Page 78 of Watching Her

Another doorbell. “What is this? Grand central station week?”

“Hey, I’m your bestie. Maybe it’s Mystery Man coming to sweep you off your feet.” She’d dipped her voice into a low range, fanning her face as if she was funny. The brat.

“I’ll be right back. Maybe I’ve won the lottery.” I could certainly use it at this point. When I opened the door, this time I did so with more apprehension. Why? Because of Marlee’s warning. What if the jerk managed to find me? Of course anyone could be a keyboard warrior, pretending they would do something they’d never consider doing in real life, but the idea continued festering in my mind.

At least the man standing in a courier uniform seemed pleasant enough. “Can I help you?”

“Ms. Michaels?”

Before answering, I glanced around his arm to see an emblem of his service on the side of his vehicle. “Yes.”

“This is for you.”

When he handed me a note sealed in an envelope along with a single rose, my favorite type of flower, I wasn’t entirely certain what to feel. “Can you tell me who this is from?”

“My instructions were to deliver. I don’t know the sender.”

“Okay. Let me get you a tip.” Should I be nervous or excited?

His smile was wide. “No need. Already taken care of.”

He backed away, waving as he did while I was stuck in slow motion, only closing the door after he’d driven off. I pulled the rose to my nose, breathing in the sweet fragrance. A twinge of excitement drifted through me.

What if the note was from him? Why was it that I found it difficult to even breathe his name when I’d had no trouble uttering it along with several other salacious comments during our wild moments of passion?

The time spent had offered a beautiful and lasting memory, which had lulled me to sleep every night. I could almost hear his voice and his scent had lingered all through Sunday. I was missing it, which was crazy in of itself.

I walked back into my officer, fingering the flap.

“Wow. A rose. Is it from the mystery man?”

As I shrugged, another series of sensations crawled down my back. I envisioned something horrible printed on the card and half expected there to be poisonous thorns on the stem. All from the alpha boy.

“I don’t know.”

I continued rubbing my finger across the flap before I turned it over. It wasn’t block lettering like the note in the bar, calligraphy instead, but the paper used for the note was exactly the same. Several fluttering tickles skipped down my arms.

“What’s wrong?”

“How does he know my address?” I slipped my nail under the flap, opening it and still feeling extremely nervous in pulling the card into my hand.

“Who? Christian?”

Nodding absently, I read the card.

Would you honor me with your presence this evening, sweet Penelope?

I have a special event in mind. I’ll send a car at six.

I very much look forward to seeing you again.

Wear something comfortable but elegant.

C.T.

A little thrill tore through me.

“Come on. Don’t leave a girl in such suspense.” When I kept my eyes pinned on the request, she snatched it from my hand. “Wow. He knows how to keep the mystery going.”