come over this
weekend.”
His words exposed his desire to reconnect and fought
against the sound reasons she’d compiled to keep her distance. Her traitorous
body joined forces with him and responded to his alluring touch. Her nipples
tightened. Her skin tingled. She wanted nothing more than to stay exactly where
she was for as long as she could. “Garrett, I’m sure your new girlfriend
wouldn’t like you standing here with your arms around me.”
He chuckled, “I don’t think she’ll mind, seeing as I’m
holding her.”
Brooke blinked and curled her fingers into his T-shirt,
clutching the fabric to keep herself upright. Air fled from her lungs. She
gasped, “Garrett, you don’t even know me anymore. We haven’t seen each other for
over a year.”
“That means nothing. You were in my art class in high
school. You sat right next to me and help me finish that awful clay vase so I
wouldn’t flunk the course.” He rubbed his hands over her back. The soothing
touch didn’t exactly cool the need raging inside her. Instead, it incited ideas
of how great it would feel to have her shirt off and have his hand against her
naked skin.
“Yes, and you thought I was a real pain in the ass.”
She released her hold on his shirt and worked her hands up between them. “You
told me so multiple times.”
“Yes, well, I was a cocky S.O.B.” He tilted his head
to the right and gave her a shit-eating grin, “But that also proves I know you.
Everyone else thinks you’re a sweet, young thing without a care in the world. I
know better.”
“Watch it. You’re not winning points here.” She rested
her hands on his chest. Pictures of spending time at his and Janet’s apartment
flashed through her head. The three of them had discussed many times what they
wanted to do with their life. He respected her dreams of getting an education
and becoming a teacher.
“I don’t need points because I know where the bodies
are buried.” He leaned closer and whispered, “By the way, you’re looking very
sexy.”
She ignored the compliment and pretended to be angry. “Very
funny, the weight I lost might be enough for another person, but I guarantee no
one will ever go looking for it, especially not me.”
“Yes, well, I think we both can say we’ve lost some
dead weight. Yours was from sweat and exercise, mine with a divorce.” He
shifted his hold and clamped his hands around her wrists. “Now, what time are you
coming over?”
Amused by his stubborn persistent, Brooke stared into
his velvety brown eyes and melted. “Okay, on one condition.”
Chapter Three
Garrett waited for her to say she needed to talk to
Janet first. His ex-wife didn’t care. She only thought about herself, always
had, always would, but he couldn’t convince Brooke of that fact. She still
believed Janet cared. He knew better. “And that is?”
“That I bring something.” She shifted back and gained
a little distance between them.
“As in food?” He released her hands and glanced around.
Somehow, he’d forgotten where they were. His only thought had been to hold her
close and enjoy the soft caress of her body against his. Now, he realized they
were standing in the middle of a superstore. Luckily, he’d decided not to rush
her and had resisted the urge to kiss her.
“Yes. You said you’d grill steaks, didn’t you?”
His gaze ran over her bobbed, auburn hair and locked
in on her emerald green eyes. He noted the anticipation in their depths and
smiled. “Certainly, we can head to the meat department right now, and you can
pick out the one you want.”
She laughed, the sweet sound playing across his skin
like a lover’s tantalizing touch.
For months, he’d wanted to contact her and suggest they
meet for dinner. Each time, he’d punched in her number, he’d paused. The likelihood
of her hanging up on him had kept him from following through with the call.
After seeing her earlier, he tracked her across the
store. He
weekend.”
His words exposed his desire to reconnect and fought
against the sound reasons she’d compiled to keep her distance. Her traitorous
body joined forces with him and responded to his alluring touch. Her nipples
tightened. Her skin tingled. She wanted nothing more than to stay exactly where
she was for as long as she could. “Garrett, I’m sure your new girlfriend
wouldn’t like you standing here with your arms around me.”
He chuckled, “I don’t think she’ll mind, seeing as I’m
holding her.”
Brooke blinked and curled her fingers into his T-shirt,
clutching the fabric to keep herself upright. Air fled from her lungs. She
gasped, “Garrett, you don’t even know me anymore. We haven’t seen each other for
over a year.”
“That means nothing. You were in my art class in high
school. You sat right next to me and help me finish that awful clay vase so I
wouldn’t flunk the course.” He rubbed his hands over her back. The soothing
touch didn’t exactly cool the need raging inside her. Instead, it incited ideas
of how great it would feel to have her shirt off and have his hand against her
naked skin.
“Yes, and you thought I was a real pain in the ass.”
She released her hold on his shirt and worked her hands up between them. “You
told me so multiple times.”
“Yes, well, I was a cocky S.O.B.” He tilted his head
to the right and gave her a shit-eating grin, “But that also proves I know you.
Everyone else thinks you’re a sweet, young thing without a care in the world. I
know better.”
“Watch it. You’re not winning points here.” She rested
her hands on his chest. Pictures of spending time at his and Janet’s apartment
flashed through her head. The three of them had discussed many times what they
wanted to do with their life. He respected her dreams of getting an education
and becoming a teacher.
“I don’t need points because I know where the bodies
are buried.” He leaned closer and whispered, “By the way, you’re looking very
sexy.”
She ignored the compliment and pretended to be angry. “Very
funny, the weight I lost might be enough for another person, but I guarantee no
one will ever go looking for it, especially not me.”
“Yes, well, I think we both can say we’ve lost some
dead weight. Yours was from sweat and exercise, mine with a divorce.” He
shifted his hold and clamped his hands around her wrists. “Now, what time are you
coming over?”
Amused by his stubborn persistent, Brooke stared into
his velvety brown eyes and melted. “Okay, on one condition.”
Chapter Three
Garrett waited for her to say she needed to talk to
Janet first. His ex-wife didn’t care. She only thought about herself, always
had, always would, but he couldn’t convince Brooke of that fact. She still
believed Janet cared. He knew better. “And that is?”
“That I bring something.” She shifted back and gained
a little distance between them.
“As in food?” He released her hands and glanced around.
Somehow, he’d forgotten where they were. His only thought had been to hold her
close and enjoy the soft caress of her body against his. Now, he realized they
were standing in the middle of a superstore. Luckily, he’d decided not to rush
her and had resisted the urge to kiss her.
“Yes. You said you’d grill steaks, didn’t you?”
His gaze ran over her bobbed, auburn hair and locked
in on her emerald green eyes. He noted the anticipation in their depths and
smiled. “Certainly, we can head to the meat department right now, and you can
pick out the one you want.”
She laughed, the sweet sound playing across his skin
like a lover’s tantalizing touch.
For months, he’d wanted to contact her and suggest they
meet for dinner. Each time, he’d punched in her number, he’d paused. The likelihood
of her hanging up on him had kept him from following through with the call.
After seeing her earlier, he tracked her across the
store. He
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