“Can I come in? For just a little bit? I promise I won’t touch you.”
“I have to work later.”
“I won’t stay long. Just a few minutes.”
She looked everywhere but at him, and he began to think he’d felt something she hadn’t. He straightened, intending to leave her alone like she clearly wanted him to do.
“Okay. For a few minutes.”
At the sound of her voice, he jerked his gaze up to hers. Her face was a blank mask he couldn’t read. Did she really want him to come inside? Fuck, he didn’t care. He was so fucking happy to be invited in.
She stepped back, allowing him room in the tiny entry. He pulled the door closed behind him. Her arms remained crossed over her midsection. The thought of her feeling the need to protect herself from him shot a spear through his heart.
“Nice place.”
“You haven’t seen it,” she said. “But thank you. It’s home.”
“You live in this year-round?” He looked around, taking in the kitchen/eating area just behind the driver’s seat. Beyond, the place seemed wider.
“Yes.” She extended her arm. “Go ahead. Take a look.” She followed him into the living area that was, indeed, wider.
“Huh. I didn’t notice the…what do you call it?”
“A pop-out.”
Even with the extra room, he felt as if he’d been stuffed in a can. “Nice.”
“Have a seat. Would you like something to drink?” A half step put her in front of the dorm room sized refrigerator.
“Water?”
She pulled two bottles out, handing him one as she eased past his legs to sit opposite him. After taking a long drink, he capped the bottle and set it aside. He leaned forward, his elbows on his thighs, his hands clasped between them. Now that he was here, he didn’t have a clue what to do or say.
Shannon lifted her water bottle to her lips. His brain, stuck in sex-with-this-woman mode, conjured an image of those very same lips wrapped around his dick. Said appendage reacted in the predictable way, making him even more uncomfortable. He forced his gaze down, but the sight of her neck conjured another image no less unsettling. Realizing there wasn’t a square inch of her body he could look at and not think carnal thoughts, he closed his eyes.
The ball was in his court. He’d come to see her, not the other way around. “This is awkward.”
“Just a little. I thought we were done.” She capped her water, the plastic making crinkling sounds in her hand. “You don’t have to pretend last night was anything more than it was.”
He jerked his gaze up. “I’m not pretending.” He sucked in a short breath and let it out. “I didn’t come here for sex. I’m all out of condoms, remember?”
Her face turned red. Yeah, she remembered.
“Last night was…incredible. Different. I’m usually a once is enough kind of guy, but…well, you know. I get it. You don’t stay in one place for long, and I’m a stay put kind of guy, but I was wondering…. I thought….” He raked his fingers through his hair. “Hell, do you want to spend the day with me? I mean, until you have to go to work? We could go to the beach. Have something to eat, walk a little.”
She stared at him as if he’d grown two heads, and he felt as if he had, and neither one could think straight. “I’d like to get to know you better. I know you’re leaving in a few days, but I don’t want you to leave thinking I’m that kind of guy.”
“And you want to see if I’m that kind of woman.”
“I deserve that, I suppose.” Knowing he’d insulted her didn’t make her verbal slap sting any less. “I know you felt it, too. Last night was more than sex. Maybe we won’t be anything more, but last night wasn’t like any one-night stand I’ve ever had. I have no idea what else we could be to each other, but maybe if we spend some time together—not having sex—we can figure it out.”
Her gaze dropped to where her hands twisted the plastic bottle around and around.
“If you don’t want to, just say
“I have to work later.”
“I won’t stay long. Just a few minutes.”
She looked everywhere but at him, and he began to think he’d felt something she hadn’t. He straightened, intending to leave her alone like she clearly wanted him to do.
“Okay. For a few minutes.”
At the sound of her voice, he jerked his gaze up to hers. Her face was a blank mask he couldn’t read. Did she really want him to come inside? Fuck, he didn’t care. He was so fucking happy to be invited in.
She stepped back, allowing him room in the tiny entry. He pulled the door closed behind him. Her arms remained crossed over her midsection. The thought of her feeling the need to protect herself from him shot a spear through his heart.
“Nice place.”
“You haven’t seen it,” she said. “But thank you. It’s home.”
“You live in this year-round?” He looked around, taking in the kitchen/eating area just behind the driver’s seat. Beyond, the place seemed wider.
“Yes.” She extended her arm. “Go ahead. Take a look.” She followed him into the living area that was, indeed, wider.
“Huh. I didn’t notice the…what do you call it?”
“A pop-out.”
Even with the extra room, he felt as if he’d been stuffed in a can. “Nice.”
“Have a seat. Would you like something to drink?” A half step put her in front of the dorm room sized refrigerator.
“Water?”
She pulled two bottles out, handing him one as she eased past his legs to sit opposite him. After taking a long drink, he capped the bottle and set it aside. He leaned forward, his elbows on his thighs, his hands clasped between them. Now that he was here, he didn’t have a clue what to do or say.
Shannon lifted her water bottle to her lips. His brain, stuck in sex-with-this-woman mode, conjured an image of those very same lips wrapped around his dick. Said appendage reacted in the predictable way, making him even more uncomfortable. He forced his gaze down, but the sight of her neck conjured another image no less unsettling. Realizing there wasn’t a square inch of her body he could look at and not think carnal thoughts, he closed his eyes.
The ball was in his court. He’d come to see her, not the other way around. “This is awkward.”
“Just a little. I thought we were done.” She capped her water, the plastic making crinkling sounds in her hand. “You don’t have to pretend last night was anything more than it was.”
He jerked his gaze up. “I’m not pretending.” He sucked in a short breath and let it out. “I didn’t come here for sex. I’m all out of condoms, remember?”
Her face turned red. Yeah, she remembered.
“Last night was…incredible. Different. I’m usually a once is enough kind of guy, but…well, you know. I get it. You don’t stay in one place for long, and I’m a stay put kind of guy, but I was wondering…. I thought….” He raked his fingers through his hair. “Hell, do you want to spend the day with me? I mean, until you have to go to work? We could go to the beach. Have something to eat, walk a little.”
She stared at him as if he’d grown two heads, and he felt as if he had, and neither one could think straight. “I’d like to get to know you better. I know you’re leaving in a few days, but I don’t want you to leave thinking I’m that kind of guy.”
“And you want to see if I’m that kind of woman.”
“I deserve that, I suppose.” Knowing he’d insulted her didn’t make her verbal slap sting any less. “I know you felt it, too. Last night was more than sex. Maybe we won’t be anything more, but last night wasn’t like any one-night stand I’ve ever had. I have no idea what else we could be to each other, but maybe if we spend some time together—not having sex—we can figure it out.”
Her gaze dropped to where her hands twisted the plastic bottle around and around.
“If you don’t want to, just say
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