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It took me a moment to notice that someone was sitting on her front steps, and then another to realize it was her.
I faltered a step, and my mind immediately emptied of...whatever I’d just been stressing about.
From that point on, there was only her.
Oaklynn was barefoot, wearing a T-shirt and shorts and sipping from an enormous mug with steam rolling from it.
When she saw me, she straightened and lowered the cup so she could wave.
I waved back, mesmerized by her dimples. And as I reached the corner post where I always took my break, I twisted in her direction to get another look.
She was still watching me. After setting down her coffee to pick up a bottle of water that was on the step next to her, she lifted her eyebrows in offering.
And my system went haywire because, fuck, she’d been sitting there waiting specifically for me.
I gave into temptation basically immediately and started forward to accept the drink.
“Good morning,” she said brightly, and my body responded to her voice, rippling pleasure down my spine.
With a brief jerk of the head, I nodded back to her. “Morning,” I managed to rasp before I took the bottle. “Thanks.”
“Of course.” She smiled and started to rub her hands along the outsides of her bent knees as if chilled. Or nervous. Then she motioned vaguely toward the trail. “I’m not messing up your run, am I?”
“Nah.” I waved out a dismissive hand before wiping the back of it across my mouth after taking my first drink. “I usually pause for a break here, anyway. Gives me a chance to check out the apartment and make sure it’s still standing.”
“Ah, nice.” She bobbed her head in approval. “Well, as you can see, we weathered the rain last night just fine.”
“Good.” I nodded, not sure how else to answer.
When she simply continued to watch me, I propped my shoe on the step next to her and leaned against the railing. “So what’s up?” I asked. “Having plumbing problems?”
Color immediately infused her face and she coughed before she stumbled out a hesitant, “Uh…no.” With a wince, she added, “No.”
“Oh?” I straightened from the wrought iron railing, growing eager.
But this was it. Bye-bye, two-year raincheck. Hello, sexy times.
Oaklynn looked vaguely uncomfortable as she cleared her throat and then forced a tense smile as if she was going to ask for my kidney or something before she blurted, “Do you eat tacos?”
I squinted one eye, wondering where the hell that question had come from. “Tacos?”
“Yes, sir.” Still sitting on the step, Oaklynn nodded encouragingly. “They’re having a Taco Tuesday over at the student union on campus tonight. Two for a dollar, and there’s no way I can pass that up. But I don’t really want to go alone, except I only know, like, four people in Westport so far. Five, including you. And I haven’t seen Thalia in days. Then my best friend, Jaylani, is at work, and I don’t think her girlfriend likes me all that much.” Leaning toward me, she lowered her voice confidentially before confessing, “Honestly, I think Scarlett’s kind of jealous of my and Jay’s friendship even though she hasnothingto worry about there. And I have no idea how to evenreachRaina, who I’ve only met once, but—”
“I eat tacos,” I cut in quietly, making her stop talking abruptly and give me her dimples.
She sat up straighter as she smiled. “You do?”
I nodded, charmed by how awkward she’d gotten before asking me out. It was obvious she was too proud to admit that she’d changed her mind. But I was completely willing to let her keep her pride and pretend that she hadn’t.
Just as long as I ended up inside of her because of it.
“I could pick you up here,” I offered. “Say, seven…six o’clock?”
Oaklynn drew in a deep breath before she exhaled and bit her lip. “Six,” she answered after a moment. “And let’s meet there. By the Stetson statue?”
I nodded, knowing the spot. Haverick’s mascot was a humanized stallion named Stetson the Stormin’ Stallion, and there was a ten-foot-tall stone statue of him standing in the center of a circular fountain decorating the main entrance of the university’s student union.
“I’ll see you there at six,” I confirmed with a nod.
