“You’re welcome,” Colton says behind me. “Goodnight, Hollis.”
“Night,” I reply brightly, barely glancing over my shoulder as I close the mashed potato container.
The moment he heads down the hall, I exhale the breath I was holding. Jeez, Hollis, get yourself together. You can’t act like a crazy, lovesick teenager every time he’s near.
I finish closing the containers and seal the chicken in a baggie. After a quick rinse of the washcloth, I wipe down the messy high chair, grinning at the smears of pureed green beans on the top of the tray, and the bottom. I find the dirty bib and toss it in the washer. Once I clean off the table, I take the soiled washcloth and throw it in the washing machine.
I remember the green food all over both Milo and Colton’s shirts and know it won’t be long before it stains the material. Before I can even give it a second thought, I head through the kitchen and down the short hall.
“Hey, Colton, if you want, I can throw the dirty clothes in the—” I stop dead in my tracks, the words evaporate from my lips.
Colton steps out of Milo’s room, standing directly in front of me, wearing nothing but a pair of basketball shorts. The baby is naked too, wearing only a diaper, but my eyes… oh, my eyes are glued to his chest. His wonderfully magnificent, perfect chest. It’s hard and muscular, with definition that only comes from hard work and labor.
My God, this man is… wow.
“Hollis?”
I blink. And blink again.
Is he speaking?
“What?”
I can’t stop staring at his chest.
“Did you need something?” he asks, the humor very evident in his voice.
When I glance up, I find his eyes dancing with laughter. Suddenly, it hits me. I’m standing in the middle of my landlord’s hallway, ogling his bare chest as if it were my job. Milo slaps me out of it with a hand to his dad’s face.
“Oh, God,” I gasp, my eyes wide with shock. “I’m so sorry!”
“It’s okay.” He takes a step forward, invading my personal space. I can’t think when he stands this close to me. “Hollis, did you need me?”
Yes, yes, I do. So many things I could use you for….
“I’m so sorry just to barge in,” I reply, averting my eyes. “I’ll just…go,” I add, pointing behind me as I backtrack down the hallway. “Bye!” I holler as I turn and practically run back to my place.
The moment I’m on my side of the door, I slam it closed and engage the lock. I’m panting, my mind reeling with embarrassment and disbelief. I can’t believe I just walked into his house like I owned the place and stumbled on him in his… nearly nakedness. Sure, glorious, but inappropriate. I had no business wandering around, even if it was under the guise of helping him.
I close my eyes and try to not picture Colton’s chest, but it doesn’t work. There’s no doubt I’ll be thinking about that marvelous display of man long after I should have fallen asleep.Chapter 5ColtonIt’s been a week. Seven days. One hundred and sixty-eight hours since Hollis moved in. It’s been… that exact amount of time that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about her. It’s wrong, and I know that, but that doesn’t stop my cock from rising to the occasion anytime she’s near. I can still see her eyes and the way they raked over me the night she caught me without a shirt on. I’ve been shirtless in front of women countless amounts of times. Never in my life have I ever felt more naked yet alive, than I did when her eyes were on me. It’s as if I could feel the heat from her gaze.
Not only do I think about her, but I also find myself thinking about ways to invite her over. Reasons to knock on her door and ask her a question. Anything that gets me access to her. What’s worse is that I can’t pinpoint any one thing that makes me feel this way. Sure, she’s beautiful, but I’ve met many beautiful women in my lifetime. Is it her kind yet shy demeanor? She’s not out to seduce me, although her eyes tell a different story. Is it because she’s so good with my son? The way she holds him and talks to him as if he’s precious to her… is that it? I wish I knew. I wish I could say it’s X, Y, or Z that makes me think about her all the damn time.
I’ve got nothing.
Zero.
Zilch.
Nada.
No explanation. Just the want and the need to be around her. That’s why I’m standing outside her door, hand raised to knock. Mom called and invited Milo and me over for dinner. She insisted I pass the invitation on to Hollis as well. I half-heartedly put up a fight before giving in and promising I would invite her.