Chapter Five
Allison’s stomach tightened. After all Jared had done for her, she didn’t want to be mean, seem ungrateful, but…
“These aren’t going to fit.”
His lopsided smile disarmed her as his gaze ran the length of her. Her flesh tingled wherever his eyes lingered, curling her toes. For the hundredth, maybe the thousandth time today, whenever she looked at him her body grew warm. Okay, maybe more inferno-ish.
“Trust me. At this point I think I know what’ll fit you better than you do.”
“I highly doubt that.” She rolled her eyes playfully. “So, you get me into a clothing store¸ think you know the score better than me, and the power makes you all flirty?” The urge to be reckless gave her a large dose of courage.
“Am I being flirty?” He touched his chin to his shoulder, batting his eyes.
She laughed. “Is that supposed to be an impression of me?”
“Apparently I pulled it off because you got it right on the first try.” He thrust the pile of clothes into her arms, nudging her toward the changing room. “Humor me.”
“Fine, but I don’t think there’ll be any humor involved when you’re eating crow.”
“Gramps again?” This time he rolled his eyes, and she bit her lip in an unsuccessful attempt to control her smile.
“If I fit into half of these, I’ll buy you a beer.” The frisky words rolling off her tongue felt good—but she was thrilled more by the way his eyebrow shot up in surprise.
“Works for me. And if I’m wrong?”
Then you owe me a kiss.
Instead of speaking her thoughts aloud she licked her lips and stammered, “I-I don’t know.” Her belly flipped at the possibilities. At least all the possibilities that her awakening libido imagined.
If only she dared to be more brazen in reality instead of just in her mind.
A little makeup, a visit to a hair stylist, and a shopping trip had suddenly made her awareness of Jared grow tenfold. Or was it due in part to them spending the day together, getting to know each other?
Whatever the reason, it felt good. New. Thrilling and exciting.
A slow smile spread across his face. She rubbed her lips together as she imagined what his mouth would feel like on hers.
“Why don’t you think about it while you’re changing?” He tapped her temple, and she laughed, brushing away his hand. “But don’t think too hard, because everything I handed you will fit.”
“Whatever.” She huffed in mock annoyance. “You’re full of yourself.”
“I’m confident.”
“Me, too.” She entered the dressing room, turning back to look at him over her shoulder and batting her eyes. His smooth chuckle made her squirm, shooting goose bumps across her skin. For the last decade she’d worn the same size. She anticipated the moment when she’d peek out from behind the door to ask him to grab something larger. “Do you want dipping sauce for your crow?” she called through the door.
“I’m not hungry, but I am thirsty thinking about that cold brew you’re going to buy me.”
His words kept the smile on her lips as she hung her sweater on the nearby hook and unbuttoned her blouse, hanging it over her sweater. She thrust her hand into her sweater pocket and nabbed a piece of chocolate, popping it into her mouth.
Of course he was drop-dead gorgeous. It’s not like she hadn’t noticed before, but why did she become so over-the-top giddy when he looked, complimented, or smiled at her? Not to mention this little back and forth flirting competition.
She toed off her shoes, fighting the urge to dance in a circle and squeal. Yes. Squeal. She looked at the ceiling and closed her eyes, hugging her middle, pressing her heels together, and bending at the knees.
“How’s it going in there?”
“It’s going.” She wiggled out of the rest of her clothes as she worked the piece of candy with her tongue, swallowing more of the melting chocolate. After their hug in the break room had sent all her lady parts on high alert, she’d told herself to keep some distance. But hot heck, every word he uttered, every look he shot her way, sent tingles across her flesh.
And when they touched…
She snapped the last bit of chocolate in half with her teeth. The sensation of heat mixed with pulsating chills and heart-stopping tingles was something she wanted to feel over and over again. The main reason she’d grabbed his hand after they’d left Margarite’s was to relive the thrill.
“Come on. I’m getting thirsty.”
She jumped as she tugged a pair of jeans off the hanger. “Give a girl a minute.”
“A minute?” he teased. “It’s been close to five. Not that I’m clock watching.”
She pictured him looking at his watch. Heck, she pictured him just standing outside that little wooden door, hands in his pockets, rocking on his heels. Probably attracting all kinds of attention. She’d gone geek-girl giddy, like she had in high school over Brock Davis, star athlete and God’s gift to women everywhere—at least those still in high school. The only time he’d ever talked to her was when he wanted to cheat off her math test. Not that she’d minded. Their mini conversations had given her enough material for a few daydreams, and a few night dreams, too.
But she wasn’t in high school any longer, even though at times she feared her emotions had never graduated. She’d catch up in that area as soon as she got out there socially and went on a few dates. Experience would be key.
The moment she slid the jeans up her legs and over her rear, then buttoned them, she spun around.
They fit?
“Are you stalling because you’re buying me a beer?”
“I’m stalling because I’m thinking about what type of dipping sauce I want with my crow.”
His laughter soothed the sting of being wrong. She checked the view from the back, front, and side, pressing her hand to her middle and sucking in her gut and then pushing it out. They fit well, not tight in the least. As a matter of fact, not even one little piece of flesh puckered at the waistline.
