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He fought the smile that tugged at his own lips and nodded instead. “Next time?”
Her cheeks flushed red and he couldn’t stop his smile as he walked past her to get to the bathroom. Fuck, he might actually like her.
* * *
Saturday was laundry day.Lacy didn’t see Jonah again that morning. Drinking her second cup of coffee, she waited until she heard the shower go off and the click of his bedroom door before she took a quick shower and changed into a pair of jeans and a soft blue long sleeve shirt for the day. She pulled her hair up into a bun and decided just to ignore the elephant in his room.
Fortunately, their apartment had a washer and dryer. A very small washer and dryer, but it worked. As her clothes washed, she pulled up Netflix on the TV and scrolled toTo All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. She now had three movies to watch since the sequel and the final movie were out. She let out a happy sigh. Perfect Saturday afternoon.
By midafternoon, she’d just finished the second movie as she heard Jonah’s door open. A wave of his ocean scent hit her as he walked past the couch. It smelled like someone had poured sunshine in a bottle and applied it liberally. Not obnoxiously, just soft and inviting. She tried to ignore him as he went into the kitchen and grabbed a drink from the fridge. But then she figured she should at least offer to make things work.
“I go grocery shopping tomorrow. If you want me to pick anything up for you, just add it to the list.” She didn’t turn to see if he did it or not. He probably wouldn’t even answer her. But she would be polite. She grabbed her phone to check for messages.
“Going out tonight?” he said from behind her.
She set her phone on her lap and stared straight ahead. It sounded like a question, but it had been a long time since anyone had asked her that. Certainly, he wasn’t asking her to go out with him? Her chest squeezed at the thought. Right?
“Is that a question or a statement?”
“It’s Saturday. Don’t you go out?” The low growl that undercut his words sent a shiver down her spine like he was the big bad wolf and she was little red riding hood. That was one fantasy she’d never considered. She might keep it in mind for the next time they needed a perfume ad idea for a client. At least then she’d have something more than cute to contribute.
“Not particularly.” She got up and pulled her last load from the dryer.
“Boyfriend?”
“What?” She lifted her gaze to his. He leaned against the counter in the kitchen like he had nothing better to do in his black button-down shirt and low-slung jeans. He wore work-style black leather boots that could kick serious butt if he wanted. The guy was hot. When she dragged her gaze back up to his face, it was blank.
“Never mind.” He walked into the bathroom. “What the fuck?!”
He came out with one of her pink bras dangling from his finger. “What is this?”
“It’s called a bra.” She jumped up and snatched it from his finger. Her face flushed with heat. She took it in the bathroom to hang it back up to dry with the others on the shower curtain bar.
“Why?” He followed her. Standing in the doorway, he grabbed the upper trim and almost leaned into the bathroom.
“Typically they are used to hold up breasts.” She did not want to have this conversation. If he’d been a woman, they wouldn’t have this conversation. But her brothers were just like that. They hated anything girly hanging around the bathroom at home.
He growled as if her answer wasn’t good enough. He growled? Who growls?
She swung around to face him, knowing her cheeks were almost as pink as the bra at this point. “If you are referring to what they are doing currently? They are drying. When things are wet, you hang them to dry so they won’t be wet when you wear them next.”
His blue eyes held hers, entranced, like staring at the ocean during a storm as wave after wave crashed in. Each one threatening to pull you under. Hypnotic. A shiver coursed down her spine.
“Why don’t you hang them in your room?”
“It’d damage the floors.” She gestured to the bathroom floor, pointing like he was an idiot. “Tile.” Then she pointed to the doorway. “Wood. Water bad.”
He didn’t release her from the bathroom or his gaze. She crossed her arms over her chest and straightened. If he was trying to intimidate her, it wouldn’t work. She had three older brothers. Sweet would only get her so far with them. Sometimes she just had to be plain ornery.
His eyes softened a little before he smacked the trim and began to retreat. She took the out as soon as it was available.
“How long?” he said, right as she ducked under his arm.
She paused, feeling the heat of his body. “Sometimes overnight, but usually before bed.”
“Fine.”
She smiled up at him and practically skipped into the living room away from him. Score one for Hatcher. Welcome to girl world, Sinclair.
