Turner would know where I lived. I’m sure he wouldn’t just show up uninvited, but it still was an uncomfortable feeling.
“Go past the hospital and take your first right.”
The girls in the back were all giggling and talking about their night. I was glad they all had a good time, but I knew come morning, I’d be passing out aspirin like it was candy and bottles of water. One of the many reasons I didn’t care to go out and party. Clearly my buzz was gone.
I’d given Turner a couple more instructions before he pulled up in front of my house. He parked the SUV, and got out. I went ahead of him and unlocked the door, turning on all the lights and doing a quick check to make sure that everything was picked up. I was a fairly tidy person, but you never knew if I’d dropped a pair of underwear walking from the laundry room to the bedroom. As the girls all filed in, Turner came in last, escorting Keegan and sitting her down on the couch.
“You might want to make sure they drink plenty of fluids tonight so they feel halfway decent in the morning.”
“They’ll be taken care of.” I followed him back toward the door. The sooner he got out of my house, the sooner I could put my pajamas on and get out of this ridiculous dress I should have never worn. Plus he was making me nervous. Turner stopped just shy of the door and turned around, scanning my home.
“Nice place. How many acres is it?”
I tugged the hem of my dress, not hiding my unease. “Ummm, 4 acres.”
The corner of his mouth raised in a beautiful smirk. “Damn, the hospital must be paying the nurses well.”
“Oh.” I shifted. “This was actually my parents place. I inherited it after they passed. I wanted to live more in the city a couple years ago, but the house was paid off so I figured I’d stay.”
Way more information than he was asking for. When I saw the inquisition on his face, I knew the correct response should have been, “mhmm” and shoved him out the door. Clearly, I was a dumbass.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know you’d lost both your parents.” He look genuinely sorry. But now wasn’t the time or the place.
“Thanks.” I was more snippy than I should have been but I was hoping he’d get the hint.
He did. “Bye, ladies. Have a good night,” Turner called over my shoulder.
I walked him the rest of the way out the door. I expected him to keep going ‘til he got to his Escalade, but for whatever reason he paused.
“Annabelle?”
I stood there waiting for him to say more.
“I apologize for my rude comment tonight. Call it foot in mouth disease.” He tried to laugh it off. “But you’re nothing like those girls back at that bar. I said the words before even realizing how they may have come across and that’s not what I meant at all.”
I crossed my arms over my chest protectively. “Then what did you mean?”
He looked down at his feet. Was I making him nervous? I bet he wasn’t grilled by many women. “It was just me being overconfident is all. Truly, I didn’t mean anything by it.”
I squinted my eyes at him, not sure how to respond. He was being sincere, but I didn’t really want to let him off that easy. I was having a good time. I’d allowed myself to relax a little, I’d let my guard down and accepted a drink from a man I hardly knew. That was so out of character. How quickly I let him have that little bit, and he had to blow it by saying something stupid. But I wasn’t going to make him suffer any longer. I understood what he was saying, and I just wanted him to go.
“Apology accepted.”
For what seemed like the millionth time tonight, Turner did something unexpected. He came towards me, pulled one of my hands away from my body, and lifted it to his lips. It was as soft as a brush of air, but I felt the warmth of the kiss all the way to my toes. No doubt my cheeks were red.
When he release my hand, he seared me with his blue eyes. “Goodnight, Annabelle.”
I swallowed, hard.
“Go past the hospital and take your first right.”
The girls in the back were all giggling and talking about their night. I was glad they all had a good time, but I knew come morning, I’d be passing out aspirin like it was candy and bottles of water. One of the many reasons I didn’t care to go out and party. Clearly my buzz was gone.
I’d given Turner a couple more instructions before he pulled up in front of my house. He parked the SUV, and got out. I went ahead of him and unlocked the door, turning on all the lights and doing a quick check to make sure that everything was picked up. I was a fairly tidy person, but you never knew if I’d dropped a pair of underwear walking from the laundry room to the bedroom. As the girls all filed in, Turner came in last, escorting Keegan and sitting her down on the couch.
“You might want to make sure they drink plenty of fluids tonight so they feel halfway decent in the morning.”
“They’ll be taken care of.” I followed him back toward the door. The sooner he got out of my house, the sooner I could put my pajamas on and get out of this ridiculous dress I should have never worn. Plus he was making me nervous. Turner stopped just shy of the door and turned around, scanning my home.
“Nice place. How many acres is it?”
I tugged the hem of my dress, not hiding my unease. “Ummm, 4 acres.”
The corner of his mouth raised in a beautiful smirk. “Damn, the hospital must be paying the nurses well.”
“Oh.” I shifted. “This was actually my parents place. I inherited it after they passed. I wanted to live more in the city a couple years ago, but the house was paid off so I figured I’d stay.”
Way more information than he was asking for. When I saw the inquisition on his face, I knew the correct response should have been, “mhmm” and shoved him out the door. Clearly, I was a dumbass.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know you’d lost both your parents.” He look genuinely sorry. But now wasn’t the time or the place.
“Thanks.” I was more snippy than I should have been but I was hoping he’d get the hint.
He did. “Bye, ladies. Have a good night,” Turner called over my shoulder.
I walked him the rest of the way out the door. I expected him to keep going ‘til he got to his Escalade, but for whatever reason he paused.
“Annabelle?”
I stood there waiting for him to say more.
“I apologize for my rude comment tonight. Call it foot in mouth disease.” He tried to laugh it off. “But you’re nothing like those girls back at that bar. I said the words before even realizing how they may have come across and that’s not what I meant at all.”
I crossed my arms over my chest protectively. “Then what did you mean?”
He looked down at his feet. Was I making him nervous? I bet he wasn’t grilled by many women. “It was just me being overconfident is all. Truly, I didn’t mean anything by it.”
I squinted my eyes at him, not sure how to respond. He was being sincere, but I didn’t really want to let him off that easy. I was having a good time. I’d allowed myself to relax a little, I’d let my guard down and accepted a drink from a man I hardly knew. That was so out of character. How quickly I let him have that little bit, and he had to blow it by saying something stupid. But I wasn’t going to make him suffer any longer. I understood what he was saying, and I just wanted him to go.
“Apology accepted.”
For what seemed like the millionth time tonight, Turner did something unexpected. He came towards me, pulled one of my hands away from my body, and lifted it to his lips. It was as soft as a brush of air, but I felt the warmth of the kiss all the way to my toes. No doubt my cheeks were red.
When he release my hand, he seared me with his blue eyes. “Goodnight, Annabelle.”
I swallowed, hard.
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