Pick Me (5 page)

“Oh, it’s not that,” she said, laughing to hide the flush of her surprise—and her decidedly unprofessional thoughts. “I was just remembering something.” She waved her hand dismissively, hoping his approach would slow the creep of her blush.

No luck. The sight of him wasn’t exactly helping her to cool down. His brown hair was tousled, patches of sweat darkened his shirt making his chest look like a map of islands, melting the fabric against his body just enough to outline the planes and ridges, and the taut concaves further down.

She forced her gaze upwards to settle on his eyes, a safer place—but only barely.

His gaze shifted to the daunting spread of paperwork on the table. “You
did
say you were on vacation, didn’t you?”

She smiled sheepishly. “I have to confess, I’m not really good at this whole “relaxing” thing.”

“No kidding?” He grinned. “I never would have guessed.”

Thea was glad she was sitting down—fourteen years later and that slow, smoldering smile could still knock a girl off her feet.

“I hope I didn’t wake you when I came back this morning,” he said.

So it hadn’t been a girlfriend pulling in. The news filled Thea with relief. Not that it meant there wasn’t a girlfriend
somewhere
.

“No,” she lied. “I didn’t hear a…”

He yanked the hem of his t-shirt up high enough to wipe sweat from his forehead and her voice drifted off, her thoughts stumbling at the sight of his exposed, glistening skin. What had they been talking about? His body was every bit as firm as she’d suspected, the ridges taut and toned. But it was at the waistband of his gym shorts, hanging dangerously low on his hips, low enough to reveal a shadow of auburn hair at his groin, where her eyes stuck, glued, imagining how easy it would be to slide those shorts off…

He dropped his t-shirt back down and she swallowed, the spell broken.

“I’m glad,” he said. “You must be a deeper sleeper than I am.”

She smiled, his mention of sleep not helping her to shake off her dirty thoughts. “They sure keep you busy in the ER, don’t they?” she said.

“This time it wasn’t for work.” A flash of strain crossed his face then disappeared. “But it’s all fine now.”

His cryptic answer left her piqued but Thea could see he wasn’t going to elaborate. The attorney in her was always trying to gauge people, trying to decipher the clues of their words, no matter how veiled they imagined them to be. But even in high school, Calder Frye had been hard to read—a closed book all the girls had wanted desperately to open and consume, cover to cover.

And now he was here in front of her, breathing hard and dripping with sweat.

Suddenly Thea didn’t need a distraction from her laptop or her email, because work was the last thing on her mind. All she could think about was helping him peel off that soaked t-shirt and slide off those shorts.

Her skin flamed, the air suddenly still—where was a breeze when you needed one?

Calder cocked his head toward his condo. “I’m going to get in the shower before I start drawing flies, but you should go down to the bay while the sun’s still out. Enjoy the day—doctor’s orders.”

“I will,” she said. “I promise.”

“Good, because if I come back out here later and you’re still hunched over that computer, I’m taking you hostage for dinner,” he said, leveling a finger and a playfully stern gaze on her as he backed away. “You’ve been warned, Counselor.”

Chapter Four

Just
as Calder had predicted, the clouds rolled in and buried the sun, leaving Thea no choice but to remain at the house, ensconced in work and the occasional hiccup of hope when she’d hear the ding of new email and imagine for a foolish second that it might be Dennis pleading for her to take him back, or at least wanting to talk.

But when six o’clock rolled around and Calder had yet to appear, Thea’s earlier excitement at his vow to rescue her waned. She poured herself a glass of white and carried it back to her computer. Who was she kidding to think Calder Frye would give up an evening to lure her away from work? She could only imagine the waiting list of young, fresh-faced nurses who vied for his free evenings, let alone his overnights.

Hold the phone.

Pride burned: What the hell kind of wallowing, self-pity crap was that? Fine, so she may not have been fresh-faced, but she was hardly chopped liver! If Dennis Connolly didn’t know how good he’d had it, then she’d gladly enlighten someone else. She was a take-charge lawyer, not a wispy wallflower. Why should she wait for Calder’s invitation when she had two feet that could take her across the lawn to ask him first?

Fortified after a quick check in the entry mirror—and a slug of wine—she stepped outside and crossed the yard for Calder’s front door. She knocked, hard, and waited. But after several minutes—and another knock—and still no answer, she walked back to her condo and returned to her wine.

So much for take charge.

So now what? The evening stretched out before her, unplanned and all-too quiet.

She could call her sisters and ask them if they wanted to meet for a drink at the Crab House or go into the city for The Vendue Rooftop Bar.

Connie and Willa were game.

Let’s stay local and do Crab House, Willa texted back. Seven.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, feeling fresh and even a little sexy in a snug buff shift with fuscia wedge sandals, Thea locked the condo door and walked to her car.

“Just in the nick of time, Counselor.”

Thea spun around to see Calder leaning against his doorway, thumbs hooked in the pockets of his well-worn jeans. The butterflies she’d been sure were a fluke fluttered back into action and began banging around her stomach.

“I came by earlier,” she said. “You didn’t answer.”

“I went out to the store.” His gaze traveled her body, slowly, admiringly. “Looks like I won’t have to drag you from your work after all. Too bad—I was kind of hoping I’d get the chance to steal you away for dinner.” He nodded over his shoulder. “I’m cooking up shrimp and red rice.”

As soon as he said it, Thea detected the tangy, smoky scent of grilling seafood and her eyelids fluttered.

He smiled. “Maybe some other time.”

“It’s nothing pressing.” She released the door handle. “I was just going to grab a few things at the market, but I can go a little later.”

