His expression turned bland. “I asked around.”
I eyed him suspiciously. “I made it a point to not tell anyone my new address, so what do you mean youasked around?”
He stepped farther into the small space, ignoring my question. “What’s that smell?”
“Curry. From my neighbor across the hall.”
“No, that smells good. I’m talking about the odor.” He peeked inside the kitchen, his nose curling.
Oh,that smell. Yeah, that smell had been around since the day I moved in, and I didn’t want to think too hard about its origin.
“No idea what you’re talking about, and I take offense to your suggesting my place stinks.” I tucked the wool scarf primly around my neck. September in San Francisco could be blazing or it could be nippy. These things became apparent when your heater was on the fritz.
Jack let out a low sigh, taking in my bundled-up appearance. “It’s freezing in here, Elise. Why isn’t your furnace on?”
“I turned it down to save money.” He didn’t need to know just how decrepit my place was. He’d run back to the flat he rented from his best friend—my sister’sboyfriend—and blab. Sophia would then find out and insist I move in with her and Max in his lush apartment on the top floor of his Victorian building, and that wasn’t happening. I needed personal independence. “I have lots of sweatshirts and thick socks, so no worries.”
He studied me so long a chill ran down my arms, reminding me of other chills he’d elicited via sexy, tender touches a few months ago. Damn those memories!
I forced my gaze blank. “Feel free to tell Sophia I’m safe and sound and will be in touch soon. Anything else I can do for you?”
His eyes narrowed and held for a beat. “Why are you so stubborn?”
Jack Townsend had been relaxed around my sister, but for some reason, I agitated him. Well, the feeling was mutual. We must bring out the worst in each other. Except the night he’d worshiped my body like a temple…
I needed to stop thinking of that night.
“Why are you so bossy?” I tilted my head and blinked several times, glaring in a way I hoped spelled doom for him.
He sighed as though he was tired of my antics. “I’ve never been bossy. Not even with my employees.”
Jack’s business comings and goings were somewhat of a mystery. I’d only recently learned he owned an entire company. No idea what the guy did, since I’d only seen him when I visited Sophia, and back then, he’d been milling around the kitchen searching for food in his bare feet or playing video games with Max.
A devious look crossed his face. “I need to use your bathroom.” He strode across the living room, then stopped abruptly and retraced his steps over the squishy floorboard I made a practice of walking around for fear of dropping onto my downstairs neighbor’s lap.
Jack bounced on the floorboard, and it gave way too much. I rubbed my forehead, and he cut me a look. “Nice flooring you got here.”
Yes, the floor was a problem. But not the biggest.
Jack continued down the hallway.
“Wait!” I ran after him. “The flush is a little tricky. It takes a tender touch. I’ll get it after you’re finished.”
He stepped inside the tiny bathroom, which required tucking one’s arms in to turn, and closed the door in my face.
Shit. He’d picked up on the smell, the floorboard, and now he’d know there was an issue with the toilet. Also, exactly what personal crap had I forgotten to put away in there?
I performed mental gymnastics, running through the space: toothpaste on the sink, panda shower cap on the door hook, hair bands in a jewelry bowl—nothing too egregious. Except—
I slapped my hand over my mouth, biting back a scream. I’d left out the bleach for the peach fuzz above my lip on the counter!
Son. Of. A. Bitch.
I’d never lived with a guy. In fact, no man had ever come over to my place because I’d always lived with my hoarder mom in the Sunset District, and now that I thought about it, some of the stuff in my bathroom was mortifying.
Jack was still hot, but my crush had ended the night we slept together. I’d purged him from my system through meaningless sex. Fine, I was in theprocessof purging, but even so, this was just awkward. Crush or no crush, no woman wanted a man to know her hygiene habits.
“You almost done in there?” I paced the hallway. And then I heard it. The sound of the toilet tank cover scraping over the base.Noooo!“Jack! What are you doing?”
