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Desiree boxed up the cinnamon rolls. “Most stores are. The 4th of July parade starts around two thirty and then there’s a carnival with vendor booths at the park all day. Tonight, there’s fireworks. Most people are setting up at the park.” She swiped his card. “As soon as I’m sold out, I’m getting out of here also. It’s always a fun day.”
A parade, a carnival, and fireworks. Maybe he’d have to find a reason to stay in town. “Thanks, Des. See you around.” He walked out and continued his way to Leila’s.
Leila’s house was a simple single story brick ranch which sat on slightly slopping lot with a double garage in the front. The lawn was well manicured and had lots of colorful flowers that Adler could tell someone took pride in. Before he could knock, the door swung open and there stood Leila.
A smile filled Adler’s face, and his heart sped up. He hadn’t seen her since the night at the bar a couple weeks ago, and she looked—Wow! “Good morning. I come bearing food.” He held out the white box and willed his blood to flow through his veins and not pool in one area.
The joy on Leila’s face matched his. “Come on in.” He stepped inside, and she closed the door behind him. “Cinnamon rolls?”
“Yep. I remembered you liked them.”
Leila led him into the kitchen and grabbed two plates and forks. “Desiree makes the best.” She took the box from him and placed one on each plate. “Want yours heated with a cup of coffee?”
“Sure.” He took a seat at the table as a squeal filled the room. Wow. That was a high note. He didn’t realize humans could squeal like that. He watched as Skylar pawed at a mobile while sitting in a bouncy seat. “Um, is she safe in that thing?” She was bouncing hard and looked like she might take off.
Leila put the rolls in the microwave, then placed some oat cereal on the tray of Skylar’s saucer. “She’s fine. She has some strong legs. You remember Skylar.”
“Of course.” Adler did not feel comfortable around babies, but there was something cute about Skylar, and he found himself smiling at her. That was a surprise. “Honestly, I’ve not been around many babies. We have a cousin who lives in Texas. He’s older than Tristan and me. I think he’s . . .” Adler’s eyes rested on the cabinets as he thought. “. . . thirty-six, or around there. He and his wife have two kids, but we hardly see them.”
The microwave beeped, and Leila grabbed the cinnamon rolls along with two mugs of coffee and half-and-half. “Sugar’s there if you want some.” She pointed to a ceramic container on the table. They sat in silence as they ate and sipped coffee. Adler spent the time looking around the kitchen. It was a nice space. Half was the kitchen, then a small kitchen island separated the kitchen area from the sitting area. The table was surrounded by windows with the main color being white, allowing the small space to look larger.
“So, do you have the layout of the tables with you?”
Leila brought his thoughts back to the company in front of him, and what cute company she was. She wore leggings and a T-shirt which said I’d rather be at the beach, St. Petersburg, Florida, with a picture of the beach. The nape of her neck, exposed with her hair casually gathered in a loose bun on top of her head, revealed a slender and graceful curvature. The delicate line of her neck was accentuated, creating an alluring and elegant profile. He adjusted himself under the table and reminded himself to focus on his purpose for being there, not on Leila.
Leaning over, he grabbed his briefcase from the floor. “Yep, sure did.”
He took out the papers and laid them on the table and moved to the chair next to her so they could both see them better. He glanced stealthily at Leila as she bent over the sketches he’d placed in front of her. She smelled nice, like strawberries and cream. This close, he could make out the beginning of a small red birthmark at the back of her left ear.I wonder how that birth mark would taste.He imagined kissing her there, and again had to adjust his growing hard-on in his pants.Focus Adler.
“So, what do you think?” he asked.
They spent the next thirty minutes discussing needs and wants—Leila’s and the pregnancy center’s, not Adler’s, though his wants were becoming clearer by the moment. He wanted to touch her ivory skin and trace the path of her freckles across her face. He wanted to brush his fingers through the pieces of her hair falling over her shoulders. He wanted to kiss her soft lips. As a cry from Skylar cry pierced the air, he took a deep breath and Leila moved away from him to pick her up and sat in a chair, cuddling Skylar in her arms.
He watched her with Skylar, and something stirred in his stomach. Wow. “Coffee refill?” He got up from the table to put some space between them. He had to slow down his feelings. They were having a great time together. His goal was to keep this going.
“No thanks. I’ve had my two-cup limit.” She smiled that small, crooked smile he saw at the bar.
This time it was for him.Yes.
“I’ll be right back. I’m going to lay her down.” Help yourself to more coffee.”
He did just that and leaned comfortably on the counter with his ankles crossed and his mug of coffee in his hand, thinking of her lists of wants for the fundraiser. Nothing would be difficult. He’d make sure they had things set up Saturday morning, and he’d invite her to the cookout he and Tristan were having.Spending an entire day together would be great. He wanted—no, needed—to get to know her more.
“I think we have everything we need.” Leila entered the kitchen and leaned over the table, looking at the sketches once again. “Does everything look okay to you?”
His eyes were glued to her ass. Those leggings hugged all her curves perfectly. Yeah, it looked nice. Really nice. “Oh, yeah. Everything looks fine.” He cleared his throat and pushed off the counter.
She sent him a glare that burned into him and threw guilt throughout his body. How could a look make him feel guilty? She didn’t know his double meaning. Did she?Change the subject.“Desiree told me about the parade and the carnival this afternoon. Are you planning on watching and going to the carnival?”
She shrugged. “I thought about the parade since I can walk just a couple blocks. I think Sky might enjoy it. The carnival, though . . . I don’t think so.”
“Isn’t there fireworks?”
Leila placed their plates in the sink. “You seem to know an awful lot about what’s going on in this small town.”
“I talked to Desiree. She told me.”
Her brows ticked up. “Really? Stilltalkingwith Des?”
