Page 17

She tried to play it cool and stepped back so he could enter. She closed the door on the freezing night. It took her brain a second to truly comprehend he was suddenly taking up a lot of the small space—just like he took up her thoughts. “What are you doing here?”

He stuffed his hands in his jeans pockets, his leather jacket making him look even bigger and broader than he already appeared. “I’m sorry.”

She couldn’t believe he’d come here to apologize. “You could have texted that.”

He shook his head and shivered. “I wanted to do it in person. I...” He pulled his hands out of his pockets and brought them to his mouth and blew air into them.

She grabbed his sleeve and tugged him over to the fireplace. “Sit. Warm up.”

He stared at the two sleek, navy blue recliners, unlike their overstuffed counterparts, then at her. “Are you sure?”

She sat and held her hand out toward the empty chair.

He sat, looking much bigger in the cozy chair than Jax did when he sat in it. “This is actually really comfortable.” Viper settled in and rubbed his hands together, letting the heat from the fire warm his side and hands as it filled the room again.

She put her elbow on the arm of the chair, her chin in her hand, and stared at him. “So. You’re sorry for standing me up.”

His gaze shot to hers. “Was it a date?” Shock, surprise, and regret filled his bourbon-brown eyes.

Her cheeks heated, and it had nothing to do withthe fire. “I . . . uh . . . thought you planned to have dinner at the bar.” She kept it vague, unsure what he really wanted with her, because up until now, there’d been an imaginary boundary between them. Tonight, he’d crossed it by coming to see her at her place and not in the bar.

He leaned forward, everything about him intense. “Lyric, I’m sorry. Really, I am. You have no idea how much I regret not making it tonight.” His stomach rumbled.

A grin tugged at her lips. “I take it you didn’t eat somewhere else?”

“No. I got caught up doing something with one of the guys from the MC.”

Yeah, the motorcycle club, where a bunch of equally rough and tough guys hung out. One of the reasons everyone kept warning her away from him. But she couldn’t seem to help the pull he had on her. “You guys all seem really tight.”

He seemed to think about what he wanted to say. “I couldn’t get out of it. I’m sorry.”

“You said that already. Like three times now. And it’s fine. I was just...” She couldn’t tell him she was disappointed.

“What?” It felt like he wanted her to say something specific.

She eyed him. “Are you busy right now?”

“No. Why?”

“You’re hungry. I’ve got a ton of leftover pot roast.”

He shook his head. “You don’t have to do that.”

“I offered. So?”

A hint of a grin tilted his lips before it disappeared with his words. “I’d love some. And the company.”

Me, too.“Then, you can have both.”

“Can I have a glass of that wine, too?” He notched his chin toward the bottle and her glass on the little table between them.

“I’ll get you a glass, then run down to the kitchen to make you a plate.”

She stood but didn’t even take a step when he gently took her by the wrist. “I don’t want to put you out.”

“You’re not. I’ll only be a few minutes. Relax. Drink some wine. Warm up.”

“You’re not worried about leaving me in your place?”