Satisfied with her plan, she grabbed the MacGregor case file and locked up the office for the evening. She slipped into her compact car and, after stopping at Vince’s deli for a quick take-out meal, headed to Cole’s. A half hour later, she knocked on his door and waited anxiously for him to answer.
The door swung open abruptly, and she was completely unprepared for the gorgeous, breathtaking sight that greeted her—a shirtless Cole wearing a pair of faded jeans slung low on his narrow hips with the top button unfastened, as if she’d caught him right in the middle of undressing.
Oh, wow. She’d always known he had a wide, solid chest, but seeing it naked was a treat. So she allowed herself a few moments to enjoy the view. His upper body was toned with muscle, as was his lean belly. Fascinated by the soft, silky hair bisecting his abdomen and swirling around his navel, she followed the intriguing path lower, until it disappeared into the waistband of his jeans. Her mouth went dry as her gaze settled on the impressive bulge straining the fly of his pants, and her stomach fluttered with sheer excitement and awe. The man was so incredibly male—every part of him.
“Mel? What are you doing here?”
She jumped at his brusque tone and immediately lifted her gaze back to his face. He was scowling at her, and judging by the annoyance flashing in his eyes, he’d been expecting Noah, and he wasn’t at all happy that she’d filled in for his brother.
And then the awful, deflating possibility crossed her mind that he might have female company waiting inside for him. She forced herself to ask, “Um, did I catch you at a bad time?”
He crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head. “No, I was just on my way out to sit
in the hot tub for a little bit.”
“Alone?” she ventured to ask.
He raised a brow at her personal question and very hesitantly answered, “Yes, alone.”
Relieved, she flashed him a bright smile. “Well, good, because I only brought dinner for two. Me and you.” Without waiting for an invitation to enter his house, which she was certain was not forthcoming, she slipped past him and headed toward the kitchen, take-out bag in hand.
“Dinner?” he echoed from behind her, confusion deepening his voice.
“I thought you might be hungry, so I stopped by Vince’s on the way over and picked up a quart of potato salad and your favorite sandwich—a hot pastrami.” She cast a glance over her shoulder and caught him looking at either her swaying hips or her ass outlined in soft suede. “And for me, ham and cheese on sourdough.”
He dragged his searing, blue-eyed gaze back up, his expression both tormented and troubled, which pleased her immensely. “Mel…”
Hearing the distinct warning in his tone that had the potential to lead to a speech about all the reasons why she shouldn’t be there, or worse, another rejection, she turned around and graced him with a sweet smile and her familiar efficient manner. “Oh, and by the way, here’s the MacGregor file that you wanted.” She presented him with the client information, disappointed to see that he’d refastened his jeans on the short walk to the kitchen. At least his naked chest was still all hers to admire.
Tentatively, he reached out and took the file, careful not to let their fingers touch. “Why didn’t Noah deliver it like I asked him to?”
She set the bag of food on the dinette table and hooked her purse over the back of a chair. “Because he seemed to have better things to do and was anxious to be on his way.”
“So he sent you?” he asked in a way that insinuated that Noah had dumped the request off on her in order to get a head start on his own evening plans.
“No, Noah didn’t send me,” she clarified, not wanting Noah to catch any flak for something that had been her idea. “I offered and he accepted. I told him it wasn’t a problem, since I’ve dropped things off for you before. And it isn’t a problem,” she assured him, then tilted her head speculatively and added, “or is it?”
Her question was direct and meaningful, one she instinctively knew he wouldn’t back down from answering. Knowing Cole, there was no way he’d outwardly admit that he couldn’t handle the attraction between them. And it was that bit of pride and masculine ego that she was counting on to work in her favor.
He didn’t disappoint her. “No, of course, it isn’t a problem,” he said gruffly. Tossing the file onto the kitchen counter, he speared his fingers through his thick hair and exhaled a long, slow breath as his gaze once again met hers. “Thank you…for delivering the file, and for dinner.”
Satisfaction curled through her and she bit back a smile. “You’re very welcome. For both. Do you mind if I join you?”
He kept his distance and eyed her warily, studying her, giving her the impression he was thinking of last night and wondering what trick she might have up her sleeve to seduce him this time around. There was absolutely nothing tucked up her sleeve, but the erotic letters in her purse were another matter altogether.
When he continued to look at her as if he didn’t completely trust her motives, she tried to lighten the moment. “Despite the leopard tank top I’m wearing, I promise I won’t bite.”
“The thought never crossed my mind,” he said too quickly.
She almost laughed, knowing he lied. But she wasn’t about to contradict him and jeopardize the precious leeway she’d made with him so far. “Then you don’t mind if I stay for dinner?”
“Suit yourself,” he said with a casual shrug, then headed into the service part of the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. “What would you like to drink?”
Tearing her gaze from the smooth muscles flexing across Cole’s back as he moved, she opened the paper bag from the deli and withdrew their sandwiches and a tub of potato salad. “I’ll take any kind of soft drink you’ve got.”
He returned with a cola for her, a beer for himself, and two paper plates.
“Ahh, paper plates. A sign of a true bachelor,” she said with an indulgent grin as she set his pastrami sandwich on his plate and gave him a big scoop of the potato salad.