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He nods curtly. “I sometimes take her to the roof for a glass of wine and a cigar while we star gaze.”
“You smoke the cigar while she drinks the wine?”
“She indulges in both,” he says. “As do I.”
“You’re a charmer,” I accuse with a laugh. “You charm everyone you meet, don’t you?”
“Have I charmed you, Champ?”
I hold up my hand with my index finger and thumb no more than an inch apart. “Just a little bit.”
He scoops my hand in his before he kisses my palm. “I need to work harder then. Goodnight, Calliope.”
“Goodnight, Saint.”
My hand falls from his grasp, and with one brief last look at me, he walks to his door, unlocks it, and disappears inside his apartment.
* * *
An hour later,I finally settle into a big armchair in the corner of Grady’s guestroom to prepare myself for an hour-long reading session before I go to bed.
I’ve been soaking in the bathtub since I got home.
When I lived with my friends, we didn’t have a tub.
We had one narrow shower.
I didn’t enjoy my time in it. It was more of a get in and get out situation, but tonight I poured myself a glass of sparkling raspberry water, lit a candle, and used a few drops of the soothing lavender bubble bath Naomi bought me last month as a thank you gift for helping with her kids.
She did that in anticipation of me moving in here since she clearly remembered how I’d spend hours in the bathtub when we were growing up.
As I flip open the book’s cover to dive into the first page, my phone chimes.
Grumbling, I get up and walk toward where I plugged it in to charge on the nightstand.
Sitting down on the bed dressed only in my panties and a tank top, I smile when I see a notification flash on the screen of an incoming text message.
Unknown: Have you read any good books lately, Champ?
Before responding, I add the number to my contact list along with Sean’s name.
Callie: Do you mean have I read any good books since I last saw you?
His reply is instant.
Sean: Let’s go with that.
Laughing, I type out a response and hit send.
Callie: I was just about to start reading. I spent the last hour soaking in the tub.
A sudden loud bang causes me to jolt. My phone teeters in my hand. Before I can get up to investigate if something has fallen, another message pops onto my screen.
Sean: Don’t panic, Champ. Nothing broke. No one is trying to break in.
With shaking hands, I punch out a reply.
Callie: You heard that too? Are you sure it’s nothing?
