Page 5 of Unexpectedly You

“You uh, you okay?” I ask. No response. “You do know I can see you right? I mean that’s a big penguin but it’s not that big.”

He sighs and lowers the giant plush penguin, his cheeks flushed crimson as he averts his gaze. I decide to go easy on him.

“You want some help bringing your stuff inside?”

His gaze meets mine now and he blinks at me, like he can’t believe I offered to help him. His mouth opens but no words come out.

“I can give you a hand if you want,” I say. “Just let me get my shoes and coat on.” I disappear back into my apartment and return a moment later ready to lend a hand. He comes out of his apartment, cheeks still flushed, but leads me to his car when I tell him to show me the way. It’s a pretty cool car, too. I mean, I know shit all about cars but this one looks like it’s vintage and in great shape.

He hands me a box and I make my way through the snow and back inside with it, setting it down inside hisapartment and wondering just how absurd it is that this man is the one who ended up being my new neighbor. Hopefully he doesn’t hate the idea of living across from me.

I go back outside and grab another box, carrying it inside. Once everything is out of his car he shuts the trunk and then proceeds to remove the messy bun from his hair and run his fingers through it. It’s honestly the most gorgeous hair I’ve ever seen, thick and full and falling to just below his broad shoulders. I know lots of women who would be very jealous of that hair. Hell, I might be jealous of that hair. He’s also wearing a gorgeous turquoise scarf that looks like it’s knitted and incredibly soft. And I don’t normally notice things like this, but it’s bringing out the color in his eyes.

He catches me staring and flushes again, and I realize I am probably being a bit creepy, so I decide to introduce myself. “I’m Alex,” I tell him, holding out my hand. “Alex Florez-Romano.” He bites his lip, then turns to face me and takes my hand in his.

“Bentley Emerson,” he says, shaking it, that southern twang making me want to get him a cowboy hat and a rope or something.

“I like your scarf,” I tell him, and he looks down, then gives a soft smile.

“Thanks, my Gram made it.”

I nod. “It’s beautiful.” There’s a bit of an awkward pause so I say, “Listen, I know this is probably weird for you, but I swear I haven’t seen Stacy since our last date, and it really was just two dates. We didn’t even sleep together. I hope that helps, and I swear I didn’t know about you or I never would have gone out with her at all. I’m not like that.”

He nods, some of the tension leaving his big body. “Thanks,” he says, voice soft. God, the guy looks like aViking but I have the impression he’s nothing but a sweet teddy bear.

“You must be hungry. Why don’t you come to my place for dinner tonight since you’ve still got all that unpacking to do? I’m not much of a cook but I can do spaghetti and throw a salad together.”

He shuffles his feet, hands in his coat pockets. His gaze doesn’t meet mine. “Oh, uh, that’s okay, you don’t have to feed me. I’ll manage.” Shy much? Or just uncomfortable because it’s me?

“Look, it’s what, three o’clock ish now? Why don’t you take some time and think about it, and if you decide you want to take me up on my offer, just come knock on my door around six. Maybe you can get a nap in beforehand. You’ve probably had a long day.”

He nods and I leave him be, heading back to my apartment. I find myself really hoping he’ll come for dinner, because something about him tells me he’s worth getting to know a bit better. And while I love my family, Lord knows I could use a friend.

Chapter Four

Bentley

“You hid behind a what?” Peyton says, then descends into laughter.

“A giant penguin,” I mutter and hear her snort, she’s laughing so hard.

“It’s not funny,” I grouse.

“It is a little bit funny,” she says. “Oh my God, what are the odds?”

I groan, sitting on my sofa surrounded by boxes, convinced that if God does exist he has some twisted sense of humor. This is the exact opposite of never seeing the guy again. Of all the apartments in the entire city, I just happened to find the one that was right next to Alex.

“He wasn’t mean or anything was he?” she checks, her voice sharper and her laughter dissipating.

“Worse,” I grumble. “He was really nice. Offered to help me move my stuff inside and invited me over for dinner.”

“Oh, really? That’s great.”

I sigh. “I don’t know if I want to go.”

“Listen, I get that it’s kind of uncomfortable, but the guy didn’t do anything wrong, right? Didn’t you say he didn’t know about you when he went out with Stacy?”

“So he says.”

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