He caressed her cheek before stepping out of the bathroom with Pepper on his heel. He glanced back at Leanna. She held up one finger, then closed the bathroom door. He sat down on a chair and buried his head in his hands. He was hot and bothered, and his brain couldn’t think past Leanna’s scent, the feel of her, the look in her eyes—and the way she read his mind, then reacted without throwing him out. She knew he needed to write. Knew! He’d been with enough women to know that her reaction was not typical. He had to get a grip. He was becoming more enchanted by her every time he saw her.
Pepper whined at his feet, his tail wagging for attention.
“Good dog,” Kurt said.
Pepper barked.
Kurt gave him a stern look, and Pepper lay down beside the chair.
A few minutes later, Leanna came out of the bathroom fresh faced and still clad in her panties and camisole. She straddled his lap and looked him in the eyes. So much for breathing.
“Thank you for bringing me my bike.” Her breath was minty, her smile still a heart slayer.
“You’re welcome.”
“And thank you for helping me with the mess yesterday.” She kissed his cheek.
Do I really have to go write? “I have no doubt that you could have cleaned it up yourself, but you’re welcome.”
She crinkled her nose. “You’ve seen me with a broom.”
He kissed her crinkly nose. “That I have.”
“Since even I know you can’t jog home in your present state, can I make you breakfast?”
There was that honesty again. “Are you as good in the kitchen as you are at kissing?”
She shook her head as she rose to her feet. “But I’m better than I am with a broom.”
Chapter Eight
AS KURT JOGGED out of the development, Bella, Jenna, and Amy burst into Leanna’s kitchen, each still in their sleepwear and carrying a mug of coffee.
“Details. I want every last detail.” Bella sat at the table in her cotton nightie that stopped two inches below her butt.
“He arrived shirtless and with your bike. I saw him.” Jenna tugged at her T-shirt, which was hung up on her enormous braless breasts above a pair of men’s boxer shorts. She looked down and wiggled her boobs into submission, then gave up with a defeated sigh and leaned against the counter. “And I want to know why he brought these.” She tossed a dog’s leash and a box of baking soda onto the counter; then she put the empty bag she’d taken from the basket on the bike beside the contents.
Amy popped two pieces of bread into the toaster. She wore a T-shirt and plaid pajama shorts and looked like a teenager rather than a twenty-seven-year-old woman. “Morning booty call. Nice. I like that. You get all the action and still get a good night’s sleep. But baking soda?”
Leanna laughed as she fingered the leash. “Yesterday he was at the flea market and I had Pepper tied up with rope because I couldn’t find his leash, and the baking soda?” Because he’s thoughtful. “Pepper went kind of crazy, and a couple jars of jam broke. My skirt got splattered, and I guess he’d Googled how to clean the stain on my shorts that I’d left at his house because when he brought them back, they were perfectly clean.”
“Left your clothes at his house?” Bella puckered her lips and made kissing noises.
“You guys are awful. It wasn’t a booty call. How often have you seen me have any type of booty call? I swear, I’m at the point of needing a chimney sweep to clean out the cobwebs.”
“Oh, that’s just sad.” Bella shook her blond hair in front of her eyes and then gathered it in her hand and drew it all away from her face.
“Seriously. Sex is hardly a priority. But it was really thoughtful of him to bring this stuff, don’t you think?” Although, now that she’d kissed Kurt and felt him, really felt him—all of him—against her, thoughts of climbing between the sheets with him were lingering. Taunting.
“Yes. Very thoughtful. So, nothing happened? The guy washes your clothes and brings you stuff to keep stains away, and nothing happened?” Amy pulled her toast from the toaster, grabbed a jar of jam from the fridge, and read the label. “Apricot-lime? Is it okay if I try it?”
Leanna shrugged and set the leash down. “Sure. It’s a new flavor. Go ahead.”
Amy spread it on the toast and took a bite. She narrowed her eyes, and a second later they widened. “Oh my gosh,” she said with a mouthful of toast. “This is amazing.”
“Really? I wasn’t sure anyone would like it.”
“Mm. It’s like a cool summer drink.”
“Can we cut to the chase here? I’m glad you like her new flavor, but I want to hear about Kurt’s bite.” Jenna leaned forward a little. “Oh, and, Amy, make me one? Pretty please?”