Page 10 of Love Walks In


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“Great, thanks. I didn’t want to use it in case you planned on saving it for your…um, wife or whomever. Or if you wanted to use it yourself. I try not to make assumptions.”

Porkchop blinked and swished his tail. Maybe the cat was right in thinking Hunter was an idiot. Otherwise, why would he have urged an incredibly tempting young woman into his room and invited her to undress and wear a robe?

Well, it wasn’t as if he’d had a choice. He couldn’t have left her outside all wet and cold. And she couldn’t hold on to that bruiser of a cat by herself, so…hehadto ask her in.

The sound of a blow-dryer came from the bathroom. Based on his experience with women, between the hair and the lotion, Aria would be in there for a while.

In the meantime, his trousers and shirt were still drenched, clammy, and clinging heavily to his body.

Didn’t douse your lust at all, though, did it?

He expelled his breath and grabbed some clothes from his open suitcase. After pulling off his socks, he unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it to the floor. He hitched his trousers and boxer briefs over his hips and added them to the pile. He could have used a shower, but that would have to wait until he’d dealt with this cat situation.

He pulled on clean briefs and reached for a pair of jeans.

“Okay, I’m…” Her voice faded the instant the bathroom door clicked open.

His heart crashed against his ribs. With the white robe loosely belted around her waist, her feet bare and her hair falling in a golden curtain around her shoulders, she was like a shot of concentrated sunlight.

He stepped into his jeans and hitched them over his hips before his arousal became any more obvious.

“…er, finished.” Her eyes widened as she dragged her gaze over his chest and shoulders. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to take so long.”

He yanked a shirt over his shoulders and fastened the buttons quickly—because if she looked at him with that heat brewing in her blue eyes for one second longer, he’d stride across the room and haul her right into his arms. Then he’d tilt her chin up and crush her mouth with his. She’d taste like bright summery things—peaches and…what else was summery?Ice cream. Lemonade. Treats he’d dreamed of as a child, but rarely had.

He grabbed the empty coffee-pot and walked past her to the bathroom.

Mistake.

Her flimsy little bra and panties—pink and flowered, no less, with lace around the edges—hung on the towel rack beside her torn dress.

No question. He was definitely an idiot. One who was about to lose his mind.

Forcing his attention away from her underwear, he filled the pot and returned to the room. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, scratching Porkchop behind the ears and crooning to him in a low voice. The cat smirked at Hunter.

He pulled in a breath and poured the water into the coffee-maker.

Focus. Discipline. Plan.

Those three words had gotten him to where he was now—on the brink of a major promotion and one step closer to being the CEO of Imperial Properties. He needed to use the same concepts to deal with the current situation.

He didn’t want to risk running into Mrs. Higgins by taking Aria’s clothes to the communal dryer down the hall. But he didn’t want Aria to wear her wet clothes either. He didn’t like the idea of her shivering and cold again.

After pushing the button to start the coffee, he crossed to his suitcase and pulled out a T-shirt and a pair of running shorts. “Have some coffee, then put these on. I’ll drive you home.”

“You don’t have to do that.” She threaded her fingers into the cat’s fur. “And Porkchop needs a crate when he’s in a car. He hates riding.”

Hunter rubbed the back of his neck. “So we’ll get a crate from your house, and come back here and pick him up.”

She shook her head. “He hates being alone too. He has anxiety issues. He might claw the furniture or yowl a lot, which means Mrs. Higgins might hear him. I don’t want you to get in trouble because of me.”

“What do you want to do, then?” He tossed the clothes onto the bed beside her.

She pursed her lips in thought. Rosebud mouth. He wanted to kiss her. He dug his fingers into his palms.

“I’ll go home and get my van and a crate, then I’ll come back to pick him up.” She squinted at the window. “It’s not raining quite as hard anymore. You stay here with Porkchop. It won’t take me long, maybe fifteen minutes at most.”

“What about Mrs. Higgins?”

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