Page 9 of Hot Touch (Love To The Rescue #3)

SIX

ALEJANDRA

“Would you like me to take you to your sister’s place?” he asked the moment he got into his truck.

I turned to look at him, trying not to think of how good he smelled when he’d leaned over me just a few seconds ago, insisting on helping me into the truck, then buckling me up.

There was something so sexy about that, and the easy way his arm was draped over the steering wheel, it was easy to get distracted by the view.

Especially when his arms looked all muscly.

“I don’t think my place is habitable. Or not yet. Unless?—“

“I’m sorry. I should have been clearer. I just meant, if you don’t want to go to your sister’s place, you could always come home with me.”

“Home with you?” I repeated, shifting my body to look at him better. Was I actually in a coma? Was my mind playing tricks on me? I had no idea what kind of Twilight Zone I’d stepped into where a man like him, because he was definitely all man, would be so interested in me.

“Yeah,” he rasped. I wasn’t sure if my mind was playing tricks on me with the way his gaze dropped to my lips, and he got a sort of hungry look in his eye.

Like he wants to kiss me. “My place,” he repeated.

“We could hang out. I can cook for you, and if you want, I can take you to your sister’s place later.

“You, umm, don’t have to work today?” I asked, not bothering to hide my curiosity.

“No. I’m off for the next week.”

“A week, huh? That’s nice.”

“And for the record, it’s not ready. Your apartment, I mean. Not yet. I talked to a buddy of mine. He thinks the building might still be structurally secure, but it will be at least a week or two until they know for sure.”

“Oh,” I said. “Does that mean… we all have to wait almost two weeks till we know if we can get our things?”

“No, baby. I asked if I could help you get your things, and he said tenants would be let in starting tomorrow.”

“Oh, wow. Thank you.” I had a feeling it had been a little more than asking Nathan had done. I wasn’t sure if that was simply protocol or if he did it for me.

“So… where would you like to go?” His eyes definitely dropped to my mouth. Maybe he is attracted to me? Maybe this is a hookup? Maybe that’s how firemen do it? Playing the knight in shining armor and getting the hookup.

“Your place,” I answered. No regrets. Even if all I ended up being was a notch on his bedpost, I knew I wouldn’t regret it.

Twenty minutes later, I couldn’t believe where he pulled up to.

I blinked and blinked again. The one-story cottage, two streets down from my childhood home.

The same house I would stare at with longing as I walked to and from school as a kid.

One that I would let my imagination run wild with, thinking that was where I wanted to live when I got older.

When I had a family of my own. A place and dream I’d completely forgotten about.

Until now.

“What is it?” He put the truck in Park , his attention on me.

“You live here,” I stated, still not believing my eyes. This was some kind of joke or weird coincidence.

“I do. Why?” Curiosity was painted all over his face. I opened and shut my mouth then covered it with the tips of my fingers.

“I just…” I giggled. He’d repainted the place since I’d seen it last. White with dark edging. It somehow made the place look like something out of a fairytale.

“What is it?” he asked without rushing me to get out. He hadn’t even turned the car off, so the AC was running to keep both of us comfortable.

“I just…” I chewed on my lower lip before turning back to him. “I grew up around here. I used to live two streets down. On Thyme Drive.”

“Really?” His head tilted slightly, and it was a little unnerving the way I had his complete attention. How I wanted to tell him everything about my life so he could tell me all about his.

“Yeah. I’d walk to school and…”

“And what?”

“This was my favorite house on my walk,” I shared.

“I’d tell myself all these stories about the people who lived here.

What it would be like to live here one day.

Have my own family here,” I admitted. Something flashed in his eyes, something I wasn’t prepared to dissect. “I don’t know… it was silly.”

“It’s not.” His hand took mine.

“You repainted,” I pointed out. He nodded quietly, his gaze never wavering from mine. If anyone else had done that, I’d have felt like I was under a microscope. With him, it was different. I felt like he saw me. Really saw me. “I like it more than the old avocado green it used to be.”

“Thanks.” He cleared his throat. His fingers stroked my hand before he brought it up between us and leaned in to kiss the top of it. “Don’t get out yet, ‘kay?” I simply nodded.

Sweat started to form at the back of my neck, and my heart started to beat a little faster.

I was doing this. I was actually going to do this.

I was walking into a man’s place, a man who I had just met, and I had every intention of letting him make me feel incredibly alive if he wanted to.

I had a feeling there wasn’t anything I wouldn’t agree with if he asked.

I couldn’t tear my eyes off him as he rounded the truck. That beautiful intense blue gaze on me, like he was afraid I’d jump out or disappear into thin air. Every step he took seemed almost predatory.

And I was happy as a duck, waiting to get caught.