Page 10 of Mister Curb Appeal
Her mouth parts, but no words come out.
I laugh, palming the back of my neck. “I’m kidding,” I say, moving toward her slowly. Any sudden moves could see her fleeing like that damn cat. “No harm, no foul.”
“Joshua, I’m so sorry,” she manages, tucking a lock of blonde hair behind her ear. She’s fucking adorable. “I really should have seen your stuff when I walked in, but there was no car out the front?—”
“It’s out back.” I thumb behind me. “You wouldn’t have seen it. And you’re still soaking wet. Let me grab you a towel.”
I don’t notice how she looks down at herself, gasps, then folds her arms over her chest. She’s realized she’s basically flashing me. I’m not sorry.
“I’m afraid Mr. Snuggles is as much a disaster as I am,” she calls after me. Then she mutters something else I don’t quite decipher.
I jog back, handing her a fresh towel and she takes it gratefully. She begins toweling her hair while I stand there like a jerk watching her. “You’re fine, honestly. I was just surprised to see you. It’s not every day I get interrupted by a beautiful woman accidentally showering with me.”What the fuck am I on?
She looks at me quizzically, maybe to check if I’m poking fun, then she laughs. It doesn’t quite touch her eyes and I know she’s embarrassed. Heck, my heart is still racing like a runaway train.
“I’ll just grab a change of clothes from the car and be on my way,” she says.
On her way?
I don’t like the sound of that.
“If anything,Ishould be onmyway, not you. I’ll find somewhere else to crash.”
“You don’t have to do that. I’m the one who came barging in on you.”
“Seriously, it’s no trouble. I’ll just get the Airbnb app up on my phone and book somewhere else. In the meantime, I was just about to make another cup of coffee. Would you like one? Or something stronger?”
“I have a bottle of wine in the car,” she says. “I think I may need a stiff drink after that.” Our eyes meet and she flushes again. “Not stiff… I meant, um, alcohol. A strong, alcoholic beverage.”
I chuckle. Oh fuck, she’s cute. “I appreciate you not running away screaming, if it’s any consolation.”
She dries herself off and when she presses the towel to her chest, I have to look away. “How about I go and grab your bags, and you can change into something a little more comfortable?”
“You don’t have to?—”
I hold up one hand. “It’s the least I could do after what we’ve been through together.”
“Thanks, Josh. I have a small suitcase in my trunk that has my clothes in it.”
“On it.” I turn my back, heading outside toward her neat little SUV.
Maybe this weekend won’t be a bust after all. Even though I’m going to be leaving soon, I know this memory will live in my spank bank for some time to come.
I find her suitcase and take it out with ease, along with a bag of groceries from the same deli I stopped at on the way in.
I smile when I see the same chicken salad at the top of the bag. She has good taste. I also swipe the bottle of wine on the back seat and head back to the cabin.
I prop the suitcase by her feet, trying my best not to notice how her wet hair looks just as sexy as it did when it was styled perfectly. Who am I kidding? This is a fucking dream come true.
“One suitcase, a bag of groceries getting warm, and your wine,” I declare. “I’ll pour you a glass and put the bag of stuff in the fridge.”
“You’re being too nice, honestly. I can do that.”
“No need. You should get out of those things. It’s going to be cold tonight so I’ll light the fire before I leave.”
She opens her mouth to speak, thinks better of it, then turns and wheels her little case across the room toward the bedroom I’m already settled in. She’s a little wobbly on her feet but I try not to notice.
I make light work of putting her groceries away. Then I pour her a glass of wine, popping an ice cube into the wine glass, then pull out my phone.
