He assumed Hailey would be in bed by the time he pulled into his driveway, so he sat in the dark for a few minutes after he turned off the ignition.
Something had shifted inside him when she handed him the sandwiches. He knew how much work and thought she’d put into making them dinner, and he could tell by the small touches she’d wanted it to be romantic. Yet, when he’d been called away, she not only hadn’t complained, but her first concern had been making sure he ate.
It was a simple gesture. It should have been no big deal, but when he’d driven away with the warm sandwiches in his center console and Hailey petting his dog in his rearview mirror, he’d felt a sweet ache in his chest.
He was falling for her. Somehow this woman who didn’t like being outside and who drove him crazy half the time was turning out to be his type, after all.
It scared him a little. And he kept trying to rein in the feelings that slipped their leash when she handed him the sandwiches. Sure, she’d been great about it. But this wouldn’t be the last time it happened, and how would she react when it happened again? Or when she’d made plans and he didn’t even show up because things went to shit at work and he lost track of time? His job tended to wear on relationships after a while and it was only a matter of time before she remembered he wasn’t what she was looking for in a man.
He realized suddenly that Hailey was standing in his living room window, watching him. Shaking off the melancholy, he got out of the truck and greeted Bear, who came rushing out when she opened the front door. Then he walked up the steps and kissed her hello.
“Was it bad?” she asked while he sat on the bench he used for taking off his boots. Lacing and unlacing the damn things was a pain in the ass.
“No, it wasn’t too bad. Turned out to be a stray dog who’d been on his own for a while. I got him to the shelter and they’ll take care of him.”
“Oh, that’s good then. You looked like you were trying to shake off a bad night,” she said. “When you were sitting in the truck.”
“No, I was just thinking about some stuff I need to do. You didn’t have to stay here and wait up with Bear, you know. It’s kind of late.”
“After I cleaned the kitchen, we came back here so he could have his dinner, and then we were cuddling on the couch, watching a movie. He’s a good date and I lost track of time.”
Matt chuckled and rubbed Bear’s head. “How much roast did you give him?”
“Just enough to make him love me forever.”
“One bite should have done it. It was that good.”
She beamed and, because he was still unsettled by his train of thought in the truck, he looked down at Bear. The dog was sniffing his pants with an intensity that made him smile.
“It was only the one dog, Bear, and he didn’t mean anything. I swear.”
Once he’d satisfied himself that the dog he smelled on his owner’s pants wasn’t hidden in his pockets or his crotch, Bear lost interest and flopped in front of the television with a big sigh.
“I guess I should get home and let you get to bed.”
He snagged her hand as she walked by. “Or you could stay.”
She looked into his eyes and smiled. “Or I could stay.”
EIGHTEEN
HAILEY RAN HER finger down Matt’s naked chest, from the base of his throat down to the point where the sheet was barely protecting his modesty. Or it would be if he had any. The sheet was mostly about her modesty, not his.
“I’ve been thinking...” She trailed her fingertips back up his stomach.
“This can’t end well for me.”
“There’s this bistro in the city I’ve heard about. Rumor has it they have a scampi dish to die for.”
“Bistro? What the hell is a bistro? I bet you could make a good scampi dish.”
She was prepared for a little resistance, and she wasn’t going to give up easily. “Everything tastes better if somebody else cooks it.”
“You want me to drive an hour there and an hour back for scampi?”
“They also have steak. And burgers.”
“I bet you could talk Gavin into making scampi at the diner. Kid’s a helluva cook.”
She propped herself up on her elbow so she could see his face. “I watched the moose. At four-thirty in the morning, I might add. And I rode on the ATV. I think it’s my turn to pick a date, don’t you?”
He sighed. He couldn’t argue with that. “I have Bear to consider.”
“Bear is fine when you’re working. He’ll be fine when you take me out for a nice dinner.”
“A nice dinner is code word for dressing up and spending too much on a glass of wine.”
“I’ll pay, cheapskate.” She didn’t say anything about not dressing up because she intended to. And he was going to, as well. As dressed up as she could get him, anyway.
“That’s not the point.”
She slid her hand under the sheet, teasing the skin that was as low as she could go on his stomach without brushing against what was no doubt a quickly developing erection. “What’s the point?”