see through the rain-spattered windshield, but she could make out the last three numbers—428. Brandon’s truck. She squeezed the steering wheel as she pulled into her driveway right behind him. Had he realized she was behind him?
They eased into their respective spots in the carport. His door opened, and a shiny black shoe appeared. She tried to ignore the increasing thump of her heartbeat. It’s only because I don’t like driving in the rain. Even though she willed herself not to look, she couldn’t help but notice he was dressed in a black suit, and his dark hair was slicked back, revealing his impressive jawline. She waited, wondering if he would rush to his apartment without saying hi. But then his hand was waving wildly. It would be rude not to respond, not to mention weird.
She scrambled from her car and scurried to his truck, thankful for the cover of the carport. “Hi, Brandon,” she called over the pelting rain.
“Hey there, Riki. Wild weather, huh?”
“Yes! It was so sudden. You look nice, by the way.” Her smile felt like it had a life of its own, and there was nothing she could do to keep it from taking over her entire face.
“Thanks. I’m coming from an audition.” He tugged on the lapel of his coat and stepped closer. “Not my usual look, is it?”
She placed her hand over her mouth as though assessing him and squeezed the wild smile from her lips. “You look great. What’d you audition for?”
He shoved a hand in his hair, and the thick silver band on his ring finger was a stark contrast to the dark brown. She let her gaze stay on it for an extra moment, seizing the reminder for her foolish heart that he was taken. “Days of Our Lives. It was a callback for a new character they’re adding who’s a mysterious millionaire. No one knows where he came from or how he made all his money.” Flashing a grin, he added, “I don’t even know if he turns out to be a good guy or a bad guy. They wanted me to play it like I was a tortured soul with an edge this time around.” He managed a hurt look before letting his eyes fall into a sneering squint. “How was that?”
“Bravo! You’re hired in my book.” She clapped her hands, her ability to think rationally zapped by his pure magnetism. “You looked like a cross between James Bond and Superman.”
His eyes lingered on hers as a smile tugged the corners of his lips. “Superman? Nah, I’m not as good-lookin’ as that guy.”
Is he flirting? Her mouth was so dry, she couldn’t muster a response. Thankfully, he didn’t seem to notice.
He nodded to the uncovered area beyond the carport. “Do you have an umbrella, or are you making a run for it?”
“I’m going to make a run for it. I have no idea where my umbrella is,” she said seriously, coaxing her mind to stop lingering on the idea that he might be flirting.
“Same. Are you ready?” He lifted a brow and reached for her hand.
She inhaled sharply as their hands locked.
His eyes gleamed. “On the count of three. One, two, three!”
They tore down the gravel driveway, her heart tripping in her chest. All sense of reason washed away in the rain. She wished they could keep running, past the apartments and into the street, all the way to the ocean, where they could catch a boat headed for a Greek island and live happily ever after. It would be just the two of them.
But instead, he brought them to a stop between their apartments and dropped her hand. Rain dripped from his lashes as he looked at her. “You’re soaked.”
“So are you.” She licked her lips, tasting rain on her tongue.
He laughed and grabbed her hand again, knitting their fingers together before lifting her arm. “Do, do, do, do, do-da-do . . . ,” he sang.
She stood unmoving, mesmerized.
“Twirl, girl! Haven’t you seen Singin’ in the Rain?”
Unable to keep from giggling wildly, she spun as he held her fingers in his. “You’re crazy!”
“You’re the one dancing out here in the rain!” He twirled her again and again before he spun her to face him, his eyes bright with mischief. “I have to say, Riki, this was fun.” He looked down at his wet clothes. “Hopefully not at the cost of my suit and your pretty pink shirt,” he added with a sheepish grin. “I guess we’d better go