He laughed that deep, rumbling sound that reached places I didn’t even know I had inside of me, begging for me to get closer to this man.
“Not a bribe. What can I say? I’m an incurable romantic, and I’m completely smitten by you. I couldn’t even sleep because I was thinking about you all night.”
“And what, exactly, were you thinking?” I asked, though I wasn’t sure I could handle the answer. I grinned, unable to stop myself.
A naughty smile crossed his face.
Oh, I knew it! That smile gave everything away. “Are you having naughty thoughts, you bad boy?” I asked.
I had to admit Moby Dick did cross my mind once or twice. I dreamed about a night full of hot mind-blowing sex with my childhood friend. I bit my lip hard just thinking about it.
“C’mon!” he said. “Get your mind out of the gutter. There’s barely room in here for mine. I was thinking that you’d be the perfect wife.”
I laughed. “Do I look like wife material?”
“Yes, you do.”
“Hmmm. A perfect wife. I will...for the right guy someday.”
“You look like the perfect wife for me.”
“You’d better get some glasses, sweetie pie,” I joked.
“There’s not a damn thing wrong with my eyesight, Jaime. You’re simply breathtaking.”
I blushed. “Thanks. And you have no doubts about putting a ring on it?”
“None whatsoever.”
I smiled.
“Hey,” he continued, nodding his head back toward the building behind him, “apart from being sexy, what do you do?”
“Like I mentioned the other day,” I said, trying to sound harsh but failing miserably because he looked too damn sexy in a white t-shirt that stretched over his muscles and tight blue jeans that hugged his ass perfectly, “I’m a temp, just office work. Really though, why are you here? You can’t just follow me around town all month. That’s called stalking.”
He grinned as I smiled.
“I have a very good reason for being here.” He handed me the gorgeous bouquet of flowers. “These are for you, pretty lady and I’m not stalking, I’m admiring an old-friend-soon-to-be-wife and wooing her with my witty charm.”
I took the beautiful roses and breathed them in. I really hated him now.
“This is a bit of an unexpected surprise, Charlie, but thanks. They’re absolutely gorgeous...and not from the supermarket. They must’ve cost a hundred bucks.”
“Only the best for you.”
“I thought you were broke,” I scolded. “You could have given me that hundred as a down payment on the loan, you know.”
“Where would the fun have been in that?”
“Forget the fun. I could’ve paid my gas bill for the month. Hot water’s a lot more practical than roses.”
“I’m sure a girl like you could get into all kinds of hot water,” he teased with a wink, “but a beautiful girl like you needs to be spoiled with beautiful flowers.”
I winked back at him. “Well, don’t forget the chocolates next time.”
“They can’t possibly make chocolate sweeter than you and your smile.”
I stared at Charlie for a moment, and I noticed he was looking at me in a way he never had before.