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I give a slight shake to my head, hoping he gets it.I’ve said nothing incriminating.
He takes her hand. “You’re welcome.” He glances at Riley. “You look familiar. I’m thinking I’ve seen you at the bar?”
Riley steps forward. “We’ve been there a couple of times.” Her eyes are taking him in.
Graham joins her, at her side immediately, like he’s staking his claim on his property. It reminds me of a tiny Chihuahua trying to tell a Rhodesian Ridgeback that he’s boss.
Josh looks at him, dismisses him, and then turns back to me. “So who is Bjorn?”
“Frat brother,” Graham spits out. As if that says it all. “He’s into Cassie.” Why he added that is beyond me.
“I’ve never met him,” I hastily append. “What’s up?” I ask Josh, as if to say, why are you back here? Though I couldn’t be any happier that he is. It’s all so confusing.
“You forgot something. Last week.” Josh shoves his hand into his jeans pocket.
A quizzical look is about to cross my face, I’m sure.
Last week?
What could...
Oh. Shit.
The panties!
The panties I couldn’t find on his boat. Please say he isn’t—oh, God, no—I can’t handle this embarrassment. I’m sure quizzical will be replaced by horrified in a second if it hasn’t already. I fight to control the emotions showing on my face. I so suck at poker.
“Can I see you outside?” I head for the front door, almost ramming into him, pretty much pushing him. He turns around and goes toward the landing, then stops—right there—in Riley and Kara’s sight and for certain in earshot.
“Downstairs,” I hiss at him. “Please.”
Amusement shines in his eyes.
“What’s so funny, Josh?” I’m fighting to keep my voice down and, at the same time, taking the steps two at a time at a breakneck speed.
“What? What’s got your panties in a twist?” He lets out a laugh. Not too loud, but enough to set me off.
“Oh my God.” I stop at the bottom of the stairs and turn to face him. I glance at the landing to be sure the girls aren’t following. “What are you doing?” I realize my arms are waving around like I’m a crazy woman. I pin them to my side.
“Thought you’d want them back. You lost them on my boat.”
“And you thought you’d humiliate me in front of my roommates? Why couldn’t you give them to me while I was at your place?” I wonder if I’m overreacting, but damn, I’m tired and possibly still hungover. And I’ve been stretched thin about Josh for the last month since seeing him again at Thanksgiving. I’m not okay right now. Not fully.
“Humiliate you?” He reaches back into his pocket and pulls out my bracelet.
I hadn’t realized I’d lost that on his boat. I assumed I’d left it at my parents’ house.
I blow out a sigh of relief, feeling dumb. “I’m sorry.”
“There’s something else... I forgot...” He reaches into his other pocket, pulls out my panties. Holds them up, pinched between two fingers, high and dangling, where anyone can see them.
“Ugh!” I snatch them out of his hand and wad them up into a small ball that I palm and keep concealed in my hand. I don’t have pockets, and—oh god—what the hell!—I’m still in his boxers. I look down, then I look back up at him.
“You’re a hot mess.” He steps closer. His face sexy. Mine’s probably humiliated and embarrassed. He’s focused his black gaze on my lips. “A very hot mess.”
I back up, right into the wall. A shiver runs up my spine, a combination of the cold and the Josh effect.
He steps closer. “I forgot something else.” His voice is low, tantalizingly sexy. He places his lips on mine. His kiss tender, his lips lighter than a gust of wind, brushing mine, his breath warm on my face as he raises his head.
