Page 102 of Let It Breathe
“Right.” Clay moved toward the towering stack of wine cases lined up against one wall. He hefted one up and looked at Eric. “Where do you want it?”
“Over there against the wall. We just need to make room for the forklift.”
Clay nodded and trudged across the concrete floor to the spot Eric had indicated. He set the box down and turned around, headed back for another. They worked like that for a few minutes, silent except for one colorful string of expletives from Eric when he scraped his knuckles on the concrete.
Clay’s brain began to wander back down the dark alley toward thoughts of Reese and last night and that long-ago night he couldn’t remember. Had her hair been different then? He was pretty sure she’d kept it the same. Long, with a little bit of curl at the ends. Had she trailed it over his chest that first time the way she had last night? He shivered a little at the thought, remembering how she’d smiled down at him as she teased his skin with the soft, grass-scented strands, drawing her fingers down his rib cage, along his stomach, over his?—
“Way to go last night, by the way,” Eric grunted as they both stooped to lift a box.
Clay froze. “What?”
“You were kind of a stud, huh?”
Clay stared at him, speechless. Had Larissa said something? Had Reese? “Um?—”
“The fire?” Eric raised an eyebrow. “I heard you were the one who helped put it out. Also the one who called the fire department. Isn’t that right?”
“Oh. Yeah.” Clay swallowed, feeling his heartbeat return to normal. “It was nothing, really. I just happened to be driving by.”
“Yeah, that’s what I heard.” Eric cleared his throat and hoisted his box. “So you just happened to be driving by at one a.m.?”
Clay picked up a box and avoided Eric’s eyes. “Dropping off Larissa. She got into some trouble with a guy at Finnigan’s. I happened to be there and helped her out.”
“Sure, sure—that’s what ’Riss said. Must’ve been pretty late?”
Clay shrugged and carried his box across the floor toward the pile. Did Eric know something, or was he just being his usual nosy self? “Beats me,” Clay said. “Took us a while to finish things at the police station, and then I had to go get my truck so I could drive ’Riss back here. We were trying to give Reese a little alone time with her date, you know?”
“That’s right.” Eric looked thoughtful. “I almost forgot Reese had a date. Did you meet him?”
“Yeah, met him the other day. He’s a veterinarian. Seems like a good guy.”
“That’s what Reese deserves. A good guy.”
Clay set his box down, trying not to read too much into Eric’s words. A good guy, Clay thought. That’s not me.
“Absolutely,” Clay agreed. “Nothing but the best.”
“She looked good this morning,” Eric said. “I mean, considering everything with the fire and the drama with Larissa. She seemed kind of glowy.”
“Maybe she’s getting sick,” Clay suggested. He dusted his hands and trudged back across the floor toward the boxes. Behind him, Eric set his box down with a solid thunk.
“Maybe she got laid.”
Clay stumbled. He caught himself quickly, glad he’d already set his box down. “Dude—are you sure you should be talking about your ex-wife’s sex life?”
Eric just laughed. “Relax, I’m kidding. Mostly. She did have a certain look about her this morning, didn’t you think?”
“I have no idea.”
“Not that she’s the sort of girl to jump into bed with a guy she hardly knows, but good for her if she did. She deserves to cut loose once in a while.”
“Right.” Clay bent down to pick up another box, still avoiding Eric’s eyes. “Don’t you think this is a weird topic of conversation?”
“Spend enough time around this family, you get used to weird in a hurry.”
“Good point.”
Eric grinned. “So maybe this guy is the one. Someone who can pull her out of her rut, shake her up a little, put some spring in her step.”
