Page 65

“Youknock it off. This is a public hallway. There are children here. Innocent eyes.”

His tone was more playful than censuring, and I snorted. “You haven’t had innocent eyes since the seventh grade.”

Jimmy nodded to a mother and daughter exiting the bathroom behind me, and I shrugged away his hand.

“Point made,” I grumbled.

Ty relaxed back against the opposite wall, but I noted he was still breathing hard, and I let the evidence of how much he wanted me soothe any lingering embarrassment.

“Back to your tables. Next round is about to start. And we’re winning. Don’t blow it, Andi.” Jimmy narrowed his gaze, scowling. “Don’t make me come back here.”

Jimmy turned on his heel, striding down the hall, and I watched him go, using the extra moment to compose myself, smoothing my hair back.

Ty’s rueful smile echoed my own. “I guess we could have better timing.”

“What is it with this hallway? Do they pump it with aphrodisiac gas or something?”

“You are a one-woman aphrodisiac, Andi. I think it’s the illusion of privacy that makes this hallway so tempting. But I’m done with illusions. I want the real thing.” His steady gaze watched my expression. “I want you.”

Warmth rushed through me at his words. It couldn’t get much clearer than his statement. As much as I wanted to drill him on why he’d cooled off after our date, why he’d been so aloof instead of talking to me about Ed, the thrill of him sharing his feelings for me eased some of my fears.

Before I could do more than lean in to ask, Jeannie was clearing her throat at our side.

“Round’s starting.”

Frustrated by the interruption, I did my best to tamp down the desire to hold onto Ty until we’d talked everything out.

Ty mouthed “One-woman aphrodisiac” to me as he followed the other woman back to his table.

I couldn’t hold back the grin as I returned to my team, though I studiously ignored their knowing smiles. Even Ed looked like he’d been clued in.

“Let’s do this, Rejects. I feel like winning,” I said instead, rubbing my hands together.

Whether or not they knew it, victory was already mine tonight.

Chapter 14 – Ty

I had barely kicked my door closed before I was texting Andi. My fellow Knit Wits had ribbed me mercilessly when we lost, but my concentration was shot after our kiss in the hallway. All I could think of was spending more time with Andi. In private. I’d been a fool to take so much time, but I’d needed to be sure.

Seeing Ed with Andi at trivia had stung. I’d battled my conscience all evening, waffling between outrage that she’d brought a date and fear that I’d lost her by moving too slow, convincing myself it was my own fault for pulling back, keeping secrets.

I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions. Andi wasn’t Jess. I’d felt humbled when I finally read my text message from her. Flinging myself on her mercy in the hall had been a necessity, even if it destroyed my focus for the rest of the evening, fantasizing about taking those hallway kisses further. I needed to make it up to her. And that started with being clear.

Ty: I want to make it official. Come over tomorrow? I’ll cook for you.

Andi: You said the magic words.

Her quick response eased some of the tension I’d been feeling. The return to our easy teasing helped reassure me that I hadn’t done anything unforgivable.

Ty: What? I want to make it official? Be exclusive?

Andi: No. I’ll cook. ??

I grinned. She’d grown up in the kitchen with Jimmy. I’d been to her grandma’s house more than once and been conscripted to help. No one escaped kitchen duty at the Torres house.

Ty: Wait. All this time, and that’s all I needed to do?

Andi: Not ALL …