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“No. Everything is totally not okay, but I have to go, Terri. I have some serious flirting to do.”
“Oh no, you weren’t kidding.”
“Nope!” I said, popping my P.
“Oh God. Let’s make it an early lunch. I’m dying to hear how this turns out.”
Ending the call with Terri, I rushed into the bathroom. I pulled my hair out of the sloppy ponytail and fixed it. Splashing my face and thanking God for waterproof mascara, I pinched my cheeks and set off to find Tucker.
Opening the door, I realized I was on the second floor of a house. “Tucker has a house?” I asked no one. Why did I not know this? I saw the man at least once a month, if not more.
Looking down the hall, I followed the smell of eggs. My stomach rolled, and I had to cover my mouth. The smell made me feel sick.
I walked up to a beautiful grand staircase. My fingers moved lightly down the mahogany banister while I slowly walked down the old stairs. If this had been seven years ago with Tucker, I would dare say this would be romantic.
My eyes were everywhere. Taking every single thing in. The house was for sure historical. The decorations clearly matched the time period the house was built. Until I walked into the kitchen. It was state of the art and blow-me-over amazing.
Note to self: If I make this work with Tucker, we’re living in his house.
I continued to walk in as my gaze scanned every square inch. Then I saw him and froze.
Oh Lord, give me strength.
He was leaning against the sink with a smile that said he liked my outfit pick. His intense stare kicked up my libido.
Okay, don’t panic. Act sexy. You can do this! You have to do this. It is time to seduce the shit out of Tucker Middleton. Forget all about the last seven years and how much the two of you hated on one another. It’s show time!
Trying out my flirting skills, I smiled and went to tell him how sexy he looked when I walked right into the barstool and toppled over it, landing with a thud onto the tile floor. My hands stung and both knees throbbed.
“Shit Charlie, are you okay?”
I was on all fours staring at the light brown travertine floor; my cheeks burned with embarrassment.
Then an energy I hadn’t felt in a long time zipped through my body when Tucker picked me up and set me on the island.
“Damn, you scraped both of your knees.”
Inhaling a deep breath, his cologne swirled around in my nose. The mental and physical sensations were threatening to pull me under. Being this close to Tucker again was sensory overload, and I wasn’t sure I was strong enough to be in his sphere. Right now, all I knew was he left me breathless and momentarily unable to form any coherent thoughts.
I couldn’t pull my eyes off of the way his muscles flexed under his shirt. Jesus, his body was nice back in college. Now … now he had all tight-looking muscles with abs that appeared to be painted on.
Shaking my head, I looked down at my poor knees. Crap.
“Nah. I’m okay.”
Tucker’s head lifted and he frowned. “You’re bleeding.”
I smiled. He must have thought I hit my head on the way down with the way I ogled him.
God, he has amazing eyes. Not really hazel, not really blue. A mysterious gray.
Note to self: Take a mental snap shot of this moment for later use.
Wait. Bleeding?
Dropping my stare, I looked at both knees. They were covered in … in … blood.