“No problem. I’ll grab your bags and help you inside,” he says.
Great. He solved my dilemma of asking him in. Although, I have to keep things PG. Why though?Just because he’s looked at your lips and stared into your eyes doesn’t mean he wants the same thing. That’s why.Maybe I did knock my head when I fell. That would explain my wandering thoughts. But it doesn’t explain the way my body is reacting to him.
So I don’t sound like a totally hopeless case, I say, “It’s not far. I’ll be fine.” I don’t want to put him out or put myself closer to temptation.
He unbuckles his seatbelt and gives me a dubious look. “Yeah, right.”
He gets out of the car, collects my bags from the backseat, and jogs around to the passenger side, helping me from the seat. Standing next to me, he holds onto me much like he did earlier.
“Are you okay with walking? I can carry you if that’s easier.”
Again, the offer to carry me. Not only is he freaking gorgeous, but he’s also caring and sweet. I imagine him sweeping me off my feet like I weigh no more than a feather, kicking open my front door, so impatient to get me to my bedroom where he’d place me on the bed ever so gently. What wasn’t so gentle wasthe way he’d devour my body and— Oh God! What is happening to me?
“Twinkle Toes, are you okay to walk?” he asks again. Oh, how I’m loving that name.
“Yes, I can walk.”
“Hold on to me like you did earlier.” He slides a hand around my waist. Just an innocent touch is giving me not-so-innocent thoughts.
Slowly, we walk up the cracked, concrete path leading to the building. Once inside we carefully climb the rickety, timber stairs. Stopping at my door, I dig out the key from my bag hanging over Hayden’s shoulder and unlock the door.
“Thanks again for your help,” I say. “You’ve been so kind. I have to tell Harper her brother-in-law is a knight in shining armor.”
He chuckles. “I couldn’t let you sit injured in a puddle of water.”
“Well, I appreciate it. I don’t know what I would have done without you.”
His arm is still around my waist. The side of my body is still pressed against him. It’s like we don’t want to let each other go.
His gaze, once again, drops to my lips. I swallow hard. “Would you like to…arhhh…come in?”
“Sure. I’ll bring your bags in.”
We step into the apartment, and I hobble to the sofa. My apartment isn’t much. It’s small and run-down. If it were up to my parents, they’d buy me something in SoHo Manhattan. They hate that I’m ‘roughing it’ as they liked to call my living arrangements. I liked to call it character building. If I’m going to be a struggling artist, I may as well live like one.
“You can place the bags over there.” I point to a corner of the living room.
Hayden releases me so he can put the bags down. Immediately, I miss having him so close. Maybe I should sway on my feet so he can catch me? I mentally slap my forehead. I need to stop watching so many rom-com movies.
Taking it easy, I sit on the sofa and prop my leg on the scarred timber coffee table and take a better look at my knee. I bite my bottom lip as a chill runs over my skin. Blood has dried over a good-sized abrasion.
“You need to get dry. Where are your towels?” he asks.
I point to a door. “The bathroom’s through there. Towels are on a shelf.”
When he disappears to get them, I scan the room for anything I don’t want Hayden to see. I’m not the tidiest person, and it’s not uncommon to find a bra tossed on a piece of furniture. Thankfully, the area is clear of any underwear.
Hayden reappears holding two blue towels and hands me one of them. He uses the other to scrub his damp hair, messing it up into sexy spikes. He’s just as wet as I am, but at least I’m wearing a dry sweater.Hayden’s dry sweater.
“You must be freezing. Here, take this.” I remove his sweatshirt and pass it to him.
He takes it but doesn’t put it on. Placing it on the arm of the sofa, he says, “I’m okay. Can I get you something dry to put on?”
“No, that’s okay. I’ll jump into a hot shower to warm up.”
“I’ll come with you.”
We both suck in a surprised gasp. Our eyes lock. My heart pounds hard against my ribs.