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I grinned and pulled my panties up. “Depends... what would you do with them?”
He handed me my skirt and our fingers lingered, the contact somehow more intimate and personal than what we’d just done. “Could I get that shirt and bra off you in four minutes?”
We both readjusted and, out of habit, I looked him over, making sure he didn’t appear rumpled. “You could try.”
Lear stepped toward me and tipped my chin up. His gaze was more intense than I expected. “I would.” His hand at my neck was possessive, firm without being rough, and it felt like he wanted to kiss me.
I didn’t like that I wanted to kiss him, too, so I placed my palm on his chest. “We’ll see what happens next time, then.” I took a step back and smoothed down my skirt, my center still heated from his attention. I opened the door and stepped out into the still-empty hall. When I didn’t hear his footsteps, I looked over my shoulder to find him leaning on the door frame. “I’m going to get back to work,” I said.
“Don’t mind me. I’m just watching you go.”
I laughed and returned to my phone and laptop, fairly certain he couldn’t see how wobbly my legs felt. “Enjoy the view.”
Chapter 20
Lear
ONE OF THEgrooms’ father slapped a wide palm on my shoulder and I winced. “Not gonna lie. I didn’t know what to think of a man doing all this over-the-top, fancy wedding planning stuff, but you’re a good guy,” he said, his voice loud in a uniquely dad sort of way. “I think you’re taking good care of our boys. It’s gonna be a real nice day.” He motioned to his son and soon-to-be son-in-law and his eyes sparkled a little, blinking back tears. He was a contractor and kind of reminded me of my dad, who would have looked at this expensive wedding to a business mogul’s kid and shaken his head in disbelief. Hal didn’t seem to need anything, but his hand landed on my shoulder again. “We just love ’em both so much. You got kids?”
I shook my head.
“Well, you worry about your kid finding someone who loves ’em, really loves ’em right. Then it happens, and it’s like a piece is added to your heart... Well, anyway, you’ll know when you’re a father.”
I smiled automatically, schooling my expression, and reached out to shake his hand. “I’m happy to be part of their day.” His wide palm fell on my shoulder again, hard. I bit the inside of my tongue to keep from crying out.Please, for the love of God, take your hand off my shoulder.
“And that minister, well, not a minister, the lady up front, she isa straight shooter. I tell ya.” He motioned to RJ, who was talking with the couple. “I like her.”
She wore a sleeveless white shirt, and the fabric looked silky, like it would slide over her skin smoothly, with blue cigarette pants that hugged her body. She flicked her eyes up and they narrowed when she caught me looking, but her lips curled in the sexy, irresistible way I couldn’t get enough of as she gave me one of those secret smiles. It was a lot easier to focus my attention on her secret smiles than linger on what Hal had said.
I returned my attention to him. “She’s definitely something.”
“I’ll leave you to it,” he said, wrapping his large hand around my own. “Just wanted to say thanks and that we’re really lookin’ forward to tomorrow.” He walked back toward his wife in the late afternoon sun. I’d had a few weddings in a row where I wasn’t needed for the rehearsal dinner. Those were the best, because I got to spend time with the woman walking toward me casually, like it wasn’t all I’d been wanting all week.
I slid a hand in my pocket, knowing if I was as confident as I was pretending to be, I’d be able to do something natural with my hands, when all I wanted to do was reach for her. “Everything good with the couple?”
“They’re all set.” She looked over my shoulder at the building that housed the rain location for the manicured garden. “You have somewhere in mind?”
“Venue manager is going to be here for a while. I was thinking go back to your place—it’s close by, right?” I didn’t need to ask. I remembered everything from the night I’d driven her home after her car accident.
“Yes, but not my place.” She slid her own hand into her pocket, averting her gaze. “I need to do something later across town. Your place?”
A heat I didn’t enjoy spread up my neck, and it had nothing todo with my sunburn. While it was nicer than a supply closet, I wanted to impress her, and I was certain my place wouldn’t. “I’m staying with Penny and her wife right now. Uh, in their basement.”
A small smile quirked at the corner of her mouth.
“I’m not embarrassed about it,” I lied. Gretchen was helping me untangle things with Sarah and the small house we’d bought together outside the city in California. Until that was settled, my finances were as unimpressive as my social life.
“You shouldn’t be.” Her smile fell, some private joke with herself. “I wasn’t laughing at you. You have a bed in the basement?”
“Yes.”
She nodded toward the exit. “Sounds perfect. Your place in half an hour, then.”
•••
I OPENED THEdoor. “Hey. Your errands go okay?”
“Sure,” she said, glancing around the entryway in a way that made me wonder if there really were errands she had to run or if she just didn’t want me in her place. The house was small and cozy, with photos of Kelly and Penny on all the walls. There was an empty frame set aside on an end table. I was pretty sure that had held a photo of Sarah and me last time I’d visited. “Are you redecorating?”
