Suddenly Sexy(37)

She rummaged through her closet for stilettos but she only owned flat, sensible work ones. No heels. She sighed and caught a glimpse in the mirror again.

Yikes! What was she thinking! She wanted to look good, not get arrested for street walking.

She unzipped the dress and was about to step out of it when the doorbell rang. Damn. She zipped it back up and headed for the front door. If this was Linda coming to tell her she was stupid for dumping Sam AGAIN, she was going to send her out for ice cream.

But it wasn't Linda. Sam Hennessy stood in her doorway, the way he had yesterday and the day before—leaning lazily against the doorframe, ankles crossed, a mischievous twinkle lighting up his blue eyes. When he saw what she wore, the twinkle became a hot blue flame and his jaw dropped to his chest.

"Holy..." His heavy-lidded gaze skimmed up and down her body, twice, coming to rest on the exposed cleavage. He murmured something that sounded like "help" but she couldn’t be certain.

Maddie's skin prickled and heated in all the places his gaze had touched. She swallowed. Chin up, girl, don't let him sense your fear.

"Is that what you always wear on a Sunday afternoon at home?" His gaze wandered slowly up to her eyes. A shadow passed across his face and his jaw set. "Or are you expecting someone?"

"Just Linda." She tried to sound calm but it came out as a pathetic squeak.

He blew out a long breath through his nose and his jaw slackened again. "Do you always dress like this for your sister?"

Act cool. Something must have brought him to your door. Just be calm until he tells you what it is. "Like what?" She did a mental head smack. This wasn’t going well.

He focused on her breasts again. "Um, never mind."

Maddie crossed her arms beneath her boobs, but that just plumped them up more so she let her hands fall to her sides. "Sam, is something wrong?"

"Hell no," he mumbled, a smile tugging his lips.

"Then why are you here?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. I need to talk to you."

"About?"

"Can I come in first?"

"No."

His foot shifted so it was just inside the door jamb. She couldn’t close the door even if she tried. "Go on. Let me in. This won’t take long."

That’s not how the rumors went. Sam tended to take a looong time over a woman—

He raised his brows at her as if he knew exactly what she was thinking. He was even smirking. Damn him.

The only way to wipe that smirk away was to invite him in. She did, going against every instinct that was screaming at her to shut the door in his face before it was too late. Before she succumbed to his abundant charms once more.

Inside, he plucked the front of his T-shirt. "Is it hot in here?"

"Feels kind of warm. I'll turn the air conditioning up." She stood on tiptoes and reached up to the panel above the door. When she turned around, Sam's eyes had gone glassy.

"Sorry," he muttered, blinking and tearing his gaze away from her thighs. "But I'm just a man and that dress on you is," he sucked in air, "torture."

Now he knew how she felt when he wore, well, anything. "Maybe I should get changed," she said.

"No!" He rubbed his jaw and sighed deeply as he studied her. "Yeah, okay, I think you better. I need to concentrate."

She headed for the bedroom, feeling his hot stare burning a hole into her behind.

"But it goes against every male hormone I possess to let you."

Maddie shut the door on him, unable to hide her smile. Wow the dress was good. She'd have to remember to wear it when she really did want to impress a guy. She just wished that guy was Sam—for real.

Every male hormone I possess.

The familiar sinking feeling settled into her stomach. She'd almost forgotten, but his hormones reminded her—it wasn't the dress or her body that was making him foam at the mouth, it was Pheramour. She hadn't bathed in it since the day before but the chemicals and essential oils must be lodged deep in her epidermis, and it would probably take more than one shower before it wore off.

She sat heavily on the edge of the bed. Her life was pathetic. She'd fantasized about one man for more years than she cared to remember, and here he was in her house, drooling on her carpet, and she wasn't going to take advantage of him. She couldn't. Her conscious wouldn't allow it. Her heart couldn't handle it.

Hell. Why couldn't she just have a fun roll in the hay with him and leave it at that? That's what Linda would tell her to do.

Yeah, well Linda wasn't thirty, unwed and childless. Linda's plan was on schedule—probably ahead of schedule—and she was used to flirting and having men find her attractive. This was all new territory for Maddie. And knowing that Pheramour was the reason behind the attraction wasn't making it any easier to accept. In fact, it only made it harder.