How’d he know?
No matter. She wiggled her way into the casual tee and pulled it down to her waist. It snapped back a little and bared a teeny-tiny patch of her belly. The light blue, cottony material made her skin glow. And it fit so snugly around her boobs she wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to wear it in public.
“Come out and let me see how right I am.”
“Don’t let it go to your head,” she teased. “Unless, of course, this is your first time.”
“Yeah, right,” he said around his laughter. “My first—”
She opened the dressing room door, ready for his snarky retort. His eyes grew wide, and his mouth hung open as if he’d forgotten what he was about to say. His darkened gaze covered her like honey dripping over the edges of a biscuit. All slow, sweet, and mouthwatering. He licked his lips. And for some reason watching his Adam’s apple work so hard when he swallowed turned her on.
Decision made. Apparently I’ll be wearing this tee and jeans everywhere I go.
She liked his reaction. Definitely a confidence booster.
“I-I told you they’d fit.” He raked his fingers through his hair.
How come his attention seemed so focused on her chest? More importantly, why was she taking advantage of the situation and thrusting her shoulders back.
Allison rubbed her lips together. “Looks like I owe you a beer.” Feeling reckless, she slid her fingers down her waist and over her hip, reveling in the way his eyes followed her every movement.
“I could definitely use a drink about now.” He laughed. A husky, sexy sound that came from deep inside his chest.
The sound rolled over her like a warm spring rain and made her knees wobble. There was something about a man’s laugh that had always attracted her. Jared had one of the best. It’d been the first thing she’d noticed about him when Nick had brought him home all those years ago, but it’d never affected her so much until today. This moment to be exact.
He blinked several times, as if he couldn’t focus. Was he nervous?
If not, she was nervous enough for the both of them but excited, too.
“What I want to know is how you knew these would fit.” She pulled the hem of the tee again, but it didn’t seem to do much good. Except that it drew his attention to the swell of her breasts. Was it wrong to like the attention? Who cares about right and wrong—especially now?
He shrugged. “I have an eye for a woman’s shape.”
“Oh, I’m sure.” She shifted her weight to one leg.
“I’m not being a pervert.” But that didn’t stop another flush from creeping up his neck as he concentrated on her fingers tugging at her shirt. Just to test him—and maybe tease him a little bit with her newfound power—she rubbed her hand over the skin of her belly, lifting the fabric of her shirt by mere millimeters to reveal more skin. Her reward was the way his hand shook when he rubbed the side of his neck as his olive complexion grew a shade darker.
Her heart swelled. The confidence king embarrassed?
“Your story,” she teased.
“You said yourself you didn’t know what the hell you were doing when it came to clothes and makeup. I always assumed you preferred baggy clothes, but since you’re all about taking chances and switching things up, it’s time to start tailoring your wardrobe.”
“Not only are you speaking pretty fast, you’re mighty long-winded.” She flipped her hair over her shoulder, enjoying the fact that he didn’t seem to be able to deliver a comeback. “Either way, you were right. I can’t hide behind my clothes and hair any longer. Part of being confident means attracting attention—and another part means I can’t let it faze me. I have to learn to take things in stride.”
“Now you got it.”
“But right now this doesn’t feel very natural.” She pulled at her shirt again. Doubt had a way of creeping in, even though she tried to fight it. She turned slowly on the heel of her sock, pulling her shoulder in under her chin as she tried to get a glimpse of her backside again in the mirrors lining the wall. “You sure it’s not too tight back there?”
From beneath her lashes she checked out her own image and then Jared’s. All the color that had overpowered his face moments ago slipped away.
His eyes bore right through her, and he licked his lips again. Whatever danced in the air between them had to be sexual tension. It went nicely with the swoop of heat filling her core. She’d read about it, liked the feel of it between them, and wanted it to last.
He came up behind her and laid his hands on her shoulders, massaging her gently. “Don’t let that confidence-eating bug back in, Al. Your clothes look great; you look great. Trust me.”
“I do.” His touch sent an array of shivers along her skin, and her body seemed to sway toward him of its own accord. He leaned in to her, the heat from his body wrapping around her. Owning her. She closed her eyes, her head bumped his chin, breaking her trance.
He cleared his throat, taking a step back. “Try on the rest. I’m going to pick out a few outfits suitable for work.”
He turned abruptly, and she followed him with her eyes, pulling at her lower lip with her teeth. What the heck were they doing? More importantly, why the heck did she keep egging him on?
...
Jared couldn’t wait for this day to end. Not that he wasn’t enjoying his time with Allison. Actually, he might be enjoying it too much. What he didn’t like was the constant threat of a boner every time she smiled at him, touched him, or tested out her newfound flirting skills.
She was a natural-born flirt—even if she didn’t know it—and it scared the shit out of him. For himself and for any other man within the zip code. The most attractive part about her new skill was that he didn’t think she even realized her effect. Her pouty lips, the way her lashes flickered over her cheeks, and how her eyes darkened whenever she said something a little bit out of her comfort zone.
For someone so new to the game, she’d mastered the art, plus some.
