Finally, when he came up blank, he flashed another polite smile.
“Cool.”
His hand was on the door, he was giving all the appropriate signals to leave, and yet, it was like she was waiting for something. Something he didn’t understand.
Did Dylan run over her dog or something? She looks about ready to pounce.
He waited another moment, but when she simply stared at him, he put his key in the lock.
“I’ll see you later—”
“Can you help me carry in these groceries?”
He froze mid-step, staring over at her in surprise.
Of course that’s what she wanted! She said her husband was gone, she was standing next to the open trunk of her car. That’s what neighbors did, right? Dylan probably helped her do stuff like that all the time, and there he was—staring at her like an asshole.
“Yeah—of course!” He jogged quickly down the steps, wishing he hadn’t sprinted all the way back in the sun. His white tee-shirt was almost completely transparent and it clung to his chest in a way he deemed highly inappropriate to help with groceries. “Sorry, I think I’ve been out in the sun too long.”
She flashed him a bright smile, placing the first of the bags in his arms. “That’s alright. I figured you were probably down at the docks—helping Sam test out that boat.”
Sam. The giant has a name.
There was a hitch in Logan’s breathing, before he nodded his head in a hurry. “Yeah, that’s a done deal.” His heart quickened nervously. Unfortunately...
She flashed him another smile and bent over to fish something out of the trunk. Bent very far over. In the kind of clothes that made Logan clear his throat softly and look away.
A second later, she straightened up with a grin. Jiggling her keys.
“Thought I lost them.” She spun around on her heels, and headed up the walk. “I’m just going to open up the house—would you mind carrying those in?”
“Not at all.”
Logan grabbed two more bags for good measure, and shut the trunk before following her up the cobblestone path. The door was open, but the woman was nowhere in sight when he got to the welcome mat. He hesitated uncertainly, peering about the empty house.
If you’d been smart enough to ask Dylan his neighbors’ names, then you could call her.
He cleared his throat again, and tried anyway. “Uh—where would you like these?” From the looks of things, she’d bought nothing but popcorn and wine. “I can set them by the door—”
“No, Dylan, would you mind putting them in the kitchen?” she called from somewhere in the house. “Just up on the counter will be fine.”
“Yeah, sure.”
Logan glanced around the house once more, and slipped off his shoes before walking swiftly across the white carpet. A part of him was thrilled—
he couldn’t remember the last time he’d been asked to do such a domestic chore. Carrying in the groceries. Truth be told, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d set foot in a grocery store. But another part of him felt very uneasy walking unaccompanied into this woman’s house. Posing as a friend. Someone she obviously knew. Someone she obviously trusted.
The two-week swap was only supposed to be for him and his brother, but he was feeling like a trickster for the first time. Surely this woman wouldn’t have invited him into her home, if she knew he wasn’t who he said. Surely she wouldn’t be so cavalier with a stranger—
“Oh my gosh.”
The bags slipped from his arms on the tile floor. The woman was waiting in the kitchen alright. Perched invitingly on top of the counter.
Completely naked.
And damn, was she hot!
“Dylan!” She straightened up in surprise when he dropped the bags, but didn’t leave her position. A second later, she burst into giggles. “Sorry, did I startle you?”