wasn’t even in what I considered a real relationship with her, and I made sure to cut things off with her completely because I could feel something here.” He waved his finger between them, making her glance down at it. “At least I was hoping it’s what I was feeling. And when I say I’ve been imagining something happening between us, I’m not just talking about what physically happened just now.”
Her mouth falling slightly open was his cue. He’d said enough, and he couldn’t keep his lips off her anymore. For now, he’d leave her with that and not push too much. As satisfied that he’d made himself clear, it was still nerve-racking. They’d crossed a line today that they’d never be able to cross back from without things getting absolutely weird.
After one of the longest kisses they’d shared that night, Orlando glanced out the darkened kitchen window. “It’s late.”
“Yeah, it is,” she said, pulling away. “I should get going so you could get some sleep.”
Annoyed with himself, he pulled her back to him and smiled. “I wasn’t stating the obvious to hint that you should leave. I meant maybe you should just stay. You’re coming back tomorrow, right?”
Her eyes flew open wide in that sweetly startled way they did so often when something surprised her. “I didn’t bring a change of clothes.”
Glad she didn’t protest for any other reason, Orlando wrapped his arms around her waist tightly. “You can go pick up a change tomorrow. Why drive at night when you can do so in the morning instead?”
Before she could respond to that, he started toward the bedroom. That was another thing he wanted to make sure he made clear. He had a few extra bedrooms, but no way was she sleeping in any of them.
By the time they’d showered together, making the most of the shower and their slick wet bodies, since they still couldn’t keep their hands off each other, Orlando was pretty sure he’d be playing hooky tomorrow. At the very least, showing up way late. They wouldn’t be getting much sleep tonight that was for sure. Before they officially got in bed for the night, Orlando searched for the universal charging pad he hadn’t used in a while so Dani could charge her phone. He finally found it in one of his kitchen junk drawers and headed back to the bedroom where Dani was getting ready for bed. Surprised she wasn’t in the bedroom when he got there, he slowed when he heard her talking in a lowered voice just out of sight in the bedroom’s bathroom. He didn’t want to eavesdrop because it’d make sense that she might be checking in with her sister. Dani had mentioned more than once what a mother hen her sister could be. Glancing around, he focused on looking for the best place to plug the charger instead.
“. . . with Ted . . .”
Stopping when he caught the snippet of what Dani was saying, he froze, not wanting to make any noise so he could hear the rest. But her voice went even lower, and he wasn’t able to make the rest out. Was she telling her sister she was with Ted? Did her sister not know they’d broken up? Feeling a heat he should not be feeling this early on, Orlando turned when he heard Dani say good night to whomever it was she was talking to. A few seconds later she walked into the bedroom, looking a little surprised to see him in there.
Not sure how to ask without it sounding as demanding as he was feeling, Orlando motioned to her phone. “Who was that?”
“My sister. I was just letting her know I wouldn’t be home tonight.”
Orlando peered at her, trying his damnedest not to overreact. “Did I hear you tell her you were staying with Ted tonight?”
Those startled eyes were at it again. “No. I told her the truth: that it got late and I decided to just stay here for the night.”
That wasn’t entirely satisfying to hear because that wasn’t the whole truth. The way she made it sound, her sister could easily think Dani was staying in one of his guest bedrooms—just because it got late. Was that what Dani wanted her to think? Why?
“And she knows you and Ted are broken up? Because you are, right?”
“Of course I am.” The startled expression was replaced by an annoyed—almost scandalized—one. “You really think I’d be here if I was still in a relationship?”
With three