But today, when he greeted me at the door? Today was different. Today cast him in an entirely new light.
He was barefoot and bare chested, with sparkling dark blue eyes, a chest that nearly took up the entire doorway, and dark brown hair. A tattoo, etched onto one side of his chest, forced my eyes to take on a mind of their own, wandering from his built, perfect chest, up to his neck, where the tattoo ended. He put one hand on the doorframe and towered over me as I announced in a meek voice that I was there for Cassandra’s birthday.
He put out his hand to shake mine, which seemed strangely formal for a man wearing almost no clothing. When our hands met, a delicious spark of energy ignited between us, sending a curling, ribboning probe down into my belly. His handshake was firm and even, and I think he held on a little bit too long. Or maybe I was the one who held on too long.
“Hello,” I’d said, “I’m Joanne. I don’t know if you remember me?”
I had no choice but to introduce myself. It’s what you do when you show up at someone you barely know’s house. I never liked my name, and I think I actually shuddered a little bit as I watched his face change when I said it. If only my name was something like Samantha or Juliet, something pretty and sexy.
“Hi,” he said, his lips pulling into this crazy sexy smile. “Sorry, what was your name again?”
Ugh. He’d made me say it twice.
“Joanne,” I’d repeated.
“Right, how could I forget,” he said, holding the door open for me. “Please, let me show you inside. Can I offer you anything?”
They should make a law against men looking this good. I followed him inside, marveling at the big, open concept of the home. The high ceilings, all the glass looking out to lush greenery around the house. He opened the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of white wine, grabbing two glasses from a cabinet below the counter.
I felt my heart stammer as he poured two glasses and handed one to me.
“How did you know I like chilled white wine?” I asked, bringing the glass to my lips.
“Don’t you remember?” He flashed a smile that made my knees go weak. “At graduation, your mom and dad said you should have a glass of wine if you wanted. And you said you wanted something cold.”
“I guess I don’t remember that.”
He shook his head and laughed, causing a low, rumbling vibration to hum through my body.
This man was pure, hot perfection. And why didn’t I remember him like this? I mean, I could never forget that he was hot, but I didn’t remember him quite like this. Probably all for the best, I’d thought to myself, because if I’d been envisioning this man greeting me at the door, it’s likely that I wouldn’t have come here today at all.
“Come on,” he’d said, grabbing his glass and the bottle, “you’re late.”
And now I’m lounging around with Cassandra and trying to keep my eyes off her father.
I pull my sunglasses off because the daylight’s nearly gone now, and I’d look awfully silly still wearing my sunglasses at night. Of course this means I have to be a little bit more subtle about checking William out. I smile over at my friend.
“Everything’s good.”
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Also by Lauren Milson
Hometown Series (holiday standalones):
Jack Frost
Dirty Treat
Falling for my Friend’s Dad
Night Series (standalones):
Night Fever
Night Moves
Night Shift
Bump in the Night
All Night Long (coming soon!)
Extra Steamy:
Burn
Touch
For Him Series (holiday standalones):
Always For Him
Only For Him
The One and Only Series (standalones):
Buy Me, Love
All My Love
Non-series standalones:
The Wedding Date
Summer Crush
Her Friend’s Father
Her Cowboy
All His
I'll Catch You Page 8