“He also said you went and saw him at his work. He recognized you.”
I had told Andrew I’d gone to see Eli, but that wasn’t my concern. “Did he think it was suspicious? Did you tell him you hired me? You know, in the beginning?”
He surprised me by laughing. “Good Lord, no. Why would I do that? He just figured you were curious about him.”
I leaned up so I could see his face and told him the truth. “I was. I wanted to see what kind of guy I was dealing with, in a situation that didn’t involve you. And I had to see what he was like,” I admitted. “And if I’m being completely honest, I wanted to see why you picked him.”
Andrew gave me a smug smirk. He looked kinda sleepy and sated. Happy, even. “I didn’t pick him. He picked me. Well, to begin with anyway.”
“So, he’s not that crazy.” I didn’t want to ask if Eli admitted to singling Andrew out in hopes of stealing his artwork—the thought alone made me ragey—and I didn’t want Andrew to feel used. Any more than he already did, anyway. “He’s still a wanker. But you have a history with him, and I can respect that.”
“Can we not talk about him?” he asked. He ran his hand through my hair and then studied my eyes for a moment. “I’d much prefer to talk about you. And if we don’t get up off this bed soon, I don’t think we’ll be getting up all day.”
The thought alone of what he was implying made me hum. “Gee, tough decision. To do my laundry or you.” He laughed at that, but rolled off the bed making me fall face-first into my pillow. I groaned. “Laundry it is then.”
CHAPTER THREE
“Can today involve a nap?” I asked in the car on our way to his place.
“Are you five?”
I rubbed my eyes with the heels of my hands. “Last night is catching up with me.”
“Or are you just trying to get me back into bed?”
“Possibly. Do you always answer every question with a question?”
He grinned. “Possibly.”
“I really am sorry about last night. I actually don’t drink that often,” I told him. “Which is why I was so wrecked.”
“It’s okay Spencer,” he said, looking from the road to me. He smiled. “Emilio told me that you’re not a real drinker. Maybe a few beers now and then, but not normally hard liquor.” He laughed a bit. “I think they were worried I’d think less of you. They were all so busy telling me what a good guy you are.”
I shook my head. “I didn’t ask them to do that.”
“Yes, I know. They were worried about you.”
I sighed. “I owe them a pretty big thank you. Dinner or something.”
“They also told me you’d been different with me from day one,” he said, just all casual-like. There was a hint of humour in his eyes.
“They did, huh?”
“Yep. Said you were all ridiculous smiles whenever you mentioned my name.”
“Right, then. Well, I’m taking back the offer to buy them dinner.”
He laughed. “So it’s true?”
“My answer depends on whether you agree to a nap this afternoon.”
He laughed. “I take it that’s a yes.”
I could feel my cheeks flush with embarrassment. “I told you already you were different. But I object to the term ridiculous smiles.”
He was still smirking when he parked his car near his apartment. I grabbed my bag of laundry from the backseat and followed him inside. “I don’t know, Spencer,” he said, putting his keys and wallet on the hallstand. His voice was quieter, more serious. “I happened to like hearing that you thought I was special from day one. When they told me, Lola laughed and said my smile matched your ridiculous one. So we’re probably even.”
I stood there, holding my bag of laundry, not sure what to do with it. I was suddenly nervous. Here we were, alone at his place. I mean, we’d been alone all morning, but this was somehow different. It was like we were one breath away from going at it like rabbits, or he was about to tell me he’d changed his mind. “Well, that’s good then. We can be ridiculous together.”
He studied me for a long moment before walking slowly over to stand in front of me. He put his hand on my laundry bag, where I was clutching it tightly. His fingers touched mine, and warmth shot up my arm causing the butterflies in my stomach to take flight, and he stared into my eyes. I licked my lips, wanting to kiss him, and he leaned in just a fraction, but stopped short of contact. “I’ll take that for you,” he said gruffly and pulled the bag out of my hand. He took a step back and my breath left me in a rush.
“Fuck,” I mumbled, not really meaning to say the word out loud. “Are you trying to kill me?”
He grinned. “Just checking it wasn’t some kind of fluke before.”
“A fluke? What fluke? That I find you insanely hot or that you make my stupid brain malfunction?”
He laughed quietly. “Maybe both.”