Page 72 of After You

Hannah looked from him to her grandmother and must have read the same pleasure in Alice’s face that he saw. Hannah nodded. “Yeah, that’s true. We work really well together.”

“Everything is out in the garage,” Ben said happily. “We’ll be gone for…a while.”

Kyle caught Hannah’s eye roll that time and couldn’t help but grin. Yeah, Ben and Alice were really subtle. They were clearly trying to get him and Hannah stuck together for a period of time, just the two of them. He could hardly complain aboutthat.

“You ready to head over there?” he askedher.

“You sure you don’t have any other plans?”

“I took the afternoon off because Alice said she needed some help,” he said, shooting the older woman a look as he outed her lie. “She’s clearly in good hands, so now, I’m all yours.”

Yeah, he’d used those words on purpose. For Alice. And for Hannah.

Hannah’s cheeks were a little flushed as she pulled her gaze from his. She looked down at what she was wearing. “I guess I’m dressed for window washing. Might aswell.”

“Or you could put on a swimming suit,” he said. “I wouldn’tmind.”

He caught Alice’s little grin and knew he was playing right into her plan. But his comment was less to please Alice and more to make Hannah aware that he was aware of her body. And wanted to see more ofit.

The pink in her cheeks got a little deeper, but she gave him a look. “That’s a great idea, but I didn’t bring a swimming suit. Guess I’m stuck inthis.”

“There’s probably an old suit in the dresser upstairs,” Alice suggested helpfully.

Hannah shook her head quickly. “They’d only be bikinis.”

“That’s fine,” Kyle said. “Less to get wet.” Except for all of that beautifulskin.

He knew that she was thinking of their conversation the other night at the Come Again, about her being wet for him. And he’d bet that right now she was a little bittoo.

And he hoped that he could make that little bit into a lot more. Later. When they were alone.

He knew this was all dangerous, but he was beyond caring. Knowing she had pain from that fucking car accident had brought a huge surge of protectiveness out in him and a need to do something, to somehow heal her, or at least make her feel better. Somehow. And the fact that she was still willing to get up on Alice’s countertop to clean was making him feel a little… He wasn’t sure. Restless. Irritable. Frustrated.

“Doing work in a bikini can be risky,” Hannah said. “Things shift and slip when you’re reaching and bending.”

Kyle almost groaned. Especially when her cheeks got pink again. She hadn’t meant for it to sound dirty. But it totally had. And now he couldn’t wait to get started.

“So I think I’ll stick with this,” she added on hastily, indicating what shewore.

They’d washed windows together before, and she’d never dressed quite like this. She would have worn a tank top, maybe, but it would have been paired with regular shorts, not cut-off sweatpants. And she would have still had her hair done and makeup on. Now her hair was in a messy bun, and she had no makeup on that he couldsee.

And she looked gorgeous.

She’d never been afraid of hard work or getting dirty or breaking a nail. But she would have redone her manicure right after thejob.

They helped Alice get settled in Ben’s car and watched them disappear at the end of the block.

“I feel like walking, how about you?” Hannah asked.

It was only about four blocks. But more, there was something in her eyes that had him nodding. “Sure.”

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