Melting the Ice(26)

            He hadn’t known then that she’d never been with a guy before. He figured as beautiful and as smart as she was, that she’d had a boyfriend or two.

            Stupid move on his part, but he couldn’t say he regretted being her first. He’d only regretted turning tail and running after that. One of the most cowardly moves he’d ever made.

            Now that he’d run into her again, this was his chance to maybe do it all over—the right way this time.

            When they pulled up to her apartment, she turned to him. “Thanks for the ride.”

            “You’re welcome. Thanks for coming along to help today.”

            She got out, and so did Drew.

            “What are you doing?” she asked as he moved in step beside her.

            “Walking you up.”

            “Again, this is not necessary.”

            “Do we have to have this conversation again? I’m walking you to your door, and you know why.”

            He could tell she was bugged that he walked with her to her door. Admittedly, he enjoyed this aspect of annoying her, liked seeing the high rise of color to her cheeks.

            She fished her keys out of her bag, then whipped around with her back to the door. “Thanks for taking me ice skating.”

            “You’re welcome.”

            She was guarding the door like a wolf protecting her young. In other words, she wasn’t going to invite him inside.

            Good thing he enjoyed a challenge, because he’d promised her mom and Gray that he wouldn’t let Carolina work today.

            “How about you show me what you’re working on?”

            “How about you let me actually get some work done?”

            “I’d like to see what your plans are for me.”

            She arched a brow. “Why?”

            He laughed. “What do you mean, why? Because if I’m going to be involved in this line, I’d like to know what it’s about.”

            “You saw some of the sketches.”

            “Not all of them. Show me what you have in mind.”

            With a resigned sigh, she turned around and unlocked the door.

            “If I show you the line, then you’ll take off, right?” she asked as she stepped inside.

            He followed her in. “Absolutely.” Not.

            “Okay.”

            “Have I mentioned how much I like your place?” he said as he shrugged off his coat.

            “No, you haven’t, but thank you. I like it, too. Good thing, since I spend so much time here.”

            “So you’re a hermit.”

            She laughed. “Sort of. Designers don’t exactly get out much.”

            “I’ll have to change that.”

            “Uh, no, you won’t. Not if I want to be able to show my work for Fashion Week.” She went to the kitchen and put on the teakettle. She automatically went to her coffeemaker and added water, then turned it on.

            He smiled. It meant she was thinking of him. He liked that.

            She handed him a cup and took her own.

            “Come on up to the workroom with me.”