“I think you bought enough candles to set the whole mountainside ablaze,” she said looking in the bag at the endless amount of candles still packaged as Benny reached the bottom step. She looked up. “I didn’t know how many—”
Only, it wasn’t Benny.
Her heart felt like it was ricocheting in her chest and the only sound she could hear now was the rushing of blood as it pumped erratically sending a whooshing through her ears. Thank Heavens she was seated because she was certain she’d have slumped to the floor otherwise.
No, the hulking giant before her could never be mistaken for the smaller woman.
Crap. Why did he have to look so good?
His hair was shorter, even and clipped above the ears, but still long enough where she could tousle it with her fingertips. His eyes, now wide in disbelief as he caught sight of her, were that same deep chocolate brown that had looked at her like he wanted to shove her out of the car one second, and then like he wanted to kiss her senseless a second later. His jaw was dark with growth, showing it hadn’t seen a razor in at least two days, maybe longer. She wondered if it would be soft to touch, or rough, stinging her chin like it had that morning when he’d woken her up with—
Dear Lord. What am I doing?
The seconds continued to pass and the giant just stayed there unmoving. It made sense now, why Benny wanted her here. Had distracted her enough until Cruz could get here.
Had he wanted to see her? Did he know—of course he didn’t know, judging by the slack in his jaw.
Why didn’t he just say something?
“Cruz. Hello.” Lame.
Lame, lame, lame.
He blinked a couple times, almost like he hadn’t believed she was there until she spoke. “Payton.” Hearing him speak her name, so soft, nearly undid her. He blinked again. “What are you doing here?”
He didn’t sound happy. He didn’t sound angry either. She couldn’t tell anymore.
“Your sister, Benny. She asked me to help set some things up for Kate and Dominic. Do some staging,” she said and swept her hand toward the pile of votive candles next to her.
He nodded but didn’t take his eyes from hers. “So. How are things with you? You look…well,” he said, hesitating slightly before the last word.
“You too.” Only she said it in a near whisper as it seemed like she was struggling just to breathe under his intense gaze. She rose, needing to do something other than sit there like a rock. She walked back to the kitchen island and began fussing with the flower arrangement again. “I doubt either Kate or Dominic are going to even notice any of this when they arrive tonight, but Kate will appreciate it in the morning when she’s wanting half and half for her coffee that’s not a week past its expiration.”#p#分页标题#e#
Why was she blathering like an idiot? Cruz didn’t care if Kate had half and half in her coffee.
She turned to him, forcing a bright smile.
And realized he had closed the space between them somewhere in the last few seconds and was standing so close she could see the pulse at the side of his neck. Smell his wonderful sensuous scent.
“Payton, I—”
Only whatever he was about to say was cut off by the sound of voices from upstairs. A high-pitched female one that was insisting she bring down the box herself and didn’t need to wait another minute for anyone to help her.
Cruz blanched ever so slightly and glanced over to the figure coming down the stairs. Payton’s eyes followed. She recognized the bubbly brunette balancing a wide box in her arms, having met her months before at Kate’s birthday party. With Cruz.
She pinched the flesh between her thumb and index finger, trying to keep the tears from surfacing.
Oh. Goody.
Cruz had brought a date.
Cruz was still stunned from the unexpected sight of seeing Payton, here, looking so gorgeous and cheerful—something that had been in short supply for him—when he heard Becca making her way down the stairs.
He cursed himself for even taking her call yesterday. Or agreeing to go out with her for, as she put it, old time’s sake. But he’d been feeling lonely and angry and thought any company was better than stewing about the woman he could never have.
He glanced up at the cute brunette trying not to fall down the stairs in the teetering heels she was wearing and couldn’t help but find her short on the appeal that Payton had. He looked back at Payton, trying to gauge her reaction. Did she even care anymore? Was she already back with Brad?
“There you are, Cruz,” Becca said and dropped the box she was carrying not very gently to the floor, her interest more on the meeting going on over at the kitchen island. She almost ran to his side. “Hi there,” she said, possessively tucking her arm through his.