But I wait a minute, taking in the back of the small strip building. It’s the back, but it needs some attention. For tourists during the Peach Festival, there’s charm in a small town when buildings look aged. This isn’t chosen charm. It’s looking run-down, except for the apartment. That turquoise door shone like a beacon.
I grab my carry-on from the back seat and dart from the car, locking it as I dash up the stairs. The overhang coversthe pot but not me, so I quickly tilt the pot to the side, spot the silver metal key, and snatch it up.
I’m grateful at the moment, but it’s fucking ridiculous she’s left the place so accessible.
The door opens without a squeal, and I’m hit with the faintest scent of something good, like muffins that just came out of the oven or waking up on Sundays to the smell of pancakes and bacon. My stomach growls as I close the door and lock up behind me.
Despite knowing Lauralee most of her life, I don’t know her well. She sure was pretty the last time I saw her, grown out of the awkward teenage years she had before I left for college. I once heard my mom mention she won Queen of the Peach Festival, as if that would matter to me for some reason.
Being here has me thinking about Lauralee Knot for the first time in years, probably since my best friend married my little sister. I have plenty of women to occupy my thoughts in New York and even more to bury my past in what’s beneath me on any chosen night of the week. No expectations. No obligations. I have the freedom to do as I please at any time, which is more often than I should be proud to admit.
I open my case on the living room floor and grab my toiletry bag before finding the bathroom tucked inside the bedroom and to the left. I close the door but laugh, wondering why.Habit?Although I’m alone, I guess it’s because I’m in unfamiliar territory.
I want to shower after I brush my teeth and strip off my clothes, but I’m too tired to go through the rigmarole of it. I decide that sleep is a better use of my time.
The room is too dark to find my way, so I use my phone to guide me, then I set it on the nightstand.Fuckingexhausted.I drop onto the soft mattress, knowing I’ll pass out in point two seconds after hitting the bed.
A loud clunk and someone gasping has me sitting upright. “Hello?”
There’s no response, but the whoosh of air next to my head leads to something squishy knocking me sideways. “What the hell?” A feather from the pillow clings to the tip of my nose. I groan before the heel of a foot slams against my chest, sending me off the bed. My head meets the corner of the nightstand just as my ass lands on the rug. “Fuck!”
Bed springs creaking under pressure forewarns me of the impending shadow of a body ready to land wrestling-style on top of me. Lightning cracks, and the room brightens for a flash of a second, but it’s enough to catch a glimpse of her staring. “Lauralee!”
Everything stills, and the silence in the room becomes deafening, but it might be the blood rushing in my ears. “Baylor?”
With my arms still up and ready to block her next stunt, the words leave my mouth in a fight against time. “It’s me.”
The sound of her landing on the hardwood floors is met with a rapid succession of footsteps across the room. She flips the light on, and my eyes clamp shut as I turn to the side.
“Oh my God.” She asks, “Baylor, are you okay?”
“Not really,” I reply, pushing up to sit. Touching the side of my head, I grumble, “That’s gonna leave a mark.”
“You didn’t hit your eye, did you?”
“Barely missed. Fuck,” I moan, a throb already taking over.
Her fingers are cool against the heat of my head, and as her body blocks the light, I finally open my eyes and look up at her. With her dark hair twisted on top of her head andheld by a bright pink wrap, I get a full view of her face, causing my breath to choke in my chest. Not a lick of makeup hides her natural beauty, although concern rankles through her forehead.
Dropping to her knees in front of me, she rubs her fingers gently over the pulsing injury while her eyes stay fixed on it. When her gaze slides down to mine, she says, “I’m sorry. I thought you were an intruder.”
“Guess I know why you leave the key out front. No one stands a chance against you.”
Her hands fall to her lap as she rests back on her legs. “What are you doing here?” There’s no anger in her tone, only curiosity, the lines of worry finally smoothing.
“Long story.”
“I think we have time.” She stands and offers me a hand. “But we need to get ice on your head.” I don’t need the help, but I accept the offer anyway so it’s not wasted. She gasps, covering her mouth. “You’re naked!” Oh. . . right. Her eyes fix on my lower half before she turns her back to me. Visoring her eyes, she squeaks, “Why are you naked?”
Naked is the least of my worries right now, not that she has much room to talk. Judging by the buds poking against her oversized T-shirt, I assume she doesn’t have much on underneath either.Though I wouldn’t swear an oath on it. I’d need a closer inspection for that . . .fuck.
What am I doing?
It’s Lauralee. Not some woman coming on to me.
Maybe I have a concussion?That would explain having these thoughts about my little sister’s best friend. Though there’s no hiding that she’s all grown, especially with that cotton fabric swinging lightly around her hips as she heads for the living room.
“I didn’t know anyone would be here.”
