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Those blue, blue eyes sharpen; the humor in them taken over by something else.
“Somebody else’s girlfriend then,” he says. Cat butts at his chin, clearly wanting the man’s attention. Finn reaches up to pet him, scratching under his chin, his gaze never leaving me for a second.
“No.”
“Married?”
Surely, he’s not serious. I laugh. “No.”
His gaze turns speculative, and he looks me up and down. Then again, a second time, more slowly. It’s palpable as a touch, and by the time his eyes meet mine again, I’ve forgotten why I’m here, what I’m doing, and why on earth I’ve been avoiding men. Well, men besides Nic, but he doesn’t count because he’s my boss, and for God’s sake, why am I thinking about Nic now?
“That shouldn’t make you laugh,” he says after a silence that stretches too long to be comfortable. “Any man would be lucky to have you.”
“Um.” There I go, being brilliant again. I take a deep breath and try to get my brain back because I have one, and it’s time to start using it. I’m a woman alone in a strange apartment, and there’s a stranger within assaulting distance. Not that I’m getting any attack vibes from this guy. He’s clearly never had to do more than smile at a woman to get what he wants.
But there are only a couple feet maybe between the rail of my balcony—Nic’s—and Finn’s, and while my instincts are to trust this guy, I had also trusted my ex enough to sleep with him, and look how that turned out.
“Thank you,” I say as my brain comes back online. “I appreciate the compliment. Can I have Cat, please? I’m supposed to feed him.”
Finn passes Cat carefully, leaning over the rail to make sure I have him. He stands, taking a step back like he, too, is suddenly conscious of our being alone up here.
“I’m glad somebody’s helping look out for him,” says Finn. “It’s not good for pets to be alone.”
I slide open the balcony door, and Cat jumps inside, heading straight to his food dish. “You sound like you mean that.”
Finn smiles, but it’s softer this time. “My sister runs a kennel just outside the city. You might say I have some experience with animals.”
“Dog person or cat person?” I ask.
“Why not both?”
I can’t stop the smile this time. “Good answer.”
His lips part. He sets his hands on the rail between us. “What’s your name?”
“I’m Natalie.”
“Natalie,” he says. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Can I take you out to dinner?”
“Not tonight,” I say. I meant to explain that I have plans to meet my friend at the gym, but I get distracted by his big hands gripping the rail and wondering what causes his palms to feel so rough or the calluses I felt when shaking his hand.
Finn’s smile flashes again. “Another day, then. You name it.”
“Sunday.”
“It’s a date. Let me give you my number.” He taps it into my cell phone, squeezing my fingers gently as he hands it back over the railing. “Until then, Natalie.”
I let myself back into Nic’s apartment with shaking hands.
A new wardrobe, a date with a handsome man. Today is going down as one for the record books.
5
FINN
It feels like ages since I was here last. I spy West’s car parked at the house, as well as a smaller sedan I suspect belongs to Raleigh. Of course, they’re all home; they wouldn’t leave Callie alone, not today.
I shut off the engine and stare at the house until my fingers shake from the cold. Time to get this over with.
