Only in Dreams(19)
“I’m sorry—” I shriek. “I thought you said eight.” I turn around, my cheeks shifting to a fiery red.
“I did, but I got a call rushing an order, so I thought I’d work on it until you came over,” he explains.
“Shirtless?” I can’t help my snarky tone.
“I didn’t want to get sawdust all over my shirt, so I thought I’d take it off until you got here. You always took forever getting ready.”
As I turn around, he is rubbing a towel down his washboard abs. I swallow hard. His body has changed, his shoulders and arms are broader, but his waist is trimmer. I always liked his body, but now, with the cuts just below his hips, I can see his new physique has a lot to offer as well.
“Besides, you’re engaged.” I can tell he’s making fun of me.
“Shut up. Do you need a few minutes?” I ask.
“To what?”
“Get dressed.”
“You’ve seen me in a lot less than this.” He laughs. Damn him, now I am thinking about him with less—he had the most amazingly firm ass. I always loved seeing him walk from our bed to the bathroom … naked. I shake my head and tell myself to think of something else.
“Whatever. So where are we going for dinner?” I ask, trying to think quickly, careful not to look away again. I don’t want him to think for a second that his undressed state makes me feel uncomfortable. If I’m being completely honest, I also don’t mind looking a little longer.
He grabs a nearby white t-shirt, slipping it over his head, then pulls on the same flannel he had on that morning. Clearly, it is not a date.
“There’s a great little place called Roadhouse, but it’s not in walking distance, and I’m kind of in the mood to walk.”
“Seriously? What is it about this Roadhouse place? The cab driver mentioned it, too.” I laugh.
“It’s good!”
“Can a place called Roadhouse really be that good?” I joke.
Suddenly his face shifts, and he becomes very serious. Turning, he picks something up from the chair and faces me. I watch as he places a cowboy hat on top of his head and secures it firmly into place. His glare never shifts as he says, “Why yes, Ms. New York, a place called Roadhouse can be quite delicious, and I would be careful if I were you.”
A massive amount of air blows past my lips, sending saliva flying everywhere as I cackle and ask, “Why’s that? You plan to hog tie me, buck-a-roo?”
“Hey,” Christian wails, pulling his hat off to stare at it, then back at me as if he is deeply wounded by my remarks.
“I’m sorry, you just look—” I’m not quite sure of the word I am looking for, though ridiculous has popped into my mind.
“Ruggedly handsome?” he suggests, placing the hat back on top of his head. “Why yes, I think so, too. And you better be careful, because the locals here, they take their food very seriously, and if any of them hear you badmouth Roadhouse, they’re liable to run you out of town.”
“That’s it, it’s settled. No walking. You’re taking me to this Roadhouse, so I can see it for myself,” I demand, still trying to contain my laughter from seeing him in his hat.
“Fine, truck’s out back,” Christian relents.
“Wait, did you say truck?”
“Look lady, when in Rome.”
“Clearly.” I giggle again as he walks past me.
“Get the lights on your way out,” he instructs, walking over and securing the front door. I flip the switch to the back room, which surprisingly also shut off the lights to the showroom. Suddenly, I realize I am in the dark … alone with Christian.
Lunging for the side door I had entered through, I breathe a sigh of relief as the light from the parking area bleeds into the room.
“What’s with you?” he asks as he moves toward me, furrowing his brow.
“I’ve developed a fear of the dark,” I say, trying to sound funny, but quickly realizing I sound insane.
“All right then,” he huffs, coming to a stop and looking at me. I look back at what he’s doing. Am I supposed to say something? “Well?” he asks.
“Well what?”
“Have you developed a fear of doorways, too?”
I laugh awkwardly and step outside, breathing in the fresh air. Yup, this night is going great so far. I wait as he locks the door behind me and leads the way to his truck.
“Now, just so you know, we have a ton of whitetail deer around here, so if you’re driving at night you need to be careful.”
“Thanks, Captain Safety.”
“Fine, see if I try to help you anymore,” he snaps, but I can tell we are still joking with one another.