Page 74 of Perfect Distraction
As he bent over to put the DVD in, Lauren’s stomach growled, and she checked the clock on the cable box.
“Why don’t we eat something first? It’s after six.”
“Sure.” He crossed into the kitchen and opened a cabinet. “Let’s see…I’ve got stuff for spaghetti, sandwiches…” He moved on to the refrigerator. “Frozen pizza…”
She sidled up beside him and ducked underneath his arm to peer into the fridge. She didn’t miss the grin on his face when she pressed up against his side.
Her expression mirrored his.
She moved a few things around and excitement filled her. “Can I make you an omelet? Breakfast for dinner?”
“You trying to show off your flipping skills?”
“Maybe.”
He chuckled. “Sounds great.”
He reached for the carton of eggs, and she inhaled his woodsy, masculine scent as he did. She grabbed a bag of spinach, tomatoes, and shredded cheese. After he helped her locate all the utensils and cookware she would need, he took a seat at the table and watched her work.
They chatted while she cooked and while they ate. Though he complimented the meal and thanked her, he didn’t eat much. Maybe half of his omelet…but she didn’t take it personally. People’s taste buds went haywire during chemo, and appetites came and went.
“Got anything sweet?” Lauren asked when she finished. She had a bad habit of eating a handful of M&M’s after a meal.
“Sorry, I don’t think I do. I try not to keep that stuff around. I don’t have any self-control.”
She pursed her lips, and her eyes dropped to his flat midsection. “So that’s why your body looks like that.”
Andrew laughed. “Flattering me again?”
She didn’t respond to that and instead said, “I don’t have self-control, either, and that includes at the grocery store. I can’t seem to stop myself when I want something.”
“I find that hard to believe. You’re demonstrating excellent self-control when it comes to our situation. It’s taking super-human strength on my part to keep you at arm’s length.”
“It’s an illusion,” she said quietly. She paused and toyed with a lock of her hair. “Besides, my problem is…once I start, I can’t stop. I think it helps that I haven’t tasted you yet. I don’t know what I’m missing.”
Did I really just say that?Judging by Andrew’s expression he was surprised, too, his chest rising and falling with each breath. He groaned and leaned his head back against the chair, his eyes on the ceiling.
Lauren jumped up from her chair, nearly knocking it to the floor. “I’ll, um…just—” She picked up both of their plates and walked them to the sink.
Andrew remained seated for a moment before he joined her and nudged her aside. “The cook doesn’t clean.”
After the dishes were done, they found themselves on opposite ends of the couch, talking. She made sure to keep plenty of space between them.
“What made you want to go to law school?”
Andrew cast his gaze across the room, like he was considering how to respond. “It’s kind of a long story.”
“That’s okay.”
His eyes came back to hers. “When I was a senior in high school, Jeni and I were in a bad car accident. A drunk driver swerved into our lane and hit us on the front driver side. Jeni was in much worse shape than I was, and her injuries, plus the condition of the vehicle, prevented her from being able to get out of the car. I could, though, and after making sure she was alive and breathing, I went to check on the guy who hit us.
“He reeked of alcohol, and there’s no doubt in my mind he’d been drinking. When the cops arrived, they performed a Breathalyzer and he blew a zero-point-two, which is miles above the legal limit.”
Lauren’s hand had come up to cover her mouth. “Was Jeni okay? I mean…I know she is now…that’s probably a stupid question. But it sounds awful. How bad was it?”
“A broken leg, concussion, and several torn ligaments in her shoulder. She was the star of the softball team, and it ruined her chances to finish the season, and she lost her scholarship to play for Oklahoma.”
“Poor Jeni.”
