by L. Wilder
“And the socks?”
“The same.” Her brows creased with anger as she threw her hands up in the air and scolded, “Wait a minute! Don’t tell me it’s my fault that my exes didn’t pick up their dirty laundry!”
Watching her get all riled up turned me on in a way I couldn’t even begin to describe. I loved seeing that fire inside her, and I wanted more, much more. I adjusted myself in my seat and tried to bite back my smile. “No, Grace. That’s not what I’m saying at all. I’m just saying sometimes men need a little push.”
“Yeah … off a cliff,” she scoffed. She looked back over to me with a concerned expression. “I didn’t mean that.”
“Then, maybe we’re making progress.”
“Maybe so. Who would’ve thought a hot psychiatrist would actually be able to help.” Her cheeks turned a bright shade of pink as she realized what she said, and her little slip hinted that we might both be on the same page. “I mean … you seem to have an answer for everything.”
She was simply stunning. I wanted to give her more than answers. I wanted to pin her against the wall and show her how everything about her was driving me wild. Instead, I answered, “No. Not everything. Just the easy stuff.”
Her eyes roamed over me in an almost a provocative manner, making me wonder if she’d felt the same electric connection I’d been feeling since the moment she walked into my office. “So, if you know the answers to the easy stuff, then I’m guessing you know why men never ask for directions or why they leave the seat up.”
“Hmm … those aren’t exactly easy.” I chuckled.
A sense of satisfaction washed over her as she looked at me and smiled. Damn. I adored that smile. It was clear that I was making strides with her, but there was something more to her story. She hadn’t come to see me just to complain about the poor behavior of her ex-lovers. There had to be some other reason. I looked at her, trying to imagine what it could be, and I was still lost in thought, when she said, “It may be inappropriate for me to ask this, but are you married, or do you have a girlfriend?”
I was surprised but intrigued that she’d asked. “No, I’m not married and no girlfriend. It’s totally fine. For today, this is a two-way street. You can ask me anything.”
Her demeanor quickly changed as a mischievous smile spread across her face, and I should’ve taken that as a warning. “Are you sure about that?”
“Absolutely.”
Her voice was filled with excitement as she replied, “Okay. How about a little speed round of questions? Nothing too major. Just enough to let me know what I’m working with here.”
“Okay, but I’ll expect you to do the same for me when we’re done.”
“Sure. I’m good with that.”
Her enthusiasm was rubbing off on me as I placed my notepad on the side table and leaned back in my chair. “All right then, go for it.”
“Don’t think. Just answer,” she ordered with a smile. Her entire demeanor had changed. She was no longer on edge, and she actually seemed to be enjoying herself.
“This isn’t my first rodeo, princess. Give me what you’ve got.”
She adjusted herself in her seat and a spark of excitement flashed through her eyes as she asked, “Cats or dogs?”
“Dogs. A big one—like a mastiff. Not some yappy little thing.”
“Okay. Favorite sport?”
“Baseball.”
“Favorite movie?”
“Just one?”
She frowned at my question. “Yes. Think fast.”
“The Green Mile, or any movie with Tom Hanks.”
“Morning person or night person?”
“Night.”
“Favorite place to travel?”
“The beach.” I barely had time to think before she rolled out the next question.
“To-ma-toe or To-mah-toe?
“To-ma-toe.”
“Name one thing that freaks you out?”
“Hair in the drain.”
That one made her giggle, and my heart nearly leapt out of my chest. I found myself wanting to hear the sound again and again.
“Do you have any friends who are women, and I mean strictly friends? No messing around … not even a single kiss.”
“Yes. One. She was my neighbor growing up. A few years younger than me, and no, we’ve never kissed—not even once.”
Each question came quickly, which would make anyone think that there was no rhyme or reason to their delivery, but I knew better. Not only was she beautiful, but she was smart, too.
“Do you leave the toilet seat up?”
“Yes, but in my defense, I live alone.”
“Okay. I’ll let that one slide.” She shook her head slightly and smiled. “Okay, scary movies? Yes or no?”
“No way.”
“Do you have any kids?”
“No.”
She strummed her fingers against the end of the sofa as each question popped in her head. “Do you want to have kids?”
“Someday.”
“Do you have any brothers or sisters?”
“Yes. I have a younger brother, Tucker, and an older brother, Colton.”
“Have you ever been heartbroken?”
“Yes.”
“Are you close with your mother?”
“I guess so.”
With an intrigued look, she asked, “Okay … Do you call her more than once every six months?”
“Yes.”
“Then you’re close.” She teased. Before I had a chance to respond, she asked, “Longest relationship?”
“Four years.”
She paused for a moment, letting me know she was surprised by my answer. I didn’t blame her. Four years is a long time to date without it going anywhere, but when all was said and done, we’d both realized our time together had come to an end. Grace quickly rebounded, and a spark of mischief flashed through her eyes as she continued, “Boxers or briefs?”
That’s when I knew—things were about to get interesting.
For more, be sure to check out My Temptation by L. Wilder and Piper Reeds on Amazon. It’s FREE with KU.