“You sure?”

“Positive.”

Oh God, what had she done? She had just broken the cardinal rule in the Code of Sisterhood: No man shall come before a sister!

Regret flooded her.

She was scum.

No, she was lower than scum—she was scum on scum.

Thea rolled back on her heels, indecision pulling at her. Maybe she should tell him she couldn’t after all.

But when she looked back at Calder, the heat in his eyes stole any hope she had of retreat.

Screw it. She’d text Willa and Connie from inside and tell her sisters she’d be running a little late.

* * *

“Hope you’re hungry.”

Thea followed Calder into his kitchen, through a scented cloud of garlic and smoky spices. Not surprisingly, the layout of his condo was identical to hers, but with much less decoration.

As in none.

She glanced around. “Did you just move in?”

“Three months ago.” He chuckled. “I know. It could stand a little personalizing.”

She smiled. “Maybe a little.”

“Get you a beer?”

“Sure.”

He pulled a bottle from the fridge, twisted off the cap on the hem of his t-shirt and handed it to her. She sipped, grateful for the refreshing burst of cold down her throat.

“The rice is almost done,” he said, moving to the stove.

“Everything smells great,” she said, sliding into one of the counter’s free stools. She reminded herself of the promise she’d recently made to stay off men and romance, then dismissed it.

It was just dinner with a neighbor, an old high school friend. Where was the harm?

In those gorgeous green eyes and that lean, hard body, that’s where
.

Easy. This was an invitation for shrimp and red rice. Not hot, sweaty sex.

Oh, shit—Willa and Connie!

Thea reached for her purse, dashed off a text to Willa—I’m running behind. Don’t wait for me to order—and put her phone away.

There. She felt a little less guilty. Enough anyway to resume drinking her beer and watch Calder move easily around the kitchen. He had amazing hands—she’d forgotten how strong they were. She remembered looking over his shoulder on prom night and seeing them grip the handlebars of his motorcycle, turning the throttle. How the one, simple motion had sent ripples of sensation shuddering through her like the vibrations of the motorcycle between her thighs. God, she’d been so turned on—even if she’d been too inexperienced that night to know what to do about it.

She straightened and took another sip of beer, reminding herself she wasn’t a teenager anymore.

And neither was Calder Frye, for that matter.

Calder glanced over to find her watching him. “Don’t look too impressed,” he said, grinning as he pushed the pot of rice to the far burner and wiped his hands on his back pockets. “I can cook exactly two things really well. Shrimp is one.”

“What’s the other?”

“Rice.”

She laughed. “That’s convenient.”

Her phone chimed in her purse where she’d left it at her feet. Thea glanced down, her bag open enough for her to see Willa’s name on the screen. Oh, crap. Thea should have known a text wouldn’t cut it. And if she let it go to voicemail, Willa would just call again. Her younger sister didn’t take kindly to being ignored—a common trait among all Bloom women.

But how could Thea take the call?

As the chiming continued, Calder looked quizzically at the floor then back at her. “You don’t want to answer that?”

“It’s okay. I don’t want to be rude.”

“Are you kidding? I’m a doctor. I’d take a phone call in the middle of church if I had to. I promise, I won’t judge.”

“Are you sure you don’t mind?”

“Not a bit. Feel free to take it on the deck if you need some privacy.”

Oh, she needed privacy, all right. Phone in hand, Thea moved to the sliders and slipped through, sealing the patio door behind her.

“Something’s come up.”

Willa snickered on the other end of the phone. “Doctor Bad Boy asked you out, didn’t he?”

Second rule of the Sister Code: Sisters could read each other’s minds.

“Oh my God, how did you know? And stop calling him that.”

“You’re right, it’s too long. Let’s keep it simple and call him Doc Hot.”

“It’s just a beer. And a few shrimp.”

“Otherwise known as
dinner
.”

Guilt kicked back in. “I feel awful bailing on you two, Will. Connie will be crushed.”

“Connie will be thrilled is what Connie will be. Now hang up and go. Eat. Make out.”

“Stop.” Thea smiled against her phone. “What time do you want me to meet you guys at the bungalow tomorrow?”

“Any time’s fine. Knox promised to have two flooring guys there first thing, but I’m not holding my breath.”

Thea glanced up to see Calder coming toward her through the slider.

Speaking of held breaths; hers was suddenly stuck in her lungs. Her stomach dropped.

“I’ll see you in the morning,” she whispered into the phone.

“Good, and I want details,” Willa said. “Lots of them.”

Thea hung up and put the phone on the railing, careful to set it to mute this time.

Calder stepped out onto the deck with their beers and closed the door with his elbow.

He handed Thea her bottle; she took it. “You know, I wasn’t sure you were going to make good on your threat to steal me away today.”

“Threat?” He arched an eyebrow. “I was thinking more like promise.”

“Sorry, your promise.”

“I can’t believe you doubted me. It’s not like I haven’t whisked you away before.”

She took a quick sip of beer and smiled helplessly. “You remember that night?”

“Are you kidding?” He pulled out one of the deck chairs and offered her a seat. “What guy wouldn’t remember the night he got to ride off with the hottest girl in school?”

She felt heat stain her neck as she sat. “Me? Oh, please. You know all the girls wanted you. That we all had mad crushes on you.”

“
We
?”

Her blush flared again. Oh shit, had she really used that pronoun?

She took another sip, hoping to cool her skin behind the neck of the bottle, but any luck she might have had erasing her flush was undone when she looked back to find him still studying her.

He squinted. “Mad crushes, huh?”