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Slipping my shoes back on and sliding open the door leading out to my deck, as her voice sounds like it’s coming from the back area of her house, I step outside.
Shit, it’s chilly out here.
“Addison?” I call out as my eyes adjust to the darkness.
“Oh, thank God,” I hear her say from her deck area. “Hey, I’m over here.”
Leaning over my own deck railing, I catch sight of her doing the same on her side.
Hmmm, first thing I notice is she’s wearing short-ass jean shorts and a pink tee.
Cute, and definitely sexy, but not very practical.
She waves over to me, and, without thinking, I ask, “What are you doing outside dressed like that? You must be freezing.”
She spits out, “No shit, Sherlock.” And even from this far apart, I swear I see her rolling her eyes. Exasperated, she adds, “What do you think I’m doing out here? I freaking locked myself out. And I need help. Why else would I be calling for you of all people?”
Okay, even in distress she’s quite the smartass.
Crossing my arms, the black material of my long-sleeve tech tee pulling tight across my wide chest, I snark back, “Me of all people, huh? That’s not very nice, especially coming from a person in clear need of assistance. Do you want to just stay out there all night? ’Cause I can go back in right the hell now and leave you to your own devices.”
Narrowing her eyes at me, she grinds out, “You wouldn’t dare.”
I’m actually not going to leave her out on her deck to freeze, but, after her snippy remarks, I’m going to let her sweat it out for a minute or two.
So I raise a brow. “Is that a challenge?”
When she doesn’t respond, I say, “Okay, then,” and pretend like I’m going back inside.
“No, wait,” she pleads when I reach for the sliding door handle. “Please, Hayden, don’t leave me out here. I could die.”
“Hmm,” I call back, “that possibility is tempting.”
“Stop it!” she yells, stomping her sneakered foot. “This is no time for joking, especially when that could really happen.”
There’s genuine panic in her voice, so I drop the hard-ass act. “Okay,” I say. “I was never going to leave you out here. I was just giving you a hard time.”
She sniffs. “Well, it wasn’t funny.”
“Just…whatever.” I shake my head. “Let me come over there, and let’s get you back inside your house where I’m sure it’s nice and toasty.”
“Thanks,” she mumbles as she bounces up and down on her toes to try to keep warm.
I start to turn away, but then she calls out, “Wait.”
I lean back over the railing. “Yes?”
“How are you going to know which room is my bedroom? You know, to get out here onto the deck?”
“Uh, I think our houses have almost identical layouts, just switched around.” I gesture to my sliding door. “The master bedroom over here is connected to my deck also.”
That seems to satisfy her, as she nods and says, “Oh, all right. Makes sense.”
“We cool, then?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay, give me a sec.” I hold up one finger. “I’ll be right over.”
