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I shook my head, watching him take down all the pins in one go.
He turned and swept a bow with a flourish, that twinkling amusement bright in his eyes. “I think that makes it my win, does it not?”
I sighed, checking the scoresheet in front of me. “That it does. Okay, what next?” I capped the pen and set it down.
“Back to the games room?” He stretched his arms out in front of him. “We could do a rematch on the pool table? And we could make it interesting, a bet or two?”
“Uh uh, only one bet at a time.”
“Whatever you say…”
We were on our third game of pool, one win apiece and going for the tie-breaker. Dean walked around the table, biting his bottom lip, picking his spot. His phone lay on the side of the table, just like mine. They’d been surprisingly silent for almost an hour when his went off.
I raised an eyebrow as he stood up with a groan as the ringtone blared on. “It’s my manager.”
“Answer it. I’d love lobster mac and cheese. With a chocolate souffle for dessert.”
“He’s used to being ignored. It’ll be fine.” He smiled sweetly and leaned over, regaining his concentration before taking his shot.
I laughed and watched him break, the balls scattering in every direction. Not bad, not bad, I mused, leaning on my pool cue. He clearly knew his way around a pool table.
I went to take a shot when he stopped me. “What?” I stood still, mesmerized by the sudden closeness of him.
“You’ve got a little…” His gaze dropped from my eyes down to my lips then down just a little more.
I made a face, suddenly self-conscious. “A little?”
“Chalk…here…” He reached up, his thumb gently skimming my jawline, leaving a trail of heat in its wake. “That’s what happens when you lean against the pool cue…but blue is definitely your color.”
I laughed softly, ignoring the heat that’d flared at his mere touch. “Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.”
I felt the weight of his gaze on me, and suddenly, a wave of anxiousness hit me. The smallest hint of blue on his finger meant it couldn’t have been all that much on me…so how close was he watching me?
And why…
It didn’t make sense.
A guy like him would not fall for someone like me. Too ordinary, too everything.
I walked around the table, pretending to examine the best angle, but all the while just wanting to put a little distance between us. I didn’t want him to see how his slightest touch affected me. How my blush still hadn’t completely faded, its heat still on my face.
I took my shot, missing it by a mile.
Just as he opened his mouth to say something, the doorbell rang above us.
“What’s that?”
“Delivery?” He checked his watch, setting his pool cue down and hurrying towards the stairs.
I put mine down, too, and followed.
By the time we reached the door, I was still trailing him. He’d had the door open and I could see someone in a bright yellow snowsuit at the end of the walkway, giving Dean a wave.
I stepped forward and Dean bent down, picking up a large cardboard box from the front steps. He turned and smiled. “We have lunch…he said he texted, but we didn’t answer.”
I couldn’t help it, I laughed. “Oops?”
“I said it was on the charger.” He kicked the door closed with his foot. “He said not a lot was open, but he got everything I asked for to get us through.”
