“Is that the excuse you want me to believe about all the time you spend at the gym?” Steve asked.
Jeff lifted his arms and flexed his biceps. “Arms like these aren’t created by sitting at a drafting table.”
Steve rolled his eyes and tossed a wadded up napkin down the length of the table at Jeff. “Show off.”
“Drafting table?” Anna asked Jeff. “You mentioned you planned developments.”
“He’s an architect,” Frank answered before Jeff or Steve could steal her attention again. “And Steve’s a rising star on stage.”
As she looked across the table at him, her gaze drifted down to his T-shirt, which showed a nonsensical formula, but to a non-math person, the symbols looked like they spelled “sex=fun”.
“I’ve never seen the integral of Euler’s constant used in a formula quite that way before,” she said, meeting his eyes after staring at his chest for a minute.
“You speak math?” he asked, breaking into a smile.
“A little.” She met his smile with one of her own, and he noticed a small dimple in her right cheek.
God, she is the perfect mix of cute and sophisticated.
Steve groaned. “No math talk while we’re eating pizza. It gives me indigestion.”
She glanced at Steve but spoke directly to Frank. “I got as far as fourth semester Calculus before I decided my real passion was Poli Sci. How far did you go?”
“He’s in it to the bitter end,” Jeff said. “He’s getting the capital P, lowercase h, capital D after his name.”
Frank ignored him. “Did you get your job with Representative Forsyth right after graduation?” he asked Anna.
“No, I started by volunteering for Representative Adam’s first election campaign as an undergraduate. Then I was hired as staff while I finished my masters. But after his term limit was up and he was elected to the U.S. Congress, I was hired by Representative Forsyth three years ago.”
“Why didn’t you follow Adams to DC?”
“Because I prefer working at the state level¼for now.”
He added the years in his head, using that big math brain of his, and figured she’d been working for at least eleven years, which would put her in her early thirties. Not too far out of reach for him.
“Sounds like you’ve got a lot of experience, so why are you knocking on doors asking for signatures?” he asked.
“I believe it’s important to stay in touch with the constituents on a personal level,” she said with a practiced tone.
He grinned. “You’re building face recognition. You’re planning to run for office, aren’t you?”
She glanced from Jeff to Steve then back to him, and nodded. “Eventually, but I haven’t put a date on it in my mind yet.”
Jeff leaned toward Anna with the wine bottle and refilled her empty glass.
“Oh, you shouldn’t have done that,” she protested. “I really should leave and let you get on with your evening.”
“You’re looking at the extent of our plans for the night,” Steve said. “In fact, having you join us for dinner has already made this Friday better than most.”
“Did you have plans for the evening?” Jeff asked. “Is someone waiting for you at home?”
Thank you, Jeff. But then Frank wondered if he was giving off “desperate” signals that Jeff had picked up on and was helping him out accordingly. He glanced at his roommate, but he seemed entranced with Anna, and he wasn’t paying any attention to Frank.
Huh. Jeff hasn’t shown any interest in women since he and Steve started hooking up together about three months ago. Figures they’d both be drooling over the same woman now.
“Uh, no and no,” Anna said. “No plans other than getting out of the rest of this stuffy suit and drinking a few glasses of Chardonnay, which you’ve already provided. Thank you very much.” She took a healthy sip from the refilled glass.
“We could help you with the first part of your plans as well,” Steve said.
Frank looked at him. Shit, is Steve interested in her, too? They’d never competed for the same woman before. Why did they have to start now with Anna?
I guess they see something special in her, too.
Anna giggled then covered her mouth with a hand. “Oh, Lord. I think I drank too much before I ate that slice of pizza.” She pushed back her chair and stood. “I really ought to be going home. Thank you for sharing your dinner and your wine.”
“If you drank too much, you shouldn’t be driving,” Frank said, standing quickly and trying to think of something to say to get her to stay longer.
“I plan to take the bus. I left my car at home today because I knew I was going to be walking the streets.” She laughed. “Boy, that sounded bad, didn’t it?” She grabbed her suit jacket from the back of the chair and moved around the table, heading for the front door.
“What about your petition?” Steve asked, picking up her clipboard from the counter in the kitchen.
“How could I have forgotten that?” She spun around and let out a yelp.
Frank rushed to her side and caught her elbow as she wobbled on her heels. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, thanks. I just twisted my foot the wrong way. I’m fine,” she said and took a step toward Steve who held her clipboard out to her.
But it was obvious she wasn’t fine when her left ankle buckled under her, and Frank caught her around the waist before she tumbled to the floor. He eased her down gently, settling on the floor next to her.
“Thanks for the save,” she said, her cheeks flushing anew as she drew her knees together and tugged down the hem of her skirt.
“Let me take a look,” he said, removing her shoe and smoothing his hand over her bare ankle. Her skin was cool and soft under his palm. He resisted the urge to skim his hand further up her leg. “Does this pressure hurt?”
When she didn’t answer, he looked up and found her gaze fixed on him.
“Uh¼no,” she stammered. “That doesn’t hurt at all.”
“That’s good, but it’s starting to swell. We need to get some ice on it,” he said.
