Page 23 of An Inconvenient Plan
“You can back into the driveway,” she said. “The owner is away on business. I have the basement apartment, and the entrance is in back.”
Hailey lived in a crap basement apartment? He never would’ve expected it, given how great her wedding planning business was going. A horrifying thought struck him. It must’ve cost her dearly to pay him to be her wedding escort. He barely resisted slapping his forehead at his complete miscalculation. Shit, shit, shit.
“You got it,” he said, forcing his tone to sound normal. He backed the truck into the driveway and turned it off. She hopped out of the truck before he could open her door for her.
He went to the bookcase, untied everything, and slid the thick quilted movers’ blanket under the bookcase to the end of the flatbed. He set the bookcase on the driveway. It wasn’t light, but it wasn’t all that heavy either. “Lead the way.”
She went around the back of the house and down some concrete steps. He waited for her to unlock the door and then followed her down, setting the bookcase inside the living room of her apartment. Then he just gaped at girly nirvana. The sofa was floral, the lamps on the end tables had shades with white fringes, the bookcase was filled with romance novels, and the coffee table held a fanned-out display of bridal magazines. This was a woman who lived and breathed romance. So why was she so prickly with him? She should be softer, more open to his new attempts at reconciliation. Just because he’d turned her down once when she’d dropped her dress to the floor…nope. Donotgo there.
He rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding looking at her sexy body, trying to get the image of her in only a bra and thong out of his head. Again. He glanced around. The living room was open to a small dining area and a kitchen separated by a half wall. A short hallway led to what he assumed was her bedroom and a bathroom.
He met her eyes, back under control. Mostly. “So, uh, where do you want it?”Now why did that sound dirty?
“My bedroom. I’ll show you.”
Now that really did sound dirty, though she said it real casual-like. He followed her into her bedroom—an explosion of pink, lace, and flowers. Had any man ever breached this girly territory? The bed had a brass headboard, a rose-patterned comforter, and white lacy covers on two large pillows with a bunch of satin pillows in various shades of pink piled in front of them. The dresser and nightstand were white with rose decals she’d probably put on herself. A border of roses along the top of the walls added to the flowery effect.
“Are the roses in honor of Rose?” he asked.
She glanced around. “No, they were here first. She was already named Rose when I got her. Guess it was fate.”
He moved the bookcase to the wall by the bed’s headboard. She had a nightstand on the other side. It was the only place the bookcase could possibly go.
“Perfect!” she exclaimed. “Or should we move it next to the dresser?”
“It won’t fit there.”
“Sideways?”
“Half of it will be inaccessible.”
She planted her hands on her hips as she studied the space. “I guess you’re right.” She turned to him with a smile. “Now I have to move to a bigger place that goes with my bookcase.”
He smiled back. “Looks that way.”
She left the bedroom, and he followed, his gaze involuntarily dropping to her curvy ass. She stopped at the entrance to her kitchen and turned to him. He jerked his gaze up to her eyes.
“Snickerdoodle?” she asked.
The simple act of hospitality warmed him. She was letting him in, sort of. “No, thanks. I don’t like sweets.” He did like her fudgy brownies, they were incredible, and he still hadn’t figured out the secret ingredient. She wouldn’t share the recipe because he was the enemy. In any case, she hadn’t offered brownies.
She tossed her hair over her shoulder. “How can you not like sweets?”
He stepped closer. “I just don’t.”
She threw her hands up. “But that’s the only thing I can cook!”
He closed the distance between them, still keeping a gentlemanly space so he could resist hauling her into his arms.Off-limits. “I can cook. My boss made me take a bunch of cooking classes for Garner’s.”
Her cheeks flushed pink. “Mad says you took those classes because you’re a foodie.”
“What else did Mad say about me?”
She pursed her lips. “Only good things. She’s president of the Josh fan club.”
He grinned. At least Mad had come through for him.
She eased back a step into her kitchen and flicked on the light. “This must be why you’re so cranky all the time.” She turned and helped herself to a glass of water. Guess her hospitality vanished, since she didn’t offer him any water.
