Page 9 of Wish For Me

CHAPTER3

Noelle

“Sorry for snapping the rubber gloves on back in the car,” I said as I unlocked the door. “Dad instilled the fear of God in me at a young age when it came to stranger danger.”

Which made it all the more absurd that I thought I could pull off a one-night stand.

“I think it’s great,” Leif said.

Despite the fact that I was a grown woman, Dad really would flip his lid when he woke up. But he cared about public safety, too, I reasoned. He wouldn’t want a young man to freeze to death.

Watching Leif hang up his coat and neatly tuck his boots underneath made me unreasonably happy, since Patrick had some kind of aversion to hanging up his clothes.

“Sorry we don’t have a guest room,” I said in a whisper when he padded back to the living room in his socks. “My dad turned my brother’s room into a ridiculous man cave. What is it with dads when they reach a certain age?”

Something passed over Leif’s face. Maybe he didn’t have a dad. But it was gone as quickly as it came. “I’m just grateful you’re putting me up.”

“Well, you called an ambulance for me, so I guess we’re even.”

“Sorry again about that.”

Leif’s smile was kind of lopsided; higher on one side than the other. I decided in that moment that smiles like Leif’s were much better than symmetrical ones.

“Don’t be sorry. You did the right thing.”

He met my eyes. “I don’t always do the right thing.”

I’m sure his words were innocent. Self-deprecating. But they still send a sudden spasm of heat through me. Or maybe that was because I was standing so close to him.

God, if Patrick could see me now.

I smiled to myself, feeling quite pleased. This was better than a one-night stand. All the ego boosting of having a handsome man over, none of the regrets.

Leif returned my smile with that crooked smile of his, making my insides heat up even more.

I chewed on my lip, debating with myself before blurting, “Did you want to hang out a minute? We could go to my room.”

Leif’s eyebrows went up.

“To get Floof settled, I mean,” I said quickly. My awkwardness was laughable given my intentions earlier in the night. Still, I found myself making excuses. “She should probably stay in there with me in case my parents come out.”

“Oh. God, yeah. You sure they won’t mind us being here?”

“No problem at all. My mom will probably offer to make you pancakes. Although my dad will probably give you a full-on interrogation, so you’re welcome to sneak out early, too.”

I helped Leif set up a bed for Floof under the desk with a pillow and a few towels. “You’re spoiling her,” he said, laughing.

“She seems like a bit of a princess.”

“She is,” he admitted. He stroked her head.

He smelled nice. Like soap and the snow outside.

And I was way too close to him. I got up and sat down on the bed. Leif waited a moment, poised like a runner with his fingers braced on the ground next to him. His sweater stretched taut over his back, accentuating the muscles in his shoulders. I was right about the broad shoulders. He’d pulled his sleeves up, too; his forearms were long and muscular. I wondered if he was a runner. Or a swimmer.

“Lie down for me,” he said soothingly. His voice was low, sending a strange feeling through me.

Floof rolled over for him, obviously as charmed as I was.

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