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He springs into action and I stand mesmerized as he stalks toward me. This great, hulking man. I watch as his broad shoulders and flexing biceps stretch the fabric of his navy sweater when he throws on his faded, brown leather jacket.
Saliva floods my mouth and I look away, berating myself for doing what I literally just said I wouldn’t.Unbelievable. It’s like I’ve got the memory of a fish.
Oblivious to my inner turmoil, Noah says, “Okay, let’s go, but I’m treating us to breakfast.”
Well, that seems like a stupid idea. Why exactly did I invite him on the walk?
Oh right, because I spoke without thinking. As per usual. I guess it’s one way to build up that tolerance to spending time in his company without making it awkward.
And I’m starving.
Turning to open the door, I reply, “That’s good with me. I know the perfect spot.”
With a shimmy of shoulders, I bound down the steps with Miss. D before she tugs me down the sidewalk toward her favorite park.
The temperature has dropped significantly as we get closer to Halloween. Fall has always been my favorite time of the year, especially Halloween with all the trick ‘r treaters. I imagine Noah won’t get any in his building, especially as since I moved in, I haven’t seen a single child.
“What are you thinking?” Noah asks, slowing his step down to match mine.
I strain my neck to look up at him as I answer, “Oh, just about Halloween and how I don’t think I’ll see any trick ‘r treaters this year. Silly stuff, really.”
He’s looking straight ahead as we walk down the sidewalk, but even from my position nearly a foot below him, I can see his furrowed brow.
“Do you still dress up for Halloween?”
Chuckling, I reply, “Not how I used to.”
He doesn’t need to know that for Halloween nowadays when I’m not working, my costumes usually involve being dressed up as a sexy somethin’ or other. Long gone are the days of dressing up as a witch or cat because it’s cute. I don’t think I’ll be going to any parties this year though. There are just too many things going on with work and classes for me to even consider it.
“What exactly does that mean?” Noah asks, confusion lacing his words.
Blowing out a breath, I try to telepathically ask Miss. Dixie to pull me into oncoming traffic but she ignores my request, instead taking the opportunity to walk like the well behaved puppy I know she isn’t.
“I think I went as a fairy one Halloween when I was four and another year I was a scary witch. Just think of it like the complete opposite of those things and you’ll maybe be halfway there.”
“So you mean likeCatwomanorWonder Woman?”
My cheeks heat, because if he only knew how right he was. Last year I went to a party dressed as theHalle Berryversion of Catwoman. Latex and all. Memories I’d rather forget of the guy I hooked up with flash through my mind. It was all going great until he asked me to crawl around his room and meow like a cat as he petted me. I don’t think I’ve ever left somewhere so quick and all while he called out to me about what a tease I was.
A smirk of triumph slips across my lips as I remember how he soon shut down when I turned on my heel and strode toward him with murder in my eye.
“Somethin’ like that,” I reply to Noah, refusing to go into the details.
We fall into a comfortable silence as we walk to the park. That’s until Miss. Dixie spots what I want to call a squirrel, but looks more like a hybrid rat and chases after it. I’m seconds away from being dragged face first onto the concrete.
Noah’s arm bands around my waist. He lifts me off the ground like I weigh nothing as his free hand grabs onto the lead. The heat and muscles straining behind me, a stark reminder of how virile he must be.
His voice is tense and husky as he fights to pull Miss. D back. “I’ve got to say, angel, this feels a little too dangerous. Do they not have a smaller dog you can walk?”
The sound of that nickname again makes my pulse kick up a beat and I fight the urge to rub my thighs together as heat pools between my legs. Now isn’t the time.
In fact, never is the right time.
I’m pretty sure I was just saying that. Literally five minutes ago.
Goodness gracious. It’s like ever since I found out he’s single, I can’t keep a lid on these inappropriate thoughts.Not that I was great at that before.
Pushing against his solid arm, I attempt to make Noah release me but all it does is force him to tighten his grip.
