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I swallowed hard. “I’ll be pretty tired. From, um, work. How about Saturday?”
“Sure, that’s fine, too. I’ll call Kate and Emma and see if they’re free.” She looked at Michael quizzically, as if trying to figure out why he was still standing there. “Are you going to put that in the freezer or what? I don’t want it to get all gross.”
“I’m sawing down your tree. Why don’tyougo put it in the freezer?”
“I’m talking to Nora. It would be rude.”
“Fine,” he said between clenched teeth.
He strode into the house. I watched him go longingly. He had such a nice ass, showed off to perfection by his jeans.
Suzie rolled her eyes. “Brothers. Honestly.”
My laugh ended on a sigh. “I should go. I have my own lasagna waiting for me.”
“Okay.” Suzie grinned. “See you in two days.”
“Two days.” I grinned back.
I felt a lot more cheerful all of a sudden. Because I had lasagna and wine waiting for me at home, and because in two days, I would see my best friends.
But mostly because tomorrow I would see Michael.
Chapter 18
Michael
Fifteenminutes.
In fifteen minutes, Nora was going to walk through that door and I was going to put her in bed and keep her there for an entire weekend. More or less. She still seemed set on girls’ night, and as much as I wanted every second of her time until I left for New Hampshire, I also didn’t want to be one of those assholes who never let their girlfriend out of their sight. Anyway, after dinner and drinks, she would come right back here to me, so I couldn’t complain.
I paced from the kitchen to the couch and back again. Since my studio was a six hundred square foot box, that didn’t kill much time. It also didn’t settle the achy, roiling feeling of need in my stomach.
Fourteen minutes. If she hit only green lights, it would be more like eleven. The thought sent a lightning strike of eagerness through me that had me bouncing on my toes like a fucking dork.
I went to the window that faced the street and looked out. No sign of her red SUV. Of course there wasn’t. She’d texted when she left her house and the only way she could be here already was if she’d broken not only the speed limit but the laws of physics as well.
I gave a derisive snort at my own behavior and stepped back. No, I wasn’t going to stand here with my nose pressed against the glass like a kid waiting for Santa Claus. I was going to be an adult. Do something productive. And when she finally got here, I wasn’t going to pounce on her like some sex-starved teenager. I was better than that. I was a goddamned adult and would offer her a drink first. Maybe even something to eat.
Hopefully she would say no. But still, I would offer.
Having nothing better to do, I grabbed the broom and halfheartedly moved it around the floor. I wasn’t here enough to track in a lot of dirt, but I managed to make a dust pile the size of a quarter. When I couldn’t locate the dustpan, I swept it under the welcome mat.
The rumble of a motor cut through the quiet and I froze, listening. When it faded into the distance I let out a long, slow breath. It wasn’t her. I needed to get myself under control. I needed—
Another motor, this time followed by silence and then the slam of a car door. I couldn’t breathe. I stood there, completely still, every muscle tense and straining as I listened. And then, hallelujah, I heard her in the stairwell. She was moving fast, her footsteps making the slightly heavier thump of a person skipping every other stair.
I yanked the door open before she had a chance to knock and there she was. Cheeks pink, eyes bright, her hair swirling around her shoulders. For a moment neither of us moved as we gazed hungrily at each other.
“Hey, you,” she said breathlessly.
Fuck my good intentions. Fuck the drink. Fuck the food. I needed to fuckher.
Two strides and our bodies collided. I was done. Done with being apart from her, done with waiting. I grabbed a fistful of her silky hair, tilted her head back, and folded my body nearly in half to reach her mouth. Her lips parted and when her tongue tasted mine I went nearly dizzy with want.
I couldn’t get enough of her and she kissed me like the feeling was mutual. Her fingers dug eagerly into my shoulders as I kissed her with all the pent-up need that had accumulated over the week without her.
I maneuvered us to the bed and dropped us onto it. As we landed in a mess of tangled limbs, she laughed—a sound of pure happiness. God, I loved that. I loved that she was passionate and silly in equal measures. If someone had asked me three months ago what turned me on most in bed, I probably wouldn’t have said a woman laughing, but here I was.
