“You don’t—”
I level her with one of my charming smiles. “I know. I want to.”
“Thanks.” Her gaze drops to her feet, and she doesn’t meet my eyes or say a word as I get to work. She retrieves another wet cloth and together we clean the spill in silence. Well, not exactly since the country music serenades our work. Our hands make light of the mess, and within minutes the kitchen is back to its flourless form. And I still know nothing about this girl other than I’m inexplicably drawn to her.
“So . . . personal assistant? How’d you get started in that?”
Her gaze lifts with my question, her eyes wide with apprehension.
“Sorry.” I shake my head before holding out my hand. “How rude of me. I’m Leighton.”
“Opal.” Her hand, long and skilled like a musician’s, fits into mine and swear to God, my body tingles—fucking tingles—with excitement.
What the hell?I’ve been with women. More than enough. But I have never in my life become hot and bothered by a handshake.Jesus. What is it with this girl?
She pulls her hand back, joining it with the other she hides behind her back, and rocks on her heels while I’m stuck in a trance like some idiot, staring at my hand and wishing I could touch her again.
“Thanks for helping. I appreciate it,” she says softly.
“No problem. I startled you. I’m sorry again.”
Her face heats with a blush and when she glances up again it’s from beneath her lashes. “You can’t tell anyone you saw that.”
“What?” My lips spread wide with a grin. “Wait. You mean your killer dance moves.”
“Stop!” She lifts her hands to cover her face. “I’m so embarrassed.”
Yeah, I’m gonna have to touch her again. At least once. I step forward and close most of the space between us, reaching up to circle her wrists in my hands. Gently I pull her hands from her face, not surprised to find her cheeks stained pink. “Beautiful.” The word slips through my lips without meaning to say anything at all.
Her lips part on a gasp, and I swear I didn’t intend for more, but hell, how do I pass up such a perfect opportunity?
I dip my chin, slow and purposeful so she has ample time to tell me no or push me away. Of course, she doesn’t. Instead her eyelids flutter closed because she wants what I do. She wants me to kiss her.
She’s fucking perfection. That is, if your thing is the innocent, inexperienced type. Which normally is not my type at all. A surge of emotion punches me in the gut with the mere thought of defiling her purity. It’s the warning flare I need. Instead of going for her mouth, I brush my cheek against hers and my lips find the shell of her ear. “See you around.”
I command my feet to step away, because even though I know this kind of woman comes with all kinds of required commitment and responsibility, I can’t completely get my body to follow. I want to take her in my arms and kiss her. Own her. Make her come with my name on her gorgeous pink lips.Fuck. I shake my head and take a few more steps backward.
She doesn’t meet my gaze, turning toward the sink as I retreat from the kitchen. Was she disappointed I didn’t kiss her? Relieved? What the hell is wrong with me? I’m here to play music. This is my time to shine and chase dreams I’d never been allowed, not lust after some doe-eyed country girl.
I hustle down the stairs, eager to catch back up with the band. I turn the corner of the spiral staircase to find everyone staring.
My uncle’s glare instantly floods me with guilt. He’d fire my ass if he knew what I’d been doing. “Where the hell have you been?” So much for bridging our relationship.
“Oh, um, I—” I try for cool, but fuck, I feel every bit the guilty perp. I can’t very well explain I was with Opal.
“Dude, no, you didn’t.” Austin narrows his gaze.Shit.How could he know? Day one and I’m already getting fired. He draws everyone’s attention as he bursts into a cackle of laughter.
“What?” Trent’s lips pull wide with a smile as he bounces his gaze between myself and a still laughing Austin. “What did he do?” I’m as confused as Trent.
“Kid!” Austin slaps his lap and shakes his head. “You dropped a deuce, didn’t you? Kid shit in our bathroom.”
My eyes grow wide with his accusation. “What? No!”
“Oh, man!” Trent laughs, a long throaty chuckle, and narrows his amused grin my way. “Kid, you don’t drop a deuce in someone else’s house. Not on the first visit.”
I look to my uncle for help, but he only shrugs. “I’m with the guys on this.”
“What’d I miss?” Sean trots down the last few steps and pushes past me to where everyone else is gathered. “I didn’t think I was gone long enough for hell to freeze over, but I swear I just heard Bedo agree with us.” His eyes dart to the plate at the center of the coffee table, “Are those Opal’s cinnamon rolls?”
