s Eve.”