I pulled up in front of her house, climbed the steps, and waited patiently after knocking. I could hear her moving around, and she opened the door, a surprised look on her face when she saw me. She was in a pair of dark pants with a pretty blouse in blues and greens that set off her eyes. Her hair was swept up off her face, and she wore a headset attached to one ear.
“Liam,” she said, her eyes glancing around in confusion. “Ronan isn’t here.”
“Good.” I held up the bag. “I brought lunch. I thought you might be hungry.”
“You brought me lunch?” she asked slowly as if she wasn’t used to having something thoughtful done for her.
I would have to change that.
“I did. If you let me inside, I’ll give it to you.”
The playful glint I liked so much flickered in her eyes, and her mouth curled into a teasing grin.
“Are you still talking about lunch?”
I threw back my head in laughter. “Depends. Play your cards right…” I trailed off, leaning close and brushing my lips across her cheek. “You never know.”
She giggled, the sound light and happy. Stepping back, she waved her arm. “By all means, come in.”
I stepped past her, my size once again making it impossible not to brush against her, especially since I wasn’t trying to avoid the contact. I heard her swift inhale of air and felt the way her body shivered. Our eyes locked as I went by, her widened stare filled with awareness. The same way my body felt her warmth and reacted to it.
“I’m right there with you, baby,” I thought. “Give us some time.”
“I just have to go sign out for my lunch break. I’ll be right there.” She indicated the kitchen. “Make yourself comfortable.”
I set down the bag and placed the sandwiches on the table, adding the chips and sodas. When she joined me, I waved at the pile I had made in the center of the table, looking like an impromptu picnic.
“I didn’t know what you liked. I got egg salad, corned beef, and turkey.”
“That’s great.”
I grinned as she went to the refrigerator and came back with a large jar of pickles.
“I love pickles.”
She winked. “Me too.”
“You gonna turn everything I say into some sort of innuendo?”
She lifted her eyebrows in silent response as she took a bite of the egg salad. I opened the chips and dumped them on the waxed paper the sandwiches were piled on. Paige picked up a curled chip, holding it like a prize.
“Wish chip,” she crowed and gobbled it up, the crunch of the fried potato loud.
I chuckled. “Munchkin at day care?”
“Yes. She loves it there. All the kids and toys.”
I chewed and swallowed. “She’s ah, pretty remarkable.”
“I think so.”
“I think her mother is as well.”
Her sandwich froze midair, and she regarded me warily. “You-you do?”
“Yeah, I do.”
“Oh,” was all she said.
“I like her spunkiness. She’s adorable and sweet. Well-behaved yet mischievous.”
“Are you referring to my daughter or me?”
I laughed again. “Both. I think a lot of that comes down to her mother.”
She smiled. “Beth says we’re two peas in a pod.”
“She’s right.”
We ate in companionable silence, sharing the sandwiches and chips. I drank my soda, but I noticed she didn’t. I picked up another curled chip and offered it to her.
“Another wish, Paige?”
She took it. “Best way to end a lunch.”
“Not quite the end,” I said, pulling two large cookies from a smaller bag, and she chuckled.
“You thought of everything.”
“Except coffee.”
“That’s easy.” She stood, switching on the coffee machine. I ogled her openly, watching the way her pants clung to her ass as she moved. The small sliver of skin that appeared over her waistband as she stretched up to get the mugs. She grumbled under her breath, and I stood and reached over her easily, grabbing the mugs. “Got them,” I assured her.
Her back pressed into my chest, molding to me. I heard the hitch in her breath and felt her stiffen slightly.
“You should get a little stool. Or keep them on the lower shelf,” I observed.
She shook her head, turning her face to meet my eyes. “So few cupboards. I need the lower ones for plates and glasses that Evan can reach.”
“I’ll make you a stool, then. A safe one.”
“Okay.”
It took all I had to pull back and not turn her in my arms and kiss her. I wanted to, though. More than my next breath.
I forced myself to sit down, crumpling up the paper and shoving it into the bag. A steaming cup of coffee appeared before me, and the small jug of cream was set down beside it. I offered her a cookie, noting she chose the oatmeal raisin one. I took the chocolate chip, and we both munched quietly for a moment. Then she spoke.
She set the cookie down, wiping her fingers. “Liam, I’m a pretty honest person, so I’m going to lay it on the line here, okay?”