“Let’s get you off the hard floor and onto the couch.” Jeff hunkered down to grab Anna under the knees and behind the back. He stood in one smooth motion. For a big guy, he was graceful.
“Oh, you didn’t need to carry me,” Anna objected. “I’m sure I can walk.”
“Just relax, Anna,” Steve said. “Jeff is always looking for a reason to show off his muscles.”
“Hey, you can’t argue that they don’t come in handy when there’s a damsel in distress,” Jeff responded as he set Anna on the couch.
“Thanks, Jeff,” Anna said and rested her hand on his forearm before he moved away.
Chapter Two
“You know, this is really embarrassing,” Anna said to the three men standing over her where she sat on their couch. “I’m sure I just tweaked my ankle, and I’ll be fine taking the bus home.” She moved to slide her legs to the floor.
Frank stopped her with his large, warm hands on her calves—the same warm hands that had felt so good stroking her ankle.
“You’re not leaving,” he said.
The words should have sent up distress signals in her brain the way he said them with so much command in his voice, but the concern and interest apparent in his eyes made his words sound like an invitation to something yummy.
Maybe she should take them, or rather him, up on the offer to help her get out of the rest of her clothes. She’d really love to get out of her binding skirt and into a soft cotton T-shirt and shorts. But fantasies were one thing, and she’d always been a very practical woman. It was definitely time to leave.
“Here’s some ice for that ankle.” Steve elbowed his way around Frank and set an ice pack on her foot after elevating it with a throw pillow.
“Really, guys. I’m okay. You don’t need to fuss over me like this. I’ll put some ice on it when I get home.” She made a move to rise off the couch.
Jeff’s
huge hands on her shoulders kept her sitting. He knelt on the floor in front her. “Would you do us the honor of being our guest this evening?”
She stared into his dark eyes. They were so black, the pupils were nearly indistinguishable from the irises. His face appeared deeply serious until she caught sight of the right corner of his lips tugging up into a half smile.
“We’ll take you home, of course, if you prefer,” he said, “but we’d really like you to hang out with us for a while. Will you stay a little longer?”
She broke eye contact with him and looked up at Frank and Steve, who stood hovering over the couch. What could they possibly see in her that had them all waiting so expectantly for her response? And did she really want to analyze it, or would she rather go along for the ride and see where she landed? Maybe it was time to toss the practical side of her out of the plane¼for one evening.
She met Jeff’s gaze again. “If I stay, I’ll have to do something about this suit. I really can’t hang out comfortably wearing it.”
His half-smile widened into a full-fledged grin. “As Steve said earlier, we’d be happy to help you achieve part one of your plan.”
She held up her hand, palm out. “Sorry, I don’t mean to give you the wrong idea. I was really hoping to borrow a T-shirt and pair of shorts to change into.”
His smile dimmed slightly, but he still looked quite happy. “Of course. Let me help you into the bathroom while Frank grabs you some clothes.”
Before he could scoop her up again, she grabbed his hands. “Wait. Let me see if I can walk on it now.” She swung her feet to the floor and released one of Jeff’s hands to lean over and remove her remaining shoe.
“Ready?” he asked, standing in front of her, still holding one of her hands.
She looked up and her stomach fluttered. Damn, he is really big. Her eyes settled on his pants directly in front of her. And I don’t think that’s a sock stuck in his pocket, either. The room tilted as a rush of hormones swept through her.
How far was she willing to go tonight?
She looked at Frank again. He gave her another wink. Yeah, I’d definitely go that far tonight if I got the invitation.
Squeezing Jeff’s hand, she said, “Ready.” Then she stood with the majority of her weight on her right foot before slowly easing more and more weight onto her left one. “I think it’s good. Just a temporary zing from twisting it the wrong way.”
“Take a step and see how you do,” Steve said.
Feeling like a toddler just learning how to walk, she held Jeff’s hand, which he didn’t seem to mind. She took a step then another, feeling only a slight tenderness in her injured ankle.
Lifting her face to the men surrounding her, she smiled. “All better¼see.”
“Great,” Frank said. “The bathroom is right next to my room. Head in there, and I’ll get you something to wear.”
As she walked the remaining distance down the hall, the tenderness in her ankle increased until it was more of a sharp pain, but she kept that information to herself, not wanting to draw any more of their concern. If they were going to fuss over her, she didn’t want it to be about her ankle.
She leaned her butt against the sink while she waited for Frank to return. Would he bring her another math T-shirt? Oh God, let his shorts be roomy enough to fit over her waist.
“Here you go,” he said, returning before she could work herself up into a tizzy about being too big to borrow his clothes. “Do you need any help getting undressed?” He gave her a hopeful smile.
She smiled back, taking the offered clothes from him. “Sorry, not this time.”
“That sounds promising.”
She laughed. “Maybe.”
He didn’t look like he was ready to leave. Even though she hated to push him away, her ankle was starting to scream at her.
“I’ll be out in a few minutes,” she said before swinging the door shut.
Then she hopped to the toilet and sat on the closed lid. A couple of tears popped out from under her eyelashes. Shit, her ankle really was screwed up. Taking a few deep breaths, she got her emotions back under control and lifted her leg to get a better look at her ankle.
