They both froze at the sound of the garage door.
“Percy!” Eyes going wide, Hannah scrambled for her bra.
Ryan tossed her the sweater and looked around for his shirt. He plucked it off the Christmas tree and yanked it on as the kitchen door opened. Hannah pulled on her sweater and hurled herself toward one end of the sofa, smoothing her hair as she went. Ryan flopped on the other end, adopting what he hoped was a relaxed posture just as Percy strolled in.
The old man had a spring in his step, and his gait was steadier than it had been when Ryan arrived last week. “Evenin’, you two.”
“You’re home early.” Ryan hoped that didn’t sound like the accusation it was.
“We decided not to go to the show. Missed the beginning, and Betty’s got an early start tomorrow.”
“How was dinner?” Hannah’s voice was too bright and cheery to be real.
A muscle twitched in Percy’s jaw as his gaze slid back and forth between them. “It was good. We did a lot of talking about old times.”
“Great. I’m gonna go check on the chili.” She popped up like a jack-in-the-box and headed into the kitchen.
Percy watched her disappear. “Good night?”
“It’s been fine. Why?”
“Your shirt’s on inside out.”
Well, h
ell.
Percy grinned. “Good for you, son.” Calling to the dog, he raised his voice. “Duke and I are just gonna go upstairs and read a while. Y’all enjoy your chili.”
Hannah didn’t make a peep from the kitchen.
Ryan took the time to right his shirt before seeking her out. She was staring into the open fridge.
“Are we missing the sour cream?” he asked.
“I was contemplating whether I could crawl in here to die of mortification.”
Ryan rubbed a hand over the back of his neck, as if that would dissipate the lingering sting of embarrassment, and moved to pull bowls from the cabinets and utensils from the drawer. “It’s not that bad. And I officially owe Duke a bone or something for the heads-up.”
“I’m bringing him a dozen of the peanut butter dog biscuits Carolanne carries at Sweet Magnolias.”
“Seems fair. Dinner and a movie instead?”
“Sounds…well, not perfect, but very, very good.”
He’d take the not perfect. And maybe it was for the best. His time with her had an expiration date, and they didn’t have the luxury of spending all of it in bed. Maybe he needed to take this as a sign and establish a little distance. Slowly dial it back toward friends.
So their night home alone turned way more PG, as they finished the chili and curled up together to watch Christmas In Connecticut. Not at all his kind of movie, and not what he’d planned for the night, but he enjoyed himself anyway, loving the way she felt tucked up against him where he could play with the silk of her hair. The quiet was every bit as appealing as the heat. And wasn’t that a surprise?
Once the movie was over, she rose and stretched. “I need to be getting home. I’m on early shift tomorrow.”
Ryan drove her home. As they stopped under her porch light, he pulled her into his arms, lacing his hands at the small of her back. “Sorry Percy has continued his streak of shit timing.”
Hannah’s mouth quirked in a rueful smile. “Could’ve been worse. If we’d been upstairs, I doubt we’d have heard the dog.”
The blood that had made its way back to his brain promptly drained south again at the thought of what they could have been doing. “Better make that two dozen biscuits.”
She was still laughing when he kissed her. The sweet, spicy taste of her seeped into him as her arms twined around his shoulders. He could do this every night. Surprised by the certainty of it, he pulled back.