“How am I looking at you?” I asked, feigning innocence, as I trailed my fingertips over my breasts.
“You’re killing me.”
“I am the wisest woman in the world, according to you.” I wanted Grant to stay, but at the same time I wasn’t sure how smart that was. He looked torn, but I could see he was determined to leave despite how amazing more sex might be. I was not about to be that girl who talked a guy into sticking around. More would be better, but honestly, I had gotten more than I had expected out of the day and I was thrilled with that.
Again, aside from the sprained ankle, that is.
“You are the wisest woman in the world. You let me upstairs, didn’t you?” He gave me another grin and tucked his shirt into his dress pants and yanked his jacket off the doorknob. He put it on with a practiced movement. “And I’m sorry about your ankle.”
“It will heal.” I rolled onto my side and studied him. “Don’t forget your tie.”
He bent over and then held it up. “Got it.”
Grant turned toward me. His gaze swept over the length of my body and his nostrils flared a little. Then he seemed to steel himself to leave. He gave a groan and pushed back from the bed.
Then he said, “Put more ice on that ankle,” before giving me a quick kiss.
As he crowded my space just briefly for that last press of his lips on mine, I was thinking I would probably never see Grant again.
Which was a shame. He really was an intriguing guy. And sexy. And hot.
I sighed, mostly with contentment as Grant went down the hall. I gave him a “Bye, Grant!” in my diner voice.
He gave a laugh, then I heard him close my front door behind him.
As I rolled over to grab a sip of water, I spotted my poodle skirt on the floor. I’d seen him stuff the hundred bucks back in the pocket and I realized I’d never managed to give it back.
He was definitely a man who got what he wanted.
My phone buzzed on my dresser. It was my friend, Dakota, who had been one of my first roommates when I moved to the city. “Hey,” I said, as I sat up and answered. It didn’t feel weird to be talking to her naked because she couldn’t see me, but also, we’d been in a hell of a lot of dressing rooms together over the years.
“What’s up?” She was chewing something in my ear that had a hell of a crunch to it. “Want to grab drinks tonight? I have like three free hours and I need to use them wisely.”
“I sprained my ankle so I can’t really go very far.”
“Wait, yeah, why aren’t you at work?”
“Because I sprained my ankle when I got tapped by a cab.”
“You got tapped by a cab driver?” She sounded gleefully scandalized.
“No!” I set my phone down on the dresser and hit speaker. Then, gingerly easing myself onto the floor, I dug in a drawer for some shorts and a T-shirt. “This rich guy who comes into the diner every week. He gave me a ride home from work after I got hit by a cab and well, you know. Sex happened.”
“That is a lot of blocks. Dude deserved a thank-you.”
I laughed. “I’ve had a crush on him for six months. This was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.”
“Understood. Are you capable of hobbling to the nearest bar by your apartment? I can be there around seven.”
“I can manage that. I’m going to elevate it now.” I pulled on my clothes and gingerly walked down the hall to lock my apartment door. I had a fear about being attacked in my own apartment like in a home invasion movie.
“Cool. See you later and you can tell me all about the rich guy.”
“His name is Grant,” I said as I walked back to my room. Then I cursed myself because I could hear it in my voice. I sounded a little too eager.
Like… I liked him.
Dakota heard it too. “Ooh la la, Leah has a boyfriend.”