Yep, definite swelling, but I couldn’t have broken anything, right? It just had to be a pull of something, a sprain maybe.
She lowered her foot and began to take off her blouse. If she were home, she’d be taking off her bra too, to get truly comfortable. She glanced at the dark green T-shirt Frank had given her. Did she dare? It would be obvious she was braless because she wasn’t a small cup size.
Oh, hell, why not? She tucked her bra between the layers of her folded blouse on the counter.
Holding up the T-shirt before putting it on, she giggled. In white letters, it read, “I love math so let’s + me and you, - our clothes, then MULTIPLY.”
Oh, so subtle, Frank! He certainly didn’t seem like a stereotypical math geek, and she loved when a guy could make her laugh.
After donning the super soft T-shirt, she undid the clasp and zipper on her skirt and wiggled out of it without putting any weight on her injured ankle. The shorts Frank had brought were actually cut-off sweats with a drawstring, plenty large enough. She slipped them on over her panties, grateful to be out of her skirt.
Since she was there, she used the facilities and hopped to the sink to wash her hands. Looking in the mirror, she used a piece of toilet tissue to blot her face where her makeup had melted in the sun. She ran her fingers through her hair a few times to put some life back into it.
Then she took a deep breath. Showtime!
She opened the door and was relieved the three men weren’t standing on the other side waiting for her. The sound of the TV in the living room indicated they were waiting for her in there.
She put her left foot out and tried to take a step. “Shit,” she cursed under her breath and hopped onto her right foot.
“Anna?” Frank came zipping around the corner from the living room. “Are you okay?”
His voice sounded full of tender concern, and her ankle hurt like hell, but she wasn’t going to cry. She wasn’t! She couldn’t cry in front of this hottie stranger. She wouldn’t. So why were there tears sliding down her cheeks?
He froze where he stood in the hallway as he watched her face.
“What’s going on?” Jeff came around the corner, but he didn’t stop when he saw Anna’s tears. He just kept coming toward her until he’d swept her up in his arms again. “That ankle isn’t as good as you let us believe, is it?” He carried her into the living room.
She shook her head. “It was okay going into the bathroom.”
“Needs more ice and more time elevating it,” Steve said, putting a pillow on the coffee table. “Put her on the couch facing the TV so she can watch the movie with us.”
Jeff sat on the couch next to her as he lowered her. He removed his hand from under her legs once they were propped up on the table, but he left his arm around her shoulders.
At this close proximity, his scent surrounded her with a heady blend of musk and spice. She wiped her tears away as she resisted the urge to snuggle up into his neck for a better sniff.
“Here. We should have given you some of these earlier,” Steve said, handing her a glass of water and two red ibuprofen tablets.
“Thanks,” she said after swallowing the pain relievers.
“Do you want something else to drink?” Jeff asked.
“No, this water tastes good. I think I was a little dehydrated from my walk in the sun today.”
“There’s a pitcher of filtered water in the fridge,” Steve said. “Let us know if you want more.”
“Sorry, I’m being such a pain,” she said, setting the glass on the table in front of her.
Frank finally came back into the room and sat on her other side on the couch. “I’m sorry you’re in pain,” he said, taking her hand.
It was a surprise that he would initiate that kind of contact, but it felt good—really good—to be sitting o
n the couch between two men with one man’s arm around her shoulders and the other holding her hand.
“Okay, so are we ready to start the movie?” Steve stood near the large, flat screen TV with a remote in his hand.
“What are you watching?” she asked.
“How do you feel about horror movies?” Frank asked.
“Uh¼scared?” she said.
“Perfect,” Jeff said with a chuckle.
Anna smiled to herself. They probably wanted her scared so she would turn to them to hide her eyes. Mostly, she thought horror movies were funny, but she’d be willing to play along with the damsel in distress role in this case if it gave her an excuse to cuddle up with one or two of these men. Yeah, this was going to work out well for everyone.
Steve started the movie and closed the heavy curtains over the windows before taking a seat in the armchair to the right of the couch with his feet on a matching ottoman. “Too much glare,” he said.
Right, plus the additional benefits of privacy and mood lighting. This was quickly becoming the best Friday night of her life, regardless of the pain in her ankle.
As the opening credits rolled by on the screen, the room filled with music from the surround sound system. It was just like being in a movie theatre. They’d probably even make her popcorn if she asked.
Frank leaned his head toward hers and whispered in her ear. “By the way, you look hot in my T-shirt¼ I like the natural look.”
His warm breath tickled along her neck and she shivered. At the same time, her nipples hardened under the soft cotton, displaying them more prominently.
Frank’s hand squeezed hers and she squeezed back, smiling at him. “Thanks for lending it to me.”
His eyes fell to her lips, and he dipped his head. She met him halfway in a soft, lingering kiss. She closed her eyes as the room tilted around her, and she tried to memorize this feeling of his lips pressed against hers.
As they drew apart for a breath, she became aware of Jeff lightly tracing his finger in a circle on her bare thigh. She met his gaze.
Three Signatures for the Lady Page 2
