Page 15 of Love Unbound
“That’s all that happened? You swear?” Tessa quizzed, narrowing her eyes on Jodi.
“Nothing happened. I told you I am going to be a single pringle,” Jodi insisted emphatically. “Free just happened to come home at a very emotional time. And he’s not staying. He will be gone, back to Texas in a month. I’m not starting anything temporary. It was just nice to see him after so long.”
The bell over the front door jingled softly and they both looked over at the door to greet the customer that had just walked in. The welcome froze on her lips, and Tessa whispered out of the corner of her mouth for only Jodi to hear, “Just ice cream my ass.”
Chapter 9
“Hi,” Free said huskily.
He watched as a blush stained her cheeks. “Hi,” she whispered.
Free stepped forward slowly, then smiled at the blonde standing next to Jodi, extending his hand toward her to shake. The blonde took it enthusiastically, and he had the feeling they had just been talking about him.
“I’m Freeman,” he said, “a friend of Jodi’s.”
“I’m Tess, also a friend of Jodi’s,” the blonde said, continuing to shake his hand. When she released it, she slapped her hands on the outside of her thighs and turned to Jodi, saying, “I’m uhh, gonna go to the back to get some of the, uh, some of the things.”
Jodi blushed again, staring at her friend like she’d sprouted wings.
Yep, they had definitely been talking about him, he was sure of it. The thought of Jodi talking about him made him smile involuntarily.
As the blonde retreated to what he assumed was their stock room, Free watched Jodi. She was wearing a short, flowy skirt and a white top that hung off one of her shoulders, leaving the skin bare down half of her arm. He swallowed hard when he realized he could see just a hint of the curve of the side of her breast. Her skin looked soft and sun kissed, and he wished he could touch to see if it was as soft as it looked.
He’d kicked himself all the way home for running scared from her last night. She had all but begged him to kiss those lips, andhe’d chickened out like a damn teenager.
“I actually—”
“Free, I—”
They both stopped at the same time, laughing together. “Go ahead, Jodi.”
Jodi lowered her gaze to the floor and he watched as she fidgeted nervously. “I just wanted to apologize. What I said last night was inappropriate. You were more than fair being honest with me about everything, and I have this terrible habit of not taking hints. So, I just wanted to say that I am sorry.”
Free tilted his head to one side, surprised at the one-eighty she’d taken from last night. “You have no reason to apologize, Jodi,” he said slowly, softly. They stood mere feet from each other. She raised those blue eyes he loved so much to meet his. “Just because I didn’t… doesn’t mean I don’t want to.”
He watched her swallow hard, and she dropped her gaze from his at the same time reaching up to tuck a wayward curl behind her ear nervously. She licked her lips and Free swore silently.
“What brings you out so early again?” Jodi asked, stepping around the corner of the counter. She straightened a display of bookmarks that was already perfectly aligned, and one corner of his mouth tilted up in a quick smirk. He flustered her just as much as she flustered him.
Leaning one elbow on the counter, he shrugged casually with the opposite shoulder. “I was instructed by the bride to come downtown to get fitted for my suit. I just finished up over there and saw that you were open. I thought I’d come see what you’ve built for yourself.”
Jodi’s mouth tightened in suspicion, her eyes narrowing, but the corners of her lips tugged up with a grin. “You can’t see my store from the suit shop.”
Free grinned slyly, enjoying the banter back and forth. “Guilty. But I did want to come see what you’ve done here.”
Jodi laughed and shook her head. “Your flattery is outrageous… but I appreciate it.”
“Flattery,” he scoffed, but winked. “I mean it. I’m proud of you. You always said you wanted to own a bookstore. I always knew you could do it. I think you and—” he squinted, trying to remember the name of the girl he’d met just moments ago, “—Tessa will be very successful here.”
“Thank you,” Jodi said earnestly, her blue eyes shining from his praise. “Do you want a tour?”
“Of course he does!”
Jodi and Free laughed at Tessa’s outburst from the back of the store, where she was obviously eavesdropping. Jodi showed him around the small store. She offered him a cup of coffee, which he accepted gratefully. When the short tour ended, they had made their way back to the front door. He lifted the cup of coffee to his lips, taking a drink before saying quietly, eyeing the back room furtively, “I actually had an ulterior motive coming here this morning.”
“Oh?”
“I was wondering if you have plans tonight?” he asked, holding his breath, waiting for her to let him down gently.
