“Already took some, but thanks.” He quickly added skim milk, a tablespoon of PB, and some protein powder, then cut on the blender. After it was mixed, he poured it into two cups, shoved a straw in one, and handed it to her.
As she took a sip, her eyes closed and she moaned around the straw. His gaze fell to her mouth sucking on that thin tube, and his grip tightened around his own cup. God, this woman was going to be the death of him. “Mmm. Tommy, you really do make a yummy shake.” She opened her eyes and smiled. “Thank you.”
Nanoseconds from pouncing on her, he quickly turned his back. “Don’t mention it.”
“I just have to blow-dry my hair and get dressed, then I’m off to work. I won’t be home tonight, so you’re on your own for dinner.”
Frowning, he spun around. “You won’t? Where are you going?”
“I’ve got plans,” she said, and left him standing in the room alone. “See you later.”
His stomach sank. One guess as to who those plans were with.
And he was stunned at how much it pissed him off.
…
Julie locked the back door of the clinic. Before she’d left for work, she’d brought her jeans and red blouse with her, not wanting to go back to the house to change. Sad to admit, but it was the truth.
She wanted to avoid Tommy. At all costs.
If she was really smart, she’d start eating take-out and buying pre-made protein shakes for the duration that Tommy was in her house. Because every time they were in that tiny kitchen together it became too hot for her to handle. Especially today. Holy Mother of God. The touching, the brushing…he’d had her nipples puckered into tight peaks, her clit pulsing in need. All she’d wanted him to do was press behind her, take both her breasts in his hands, and tweak those stiff tips, then slide one palm between her legs and rub away the ache there.
She’d had to play that fantasy out in the shower. Why? Because, as always, Tommy was completely oblivious to the raging lust he was igniting in her.
As she turned around, she tossed her keys in her purse and wrapped her green peacoat tighter. Brody leaned against the side of his navy Mercedes, wearing a leather jacket, his arms folded across his chest, his jean-clad legs crossed at the ankles. She didn’t feel so much as a flutter, much less anything remotely like what she’d felt in the kitchen this morning.
How unfair was that? Brody was a good-looking man. She had tons in common with him. She laughed and felt comfortable around him. And yet it was Tommy, who was completely wrong for her, who lit up her damn body like she was drunk on a binge, with the freaking aftereffects to match.
No. Not fair. She had to give Brody a chance. Just because he hadn’t made her melt on the first date didn’t mean he wouldn’t. She needed to give it a little more time.
He pushed off the side of his car and walked toward her. “Gorgeous as always.”
“Thank you,” she said, smiling.
After he opened the passenger door, she slipped inside. “So, am I going to have you all to myself today, or is Tommy going to make an appearance?”
“I’m sorry about last night. He keeps a very different schedule than I do, so when I was home by ten, he thought the date had gone badly.”
Brody gave her an odd look she couldn’t decipher before he closed the door and rounded the front of the car. After he buckled in and started the car, he glanced over at her. “How long have you two known each other?”
It surprised her that anyone who was familiar with Tommy didn’t already know the answer to that. “How well do you know him?”
“Not that well. I joined Greg’s gym right before he moved to Mike’s. I’ve watched him fight, seen him at a couple of fighter functions, even talked a few times. But that’s about it.”
“I don’t remember seeing you at any fighter functions.”
“Ouch, that hurts, because I sure remember seeing you. I knew who you were the moment you walked into the room at the vet clinic. I’ve seen you on Tommy’s arm on more than a few occasions. At first, I assumed he was your boyfriend, but then he’d show up with another girl while you were there.”
Thanks for that reminder. One of the many things about Tommy’s after-party lifestyle that had hurt. “Yeah. We go way back. Tommy is like my…brother.”
Why did she have a hard time saying that to Brody? It’d come out pretty easily to Tommy last night. Maybe because he had no issue calling her his sister.
“That’s good to know.” The charming smile Brody sent her should have melted her insides.
Unfortunately, no puddling was happening. Damn it.
“So where are we going this afternoon?” she asked.
“I was thinking simple. It’s warm for the end of February, so how does grabbing some food and eating at the park sound? We still have about an hour of sunlight left.”
“Sounds wonderful.”