MoreThanWords by Karla Doyle Page A

to the wall, a
lamppost and what had to be her car. A tiny silver Hyundai. No scratches on the
side that he could see. Guess she knew her way up and down that driveway.
Hopefully she’d know her way up and down his body before he saw this parking
lot again.
    Blood pounded through his veins as he knocked on the door.
Nerves? When was the last time he had those—high school? He’d been in assorted
bands since college, and in assorted women since he’d joined his first band.
The anticipation had adrenaline coursing through his system. Kind of like right
before the stage lights came up. Only better.
    He exhaled slowly, his breath forming a cloud against the
cold. A little opening appeared in the miniblinds on the window. All he could
see were fingertips, but he smiled anyway. Metal clinked and thunked on the
other side of the door. More than one lock—smart. That’s what he wanted, a
woman with a brain to go with her—
    “Beauty.” Standing in front of him, barefoot, a tiny dog
tucked under her arm, Calli might as well have sucker-punched him. For such a
small, innocent-looking woman, she packed a majorly sexy wallop. “I’ve been
thinking about how you looked this afternoon, but I forgot how beautiful you
are.” Thanks to her love of outdoor lighting, the full blush filling every pore
of her face was his to enjoy.
    “Think you have to butter me up to get past my guard dog?”
    The guard dog was doing more shivering than snarling.
“He looks tough, but no.” A minute might have passed, it could’ve been less,
but the arctic wind made it feel like eternity. Calli shifted foot-to-foot, her
eyes roaming from his face to his feet. The dog shook some more—vigorously—and
Travis cupped his nearly numb hands to his face to blow on them. One of them
had to make a move before they all turned into ice sculptures.
    Apparently it was going to be him. “I can go, Calli.”
    Her eyes snapped to his face. “Don’t—oh god, I’m standing
here like a moron while you freeze your ass off. It’s just, um, how did you
know where I live?”
    Hell, first shocking the shit out of her at the store, now
this. Way to come across as a pervy stalker. Amazing she’d even opened the door
for him. “Your sister told me, while we were at the coffee shop.”
    Calli’s eyes widened, not quite as bulging as the
Chihuahua’s, but close. “You asked Caitlyn where I live?”
    “No, nothing like that. Shit, I’m making this worse, aren’t
I?”
    “Well…”
    He had to smile. The way she cocked her head to the side,
the little shrug. Damn, so cute. “She mentioned giving me a tour of the store.
Said that the owner, who was also her sister, lived upstairs. Once I realized
that Caitlyn wasn’t my Scrabble girl, the pieces fit that her sister must be.”
His toes were officially numb, but he deserved it. “I should’ve told you all
this before shutting down my computer and driving over here.” And now, the part
where he behaved like a decent guy, not Travis Graham, womanizing charmer of
panties in three provinces and at least four states. “I’m going to head home.
If you give me your number, we could talk, which I would very much like to do.”
    “I’d rather we, uh…”
    The frigid November night had turned the tip of her nose
red. The pink on her cheeks had nothing to do with the weather. Both were
fucking adorable.
    “Pick up our game online?” He sounded like a desperate man.
Appropriate, because that’s exactly how he felt.
    “No, I want… Ugh, I’m not very experienced at this stuff.”
    “Me either.” He laughed when she raised an eyebrow at him.
“What—it’s true.” And it was—he’d never had to wait in subzero weather for an
invitation from a woman.
    “You’re full of shit, but I’d like you to come in anyway. If
you still want to…Travis.”
    “I want to.” Jumped all over that, hadn’t he? The sound of
his name in her sexy voice, the way she tested it on those pretty lips, heated
the blood now