Page 38 of House of Scarlett
“Okay.” She bobs her head and realizes that I’ve maneuvered her back to the door again. “I’ll just go now.”
“Thank you again, Liz.”
I shut the door with her on the other side, and the house is silent for a beat. At least, until I hear Scarlett laughing.
I grab the menus, drift back toward the bedroom, and peek inside.Fuck, she looks incredible. Even fresh from the hospital and probably wanting a shower and a change of clothes, Scarlett is a goddess.
“She would’ve stayed all night. She might have a minor fascination with you.”
Although I meant for Scarlett to sleep, I can’t help but lean against the doorjamb and just stare at her. “Is she the only one whomighthave a minor fascination with me?” I don’t flirt. It hasn’t been part of my DNA for over fifteen years, but somehow, the words come out anyway.
Scarlett’s face flushes just like I expected, but her secretive grin spears me.Fuck, I love that little devilish smile on her face.
She drops her gaze to the blanket before she replies. “No, she’s not the only one.”
Her reply shoots a bolt of adrenaline through me. All it accomplishes is sending my heart pumping faster and my mind running through the exercises of my most punishing workout to keep my dick from becoming way too fucking obvious against the zipper of my jeans. But, still, I won’t leave her hanging.
“I don’t have a problem with that.”
The mischievous smile gives way to curiosity. “What did she give you?”
I hold up the handful of menus. “Liz brought these from all your favorites, if you want to order food.”
Her gaze drops to the bed. “I don’t know. I’m not sure I’m feeling it.”
“No hurry on food. Just take it easy. You need anything else, or do you feel like napping?”
I glance around her bedroom as she thinks about my question. It’s obviously a hundred percent Scarlett’s domain, and I see no trace of male influence anywhere. I don’t have a problem with that either.
Even standing in the middle of frilly, fancy lace, I’m still doing mental drop sets to save myself from a raging hard-on to rival all hard-ons. It’s feminine to the max, but in a way that makes a guy well aware that the room belongs to a beautiful woman. Besides, it’s not all hearts and flowers and weird shit that would send a man running. Not if he’s any kind of a real man, that is.
Her ex is a fucking bitch-boy. On that count, I have no doubt at all.
That’s when I see it, on the table beside the bed.
“You kept my note.” I push off the doorjamb and walk toward the piece of white paper only a foot from her left elbow. It sits on a stack of books, and with the worn edges, it looks like she’s handled it a few times.
As soon as my words are out, Scarlett turns as red as her name. “Oh shit. You weren’t supposed to see that. I mean, I meant to throw it away. But—never mind.” She shakes her head and studies the poof of a blanket draped over her lap like it holds the secrets of the universe.
I make my way to the end of the bed, and after feeling around to make certain of where her feet are, I take a seat without asking. With one hand on her shins, I study her flushed face.
“I’ve never met anyone who blushes like you. At least, not since I was a kid.”
She shakes her head and tries to cover her cheeks with her hands, but I lean forward and tug them away. “You don’t need to hide. I promise I’m not laughing at you.”
“It’s the Scarlett curse, or at least, that’s what my mother called it.”
“Your mom did it too?”
She smiles. “I know, it’s hard to imagine the ultra-refined Lourdes Scarlett Priest turning beet red, but she couldn’t stop it either. It’s not quite a family curse, but it is a little obnoxious.”
“I think it’s sweet.”
Scarlett rolls her gorgeous gray eyes and shakes her head.
“Yeah, it is. Because it makes it easier to know what you’re thinking. If it were up to you, you’d keep everyone in the dark about how you feel, but I like having a cheat sheet. You’re already intimidating enough as it is. A guy needs a few advantages here and there to keep it fair.”
Her blond eyebrows shoot up to her hairline. “I’m the intimidating one? Compared to you? Not a chance.”
