Page 36 of Unexpected Forever
Me: I’ll be there.
A curlof lust shoots through me at the thought of seeing her again. Two months later and she’s still the star of my dirty fantasies. I shift in my seat because every time I think about her, I get a hard-on.
While my body is ruled by the head south of the border, the head on my shoulders wants to know more about her.
With her, my worries about contract negotiations, sponsorships, or other business dealings fade away. With her, I’m simply a man enjoying life, not a celebrity burdened by obligations.
The plane comes to a stop, and I grab my bag. Outside, I slide on my aviators against the sun shining bright in a clear blue sky. The warm air is cooled by a slight breeze, making it the perfect temperature.
It’s beautiful here, and my idea of hanging around Madison Ridge for the summer sounds perfect. I can’t wait to get started looking at the rental properties I’ve lined up.
As for Charley and me? I’m not sure where we stand. We made a deal, one time only. Would she want to amend our deal?
I’ll find out soon enough.
Twenty minutes later, I’ve picked up my rental car and I find myself standing in front of Charley’s door.
The sound of chirping birds fills the air, and her small bungalow-style home has a neatly trimmed yard and colorful flowers along the walkway.
I ring the doorbell and blow out a breath, my heart pounding in my ears. Why are my palms sweating?
The door opens and there she stands in front of me.
And it’s like the world around me goes quiet.
I lift my shades to get an unfiltered look at her.
Her snug T-shirt with the local university’s name on it displays all her curves, and the tiny denim shorts showcase her shapely legs. Her silky dark hair is piled up on top of her head in a messy knot, a few tendrils of hair escaping to frame her face.
Her mouth curves in a shy smile. It’s uncharacteristic of the woman I spent the night with and shifts something in my chest.
She shoves her hands into her back pockets and shuffles her feet. “Hey.”
“Hey.”
We stare at each other for a few moments. Her denim-blue eyes shine as bright as the sun despite the dark circles under them and the paleness of her skin. It looks like someone pulled the plug on the light inside her.
My chest tightens. Is she sick? She looks like she needs to be in bed.
In spite of the fact she looks like she could fall asleep standing up, she’s still gorgeous as fuck.
My first instinct is to gather her up in my arms and hold her close. But I push the feeling aside.
We spent one night together. We have nothing in common, and with her brother marrying my sister, I don’t see how we can be anything more than friends.
Fuck, this is complicated.
She clears her throat. “It’s good to see you.”
“It’s good to see you too, Firefly.”
The nickname I inadvertently gave her slips out before I can stop it, and her shy smile turns into a grin that punches me in the gut.
One halting step at a time, she moves toward me, and before I think about what I’m doing, I raise my arms and she steps into them.
The lavender scent of her shampoo wafts to my nose, and our night together immediately replays in my mind.
After a moment, she untangles herself and steps aside. “Come in.”
