Not as hot as Duncan.
Why did her thoughts keep coming back to him?
Another knock rattled the door. “Hey, gorgeous. Did you drown in there?”
She sat bolt upright, water sloshing around her. “Duncan?”
“Yeah.” Duncan’s muffled voice came through the door. “So you’re alive.”
“I’m alive.” She blinked.
“I don’t need to break the door down and rescue you?”
“Um, it’s not locked.”
A pause. “Is that an invitation?”
“No!” Her eyes flew wide open.
He laughed. “Kidding. I came to see how your interview went and if you want to go out for dinner or something.”
Ugh. The interview.
But that unhappy memory passed in seconds as her heart gave a little kick of happiness at seeing him again. “Dinner. Sure. I’ll be out in a minute.”
“Okay. I’ll just hang with Easton here.”
A smile tugged at her lips. “Okay.”
Amber climbed out and dried off. She felt unaccountably edgy and indecisive. She stared at the open cupboard. Should she put on her ylang ylang body lotion? She didn’t want to keep Duncan waiting. She quickly rubbed on scented lotion, dragged her hair out from the topknot she’d piled it in, and ran a brush through it. Then, in her robe, she opened the door and slipped down the hall to her bedroom.
Dinner. Okay. More uncertainty, standing in front of her closet. Jeans. A sweater. She pulled out a soft blue sweater. She selected her nicest bra and panties, white lacy ones, and was soon dressed. She rushed through putting on some eye shadow and mascara, aware of Duncan waiting for her.
When she entered the living room, Duncan and Easton were sitting drinking beer and laughing about something. That was…cool.
“Hey, you’re ready.” Duncan rose, his height and broad shoulders filling the space. “That was quick. You look great.”
“Thanks.”
He moved closer to her and kissed her cheek. Her heart softened. He was so big and yet so gentle and easygoing. Off the ice. But she’d been startled to see how intense and aggressive he could be on the ice, battling guys for the puck, slamming them into the boards. But she’d also seen his caring side too, when his teammate had been knocked brutally to the ice and he’d skated straight to him and helped him.
“Feel like I haven’t seen you in a year,” he murmured. “Wanna do more than kiss your cheek.”
She smiled up at him. “Like buy me dinner?”
His slow grin made her lower belly flutter. “Yeah. That too.”
They stood smiling at each other until Easton clapped his hands. “Okay, kids! Go for dinner or get a room.”
Amber gave him a reproving look, but she was smiling. Her crappy day felt so much better now. She looped a big scarf around her neck and pulled on her black wool jacket. “See you later, Easton.” In the elevator, she turned to Duncan to ask where they were going, but he grabbed her and wrapped her up in a huge hug, pulling her against him. His mouth found hers and pressed a long, hard kiss on hers. She gripped his shoulders, then relaxed into his arms and opened her mouth to him. His tongue licked inside and stroked hers, and heat flowed through her body, pooling low in her belly. Her heart beat fast and her breathing was choppy when the elevator doors slid open on the main floor and he pulled back.
“Wow,” she said.
He released her, but not totally, taking one of her hands in his to walk her across the lobby. “Yeah. That’s what I’m talking about.”
She smiled. “So where are we going for dinner?”
“Fernando’s.”
“Never heard of it.”
“Another little place that’s a favorite of mine.”
“I guess I’ll trust your good taste. I liked Dimple’s.”
They were in his truck and cruising easily through snow and slush-covered streets when Duncan said, “So. Tell me. How’d the interview go? Did they offer you the job?”
“Oh. Um. I didn’t go to the interview.”
“Huh?” His head whipped around and his frown made her grimace. He had to look back at the road. “Why not?”
She caught her bottom lip between her teeth briefly. “I got in an accident on the way there. My car wasn’t drivable and I couldn’t get there in time.”
He slammed on the brakes, flicked his blinker, and made a fast turn onto a side street, lurching to a stop. He turned to her in the dark vehicle. “You were in an accident? What happened? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Fine. I got rear-ended and pushed into the car in front of me. The meat in the sandwich, as my insurance guy said to me.” She gave a weak smile.