Lots of Naughty & A Little Nice - Leigh Lennon Page 0,14
proper, but he drops all pretenses with me, and I witness a completely different person than anyone ever sees. “And?”
He lets his chin fall to his chest. “I feel like a dork around her.”
“I don’t think she sees this in you. As a matter of fact, she was watching your fine ass carrying the box into her house the other night. And may I add, she has mighty fine taste. Your ass is pretty fucking beautiful.”
I press my lips to his still sweaty forehead. “You’re the best man I know.”
“Is there a but in your compliment?” Ro asks.
“Of course not. However…” He places his finger in front of my mouth.
“However is a synonym for but in the way you’re using it.” Of course Ro states the obvious.
I pull his finger away from my mouth, and his reply earns him another kiss on his lips because he’s adorable.
“All I was trying to say, smart-ass, getting back to the lovely and beautiful toy maker, is we can see where it leads, sweetheart.”
“I can live with your plan.” His reply is so Rowan, and it’s the answer I’m looking for.
The garage door ascends, and I’m left staring at all the shit in it. I don’t want anyone to see it, but I have a feeling what I’m looking for is up front. Somewhere in this heap of mess is a box of my favorite clay and a new set of palette knives I use when I want to sculpt.
It’s not my preferred method of creation, but today, I have a new muse. Somehow, with the stunning Avery, the idea of her mere presence has me striving to stretch my talents.
There’s crackling in the fresh snow in the yard, and I twist my head to the object of my thoughts. “Holy hell, Knox. I would have never pegged you as a packrat.”
I take in everything about her today. She’s changed into a simple pair of jeans, hugging her beautiful curves, and a pair of long boots sitting right below her knees. A scarf is pulled around the elegant neck I want to pepper kisses down. And though she has a heavier coat on, the outline of her perky breasts is something I could focus on all day and never tire of.
But I shake all of this off, so I don’t come off as a freak. “We have one space we can’t quite come to terms with, and it contains all my art supplies and Ro’s dinosaur toys.”
She lets out a strangled giggle. “At least you say dinosaur toys and not the other kind of toys.”
“Oh, Avery Chapel, are you feeling a little naughty today?” I can help her with this. As a matter of fact, Ro and I would indeed be happier than a clam in the sand on a hot summer day to fulfill any of her needs. But I keep this offer to myself as I don’t want to scare her away.
“Let’s just say, it’s been a long, long time since I got a little naughty.” She blushes at her words, but I’m not sure if she’s shy or the wind and cold are causing this effect.
I want to say something to give her a little hint of our interest. But nothing witty is on the tip of my tongue. “We all have needs, Avery. It’s okay to express them.”
It’s then I know my words are causing her to redden and not the wind whipping around us.
Across the street, a car backfires, sounding like gunfire at first. Our attention is diverted, and the moment is gone.
“What the hell was that?” she asks, almost breathlessly. She changes the topic so easily as though it’s a welcome distraction.
“Mr. Lesting works on older cars. He’s always tinkering with them.” I point at the traditional brick across the street with bright lights strung through the yard. “You’ll meet him the night of the luminarias lighting and the costume party we host every year.”
Her eyes are still on the home across the street. “Um, I’m sorry. Did you say costume party? It is Christmas we’re celebrating and not Halloween, right?”
With a shrug of my shoulders, I laugh at her reaction. I had the same thought, too. “Ah, and you would be correct. However, it’s a tradition dating back to well before we moved into the neighborhood. It’s apparently too much to have two parties less than six weeks apart, and they dress up in Christmas theme. You’d be surprised at the vast array of characters you can