Although they’d left the store almost half an hour ago, his mind still lingered on the way her ass looked in those jeans—even though her nonstop chatter should’ve cut through his thoughts on the car ride to her apartment and the promised beer. The beer he wasn’t sure he should accept since it meant being alone with her. In her apartment.
But hell, he liked to live on the edge. Test himself. Didn’t he? And his mouth was definitely dry.
He came back to the present as he shifted a bag higher up his arm, his gaze honing in on the same ass in the same damn jeans he’d been fantasizing about seconds ago. In real time. Shit, he wished she hadn’t decided to wear them home. How could a man concentrate with a view like that walking down the corridor in front of him?
The weight of all the bags draped over his arms didn’t distract him enough from the way her hips swayed gently from side to side—calling his name, teasing him until his mouth had grown so dry he couldn’t even work up a good swallow—as she led the way, carrying her own armful of purchases.
She looked over her shoulder and gave him a smile. “You’ve never been here before.”
“It’s a day of firsts.” What would her place look like? Would he discover something new about her he didn’t know?
The idea of uncovering another layer had him stepping up his pace, even though he still kept tight focus on her perfect ass. Those jeans were made for her.
She balanced a box against her hip as she inserted her key into the lock, smiling at him. “Are you coming? I can’t imagine I wore you out. We were only at the mall for a few hours.”
“Long enough.”
“You sound like a man who doesn’t shop.” She kicked the door open with her foot, and he followed her inside.
“My tailor has my measurements. I can shop with a phone call.”
She nodded. “Nice. I guess. After today, I kind of like doing it in person.”
“I’m sure.” He unloaded her goods onto the couch and the floor beside it, taking in her apartment. His eyes immediately locked onto the Kama Sutra book on the dining table. Although it was closed, several pieces of paper stuck out at the top where she’d marked pages. He picked it up. “Whatcha got here?”
The sight of her blushing would never get old. She grabbed the book from his hands and hugged it to her chest. “That’s for my eyes only.”
His gaze strayed to where the book had laid on the table, hiding several printouts. He skimmed his hands over the pages. “What’s all this?”
“More none-of-your-business stuff.” She shooed his hand away, gathered the pages, and turned them over so he couldn’t read what they said. But she hadn’t been fast enough. She’d obviously been researching aphrodisiacs.
“I’ll give you credit, Al. You haven’t even met the guy you want to date, and you’re already researching the next step.” He’d laugh at her thoroughness if it didn’t worry him so much. Damn Lance, he’d really done a number on her.
“I like to be prepared.”
“Like we discussed before, don’t rush it. Meet someone, get to know him, and the rest will follow. It’s not a race.” Fuck. Sometimes you sound like a girl. The closeness he shared with his mother, their late-into-the-night talks and confidences, might have made him too soft. Too understanding when it came to women. Even though he played the field, he’d never slept with a woman without there being something more than sex between them. And he never would.
“I appreciate your opinion.” She blew out a breath. “I’ve no plans to jump into bed with the first guy I date, but I’d like to have some experience when I do. Even if I get it from a book.”
He held up his palms, as if preparing to argue his point. But what could he really say? It wasn’t like she was a kid, or that she wasn’t taking the time to prepare. Too bad that didn’t stop the punch to his gut at the thought of her with another man.
She twisted the ends of her hair before tucking the length behind her ear. “I call change of subject. How abo
ut that beer I owe you?”
“Good idea. I’m in.” He followed the line of her back until he reached the delectable curve of her rear as she made her way to the kitchen. He heard her twist off two caps, and then she returned to the living room, holding out a longneck.
He took a long swig as she grabbed a quick sip of hers and then scrunched her nose.
“Not a beer fan?”
“I keep it around for Nick. Wine is more my thing, but Colleen and I used up my reserves over the weekend.”
He nodded, finishing his tour of her apartment with a quick appraisal. “How is Coll? She hasn’t been to Sunday dinner in a long time.”
“She’s good. Busy with Jerry and work.” She set her nearly full beer on the dining room table, leaning against the edge.
He nodded. Allison favored traditional furniture. Heavy wood with a few nice art pieces and family pictures filling the wall. A penguin pillow lay haphazardly on the couch as if she’d curled up with it recently, and penguin slippers sat on the floor in front of the couch. As his gaze circled back around toward her, he noticed the large curio cabinet filled with more penguins. Hundreds. Maybe more. She followed his gaze and grinned, walking over to the cabinet. “My addiction.”
“I see that. What’s the attraction?”
“For one, my mom collected them.” Her voice went soft, and so did her eyes. “I took over her collection, and got a little carried away the more I learned. Besides the fact they’re the cutest little birds on the planet, there’s something that’s…” She paused dramatically, spreading her arms out at her side as she studied him. “They’re romantic.”
He barked out a laugh, wiping with the back of his hand at the spray of beer that hit his chin. “Romantic?”
“Yes, romantic.” She rolled her eyes, but that didn’t lessen the obvious adoration she had for the subject. “If you ever have the time, you should take a minute and Google them. They really are amazing.”
A Friendly Flirtation (Friends First #3) Page 7
