Page 28 of Keeping Guard
“Not having this conversation.” Next, Jack would want them to have a slumber party and paint each other’s toenails while sharing their love life.
“When you’re ready to have it, let me know. In the meantime, I’ll have Dell call you about the door. Have measurements ready to give him.”
“Copy that.” He disconnected before Jack decided to continue his Dr. Phil impersonation.
Peyton walked back in, and damn. He was going to spend his sleepless night debating which was hotter: Peyton in nothing but those sexy heels, or a barefoot Peyton with cherry red toenails and legs that went on forever. She’d changed into white shorts and a sleeveless blue silky-looking top that perfectly matched her eyes.
Want her. Want her right now, the million-year-old caveman ancestor embedded in his brain said. At the moment, he wished he was that caveman so he could haul her back to his lair without getting slapped silly.
“I need your measurements.” It didn’t take more than a nanosecond for his brain to register what he’d said. When had his mouth gotten so stupid?
She stilled, looked at him, and blinked. “Tell me you didn’t just say that.”
“Of your door. You need a new one.”
Her gaze sifted from him to her door and then back to him. The sexiest smile he’d ever seen in his life—and he’d seen his fair share—appeared. “There are a lot of things I need, and I think you can help me out with most of them.”
That he could. “Do you have a tape measure?” He was proud of himself for asking that question instead of the one he wanted. Like...how would you feel about a few hours of playtime?
Peyton put her hands on her hips. “Think again, buster. You are not going to measure me.” She knew why he wanted the tape measure, but it was just too much fun messing with him, especially when her reward was that fish-mouth impression he was doing now.
“You...you...” He huffed a breath.
She fluttered her eyelids. “Me?”
“You’re impossible.”
“Not really.” For him, she could be all kinds of possible. It really was weird that she trusted him, considering she’d only met him yesterday. She’d probably been a fool to let him haul her away from the waterfall, but in her defense, she hadn’t been thinking clearly what with being a runaway bride and all.
There were things she’d like to get from him, like another tingly kiss, but at the top of her list was his agreement to hang out for a while in her guest bedroom. Dalton had warned her that this wasn’t over. That meant he still planned to marry her regardless of her telling him that wasn’t going to happen.
Before today, she’d never considered Dalton dangerous, but now she did. Having a SEAL bodyguard seemed like a good idea, but how to get him to agree? What did she have to offer that would get him onboard with her plan? She could brew him the best beers he would ever taste, or—
He snapped his fingers in front of her face. “Tape measure. You have one?”
“Yes. You want it?” She hid her grin when he let out an exasperated sigh.
“Would you please get it?”
“Only because you said please.” She got the tape measure out of a kitchen drawer. After giving it to him, she returned to the kitchen. Her soup was cold now, so she transferred it to a microwaveable bowl. While he was measuring the door, she gathered the fixings for grilled cheese sandwiches.
Wasn’t the way to a man’s heart through his stomach? If she fed him, maybe he would be agreeable to hanging around for a few days. His phone rang, and she listened to him give the door measurements to someone and then answer questions about the door and hardware.
Lucky sat at her feet, watching her every move. She wished she had some dog treats for him. “Can dogs have cheese?” she asked him. He barked what she guessed was a yes. Not sure if cheese would mess up his stomach, she broke off a corner from a slice of sourdough bread instead. “Here you go.” She laughed when he scarfed it up. “Didn’t your mama ever tell you to chew your food?” His only response was to look at her with hope for more in his eyes. “One more piece, then that’s it.”
By the time Noah finished his call, she had the grilled cheese under the broiler, along with the spring rolls, and the soup heating.
“Jack’s friend will be here in about an hour with a new door.”
“That’s great.” She hadn’t mentioned Dalton kicking in her bathroom door. She’d deal with getting that replaced herself. Noah and his friend had done enough already, and she was about to ask Noah for more. “You want one of my amazing beers for dinner or something else?”
“Dinner?”
She slid the grilled cheese sandwiches from the oven rack onto a cutting board. “You know, that thing you do with food where you put it in your mouth?” She pressed her lips together to keep from laughing at his exasperated expression. If she wasn’t careful, one of these times teasing him, she was going make his eyes cross.
“I know what dinner is.” He leaned his side against her kitchen island. “Why are you making it for me?”
“Because I feel like it?”
