Page 30 of Heat Advisory

“It’s okay,” I told her, brushing it off as no big deal. “They were old shoes anyway.”

After she finished laughing, Morgan paused as her voice turned more poetic. “So you and my brother, huh? I can’t believe it’s finally happening. My dream come true for you to be my real sister.”

“Morgan, it’s two dates, and neither of them really counts.”

I knew I was playing it down out of self-preservation. Her brother had been the main character in many of my X-rated dreams, but that also meant it would break my heart if I had a chance at something with him and then lost it.

“He’s always had a thing for you, Cora, and I know you liked him too,” Morgan said. “Fate just took you in different directions for a while. I’m just happy it’s working out now. It also makes sense now why he kept asking me a bunch of questions about you last year.”

What did she just say?

“What do you mean?” I asked, trying to play my question off casually.

“He mentioned he was ready to move on from Colorado and move closer to home,” Morgan explained. “He started to ask where you lived and if you liked it here. I thought it was just because he liked Reno and wanted to know your thoughts. But now that I look back on it, I think he moved here specifically because you did.”

“No, he moved here for the job, remember?” I told her, trying to downplay that possibility.

“Cora, he moved to Reno without having a job yet,” she told me, and I felt my heart flutter. “I specifically remember him telling me, ‘Sis, it’s damn time I made the move I should have years ago.’ At the time, I assumed he meant move, as in move across the country to be closer to home, but now I think he meant make a move to you.”

A rush of feelings washed through me at her comment. Giddy disbelief, nervous excitement, and warmth filled my chest at her revelation.

I spent the rest of the night thinking—and overthinking—about that bombshell Morgan had dropped on me.

The next day, when Jay texted to tell me he was feeling slightly better but how sorry he was and to please give him another chance Saturday night, I responded yes with a huge smile on my face.

He felt back to normal Friday when he worked his next shift and texted me all the details about making a reservation at a nice place for Saturday night and to dress up.

I fucked up the first two dates, I’m going big for the third, he had texted, and I’d remembered why I’d fallen for him back in high school.

He wasn’t kidding. He’d made us reservations at Hormack’s Steakhouse, one of the nicest restaurants in town.

I may have mildly freaked out when he told me because this stepped up the significance of the date and also meant I had to step up my wardrobe.

I was very much a pear-shaped body and was not very gifted up top, but the bottom half of me I could rock like a champ. I had a killer booty, and—thanks to being on the taller side—fantastic long legs.

I’d had this body shape my whole life and knew how to dress to flaunt my best parts. I had on a pair of high-waisted pale blue pants with a drapey V-neck navy blue sleeveless top. I also put on my slightly padded bra to give my girls a little boost.

I was wearing my hair down tonight, the way Jay liked it—or at least the way he used to. I’d also added a little bit of mousse to the ends of my hair to give my curls some volume and bounce.

The knock at my door made my heart tick up. I felt more nervous tonight than I had before the other dates. I knew they hadn’t ended well, but at the beginning of each of them they all held the same amount of hope, so it seemed odd to me that I felt more anxious about this one.

Looking through the peep-hole in my door, I saw he was wearing a tan and white linen button-down shirt with gray dress pants and a black belt. He looked delicious.

“Hey, come on in,” I told him as I opened the door. “I just have to get Frizzle some water, and then we can head out.”

I turned to head into the kitchen to refill her bowl and then made my way back out. He was still rooted in the same place I’d left him, just inside the doorway, though now it was closed.

“You look amazing,” he said, causing my gaze to meet his, and it was then I saw the heat in them. Raw, unabashed, lustful heat filled his eyes as he scanned me up and down.

Score one point for my awesome outfit!

“I love your hair like that.”

Oh my gosh!

I was so glad I remembered and had chosen to wear my hair down tonight.

The walk from my apartment to his truck felt shorter than it should have, like my nerves were skipping full speed ahead. He opened my door for me, his hand brushing my lower back just briefly enough to make my breath hitch.