coffee table and gave the space a homey feel. Two narrow end tables, a couple of lamps, and a television stand bearing a flat-panel TV on it completed the furnishings.
“Nice enough décor, crappy place,” May replied. “The landlord’s a lazy asshole.”
“He really is,” Danny agreed as he took the other chair with a Bud Light in-hand. “That lingering smell in the air is from the veggie lasagna our joke of an oven burned earlier.”
Will shrugged. He’d only caught the scent of vanilla coming from the candle burning on the kitchen bar. “Is the oven gas or electric?”
“Electric,” May replied.
“It probably just needs to be recalibrated. Do you happen to have the manual that came with the oven?”
May’s eyebrows lifted. “No.”
“That’s fine. Most of them are available online these days. I’d be happy to take a look at it.”
Danny reached across the end table between the chairs and grasped May’s hand. “I think we need to be nice to this guy.”
She smiled and sipped her wine. “As long as he’s nice to my sister.”
“Quit giving Will a hard time.”
At the sound of Jasmine’s voice, Will rose and set his beer on a coaster on the end table next to the sofa. Since the sound had traveled from upstairs, he waited, his heart suddenly pounding, for her to make her appearance.
The first thing he saw emerge from beyond the wall hiding the stairwell was her foot. A single black high heel shoe and a slender ankle followed by the feminine curve of her bare calf. He was unable to look away from those sexy-as-sin legs as they both came into his view. Lord, was he thrilled she hadn’t decided to cover them up. Just thinking about getting to look at them any time he wanted that evening made him feel like a prize winner.
When he saw the red fabric starting at her knees, his head tilted and his forehead creased. That was the expression she saw when she finally stood in front of him in all her magnificence.
She paused when she saw him. “You look surprised.” Planting a hand on one of her hips, she waved at her breasts and said, “Let me guess. You’re wondering where these came from.” Before he could reply, she went on, “I wear sports bras when I dance. You haven’t seen me out of one before.”
Will cleared a laugh from his throat. “Actually, I was surprised to see you wearing something other than black.”
She lowered the hand from her hip. “Oh.”
“But you do have lovely breasts,” he added.
May and Danny issued chuckles from behind him. Jasmine gave him a wry look and pushed at his shoulder as she moved past him into the family room.
“I suppose I do wear a lot of black, don’t I?” she said as she headed to the kitchen with a seductive sway to her hips. “That’s because of Dido. She’s a long-haired black cat who sheds. I gave up the fight years ago.” Looking over at him, she asked, “Do I have time for half a glass of wine while you finish that beer?”
“Sure.”
He took another moment with her attention turned just to stare at her. Not only was she wearing a color other than black, her beautiful dark hair was down. She’d pulled the hair at her temples back into some kind of fancy mini-bun, but the rest fell in soft waves down to between her shoulder blades. Between that and the sultry makeup she had on, it was a miracle he didn’t drool.
“You look amazing,” he said, picking up his beer and returning to the sofa.
She smiled at him from across the room. “Thanks. So do you.”
May and Danny watched him with amused expressions. He drank more beer before asking, “Do you know what kind of oven you have?”
“A shitty one,” Jasmine said as she walked over to the sofa and sat beside him.
Her beckoning scent floated over to him. He fought the urge to lean over and start nuzzling her neck.
“It’s an off-brand,” May said.
“Okay. I can check it before we leave.”
“You’re not here to fix stuff,” Jasmine argued. “You’re hardly dressed for looking around a dirty oven.”
“Jazzy’s right,” Danny said. “Maybe if you tell us where to look, we can check for you.”
Will lifted a finger in Danny’s direction. “One moment, please.” He shifted to face Jasmine more directly. “Jazzy?”
Her chin lifted. It was a move that never failed to get his libido hopping.
“Only Danny and Tobias call me that,” she said in a warning tone.