What If You & Me (Say Everything #2) - Roni Loren Page 0,85
sure you get in safe.”
“I’d like that,” she said, taking his hand and letting him help her to her feet.
He walked her out of the bedroom, and she snagged her shoes from where she’d left them, the spell that had woven around them tonight already receding. Reality was a pushy sonofabitch. She leaned into him with easy affection, softening some of the unease moving through him. He had the overwhelming urge to say Don’t go, but he knew that wouldn’t be fair. He needed to give her the space she was asking for. And she was right, it probably was best not to blur boundaries. Sleeping over, waking up next to someone, could be more intimate than sex.
He unlocked the front door, the humid night air and the sound of crickets enveloping them, and walked Andi over to her side. She turned to him, shoes hanging from one hand, and smiled at him. She pushed up on her toes and kissed him—a soft, lingering kiss that had his blood heating again. When she pulled away, she gave his T-shirt a little tug. “I had a really great time tonight.”
“Me too,” he said, tucking her hair behind her ear.
“We should do this again sometime soon,” she said, her smudged mascara making her blue eyes even brighter.
“We should.” He considered her, an earlier idea creeping back in. “You wouldn’t happen to be available Saturday night, would you?”
She gave him a flirty look. “I could be. Why? What’d you have in mind?”
He cringed. “A completely cheesy, embarrassing firehouse event that I somehow got roped into participating in. It’s going to be horrible.”
She laughed. “Well, with a sales pitch like that…”
“I know. Sorry.”
She leaned back against her front door, gaze curious. “What kind of cheesy event?”
“My best friend, Ramsey, is in charge of this year’s charity event for burn victims, and he got the brilliant idea to do a bachelor auction,” he said, dread in his voice. “And somehow he guilted me into agreeing to participate.”
Andi’s expression lit with interest. “A bachelor auction? Like people bid on firefighters to take on dates?”
“Well, to take to that night’s event, which apparently will involve food, booze, dancing, and karaoke.” Hill braced himself for a hell no. He would say hell no if he could.
But Andi bit her lip, her eyes smiling. “Tipsy firefighters and karaoke? This sounds amazing.”
He laughed at her enthusiasm. “It’s going to be a nightmare. But I was thinking if you wanted to go, maybe I could give you the money to bid on me? Save me from a night of awkward conversation with a stranger?”
She snorted. “You introverts are so adorable. Stranger danger means a whole different thing to y’all. And of course I’ll go and bid on you.” She tilted her chin up haughtily. “As if I’d let some other chick or dude get their hands on you. No way. I’m an only child. I don’t share.”
Relief moved through him, and he cupped her face to kiss her soundly. “Thank you. You’re a lifesaver.”
“Don’t thank me yet. You haven’t seen me with a few drinks in my system and a karaoke machine within reach. It can get ugly real fast.” She gave him a knowing nod. “I’m talking show tunes and power ballads.”
He chuckled. “I’ll take my chances.”
“Then I will happily agree to join you on Saturday.” She patted his chest and yawned. “But right now, I’m going to collapse face-first on my bed. Someone wore me the hell out.”
He leaned down and kissed her forehead. “Get some rest, neighbor.”
“Sweet dreams, Hill.”
She went inside, and he waited until he heard the lock click and her alarm activated. For the first time in a while, he didn’t dread the night. His body was sated, his sheets smelled like Andi, and he had a date Saturday night. Things were looking up.
***
Andi woke up early the next morning and edited the cooking video she’d made with Hill, grinning through the whole process. She knew they’d had fun together, but seeing it on-screen underlined how right she was. Hill would be great at teaching people to cook. He was so patient with her, gently guiding her through the process without making her feel inept when he had to step in and help. Plus, he looked fantastic on camera.
She posted the video to her readers and podcast followers and then went back to working on her manuscript. Over the last two weeks, she’d hit a bit of a stride with it and felt like if she