Page 42 of When You Blush

Reluctantly, Xander shakes my hand, and I join Harper at the car, opening her door for her.

“This is like déjà vu,” she says as I pull away from the house. “Maybe I should have met you there. Just in case.”

“I’m taking you home with me,” I reply after reaching over to take her hand and link my fingers through hers. “I’m going to cook for you, and we’ll see where the night takes us.”

She lifts an eyebrow. “What are you cooking?”

“Shrimp scampi. The pasta has carbs, sorry.”

“Yum.” She bounces in her seat. I love her enthusiasm for food. “I would have brought something had I known.”

“You already fed me today.” I bring her hand up to my lips and nibble on her fingertips as I drive into town. “It was delicious, by the way. Not as delicious as you, but a close second.”

I hear her breath catch beside me, making me smug as hell.

Oh yeah, sugar, I’m going to nibble on your entire body tonight.

And we will not be fucking interrupted.

“So you like to cook?” she asks.

“Yes, actually, it’s a hobby of mine.” I turn off the highway and into my neighborhood on the edge of town. It’s a quiet neighborhood of newer homes, spread apart enough so we’re not on top of each other.

I pull into the garage and turn to her.

“Wait for me.”

After she nods, I get out of the car and circle to open her door. When she climbs out, I cup her jaw and cheek, run my thumb over her soft skin, and kiss her. Her response is immediate. Her hands clutch my sides, and she lets out that little moan that never fails to make my cock hard.

And when I pull back, I tuck her hair behind her ear.

“I have to shower,” I whisper. “And then I’ll make you dinner.”

“Sounds like a plan.” She presses her lips together, then licks them as if she’s searching for my taste. It almost makes me kiss her again.

But I reallydoneed a shower.

So I grab the groceries from the back of the car, then lead her inside through the mudroom off the garage.

“This is a nice neighborhood,” she says as she follows me in and kicks her shoes off by the door as if she’s settling into stay a while.

Fuck yes, get cozy, sweetheart.

“I like it,” I reply, leading her into the kitchen. “Most of my neighbors are older, so it’s really quiet. I don’t mind kids, but itisnice when I have to sleep during the day, and there isn’t a bunch of yelling outside in the summer.”

She nods. “I get it. Xander’s house is super quiet, too. Here, let me unload, and you go get in the shower.”

“You sure?”

“Yes. It’ll also give me time to snoop around your house.”

I smirk, kiss her cheek, and wrap my arms around her chest from behind so I can hold her against me. “Snoop away, sugar. I don’t have any secrets.”

“I was kidding.”

“I’m not.” I press my lips to her head and breathe her in. “Nothing is off-limits. Open drawers, look under the bed, and check out the closets. Whatever you want. Oh, don’t judge me if you find some dust bunnies.”

She looks around and then cranes her neck to look up at me. “It’s spotless in here, Blake.”