A small stack of panties sat on the dryer. Tonya held out Will’s shirt inspecting it. Good, the oil spots weren’t there. Considering how he stepped in and got an especially obnoxious monkey off her back, washing his shirt didn’t even qualify as sufficient gratitude.
The bathroom door opened, spilling out fragrant steam. A damp Will stepped out, attired in only her cartoon beach towel. His damp curls gave a boyish appeal that his toned torso gave lie to. She whistled long and low. Not her best behavior, but nothing ever came out of her bathroom looking like sex on a stick before.
He held up a wad of dirty clothing. “I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind washing these for me. The pants are a washable synthetic blend. “
She stepped forward, taking the clothes from him. Water droplets glistened on his shoulders, drawing attention to their width and muscles rippling beneath the skin. Damn, how could she have ever thought he was average looking before. Their hands touched as she took his clothes. The tingle that had almost become routine zapped her extra hard. Keep your eyes on his face.
With the clothes tucked under her arm, she turned toward the washer. Black socks in the laundry tub; she pulled the pants inside out to negate the wear. She held the striped boxer briefs and grinned, imagining them on Will’s very fine ass. In her fantasy, she was taking them off, or he was flinging them at her like an exotic dancer, not washing them. The sounds of the fridge closing indicated Will’s location.
“Good luck finding something edible. Popcorn might be your best bet. I keep it in the freezer.” She heard the freezer door open, along with the click of Sebastian’s nails. Anything connected with food interested him.
“Thanks. Hope you don’t mind me helping myself.”
She held up his white T-shirt, debating if she should throw it in with the dark clothes. As long as it was on cold and quick wash, it should survive. “Hey,” she called out, feeling playful. “Anyone ever tell you that you have the body of an exotic dancer?” Her audaciousness made her giggle.
The sound of coughing, possibly choking, had Tonya dashing out of the laundry room. Will held onto the counter with one hand. Sebastian snapped up whatever fell to the floor. His jaws chewed rapidly as if he feared she’d steal his treasure.
Her upraised hand hesitated over his back. Laughter slipped out through the hand he had raised to his mouth. The Heimlich maneuver would not be necessary. Still, her hand landed lightly on his back. The long spread of warm skin tempted her. Hey, she was human.
Her fingers felt the shift and movement of his muscles as he straightened. With regret, she dropped her hand and looking into amused eyes.
He motioned in the direction of her dog. “I found a cheese stick, but Sebastian ended up with it. Your question surprised me.”
That made sense. Surprised her too. Her usual habit of keeping her lips shut when it came to sexy remarks went south went she met Will. The empty wine bottle sat on the table reminding her normal reticence probably went with the wine. “You never answered me.”
“Well,” he drew out the word. “No one used those exact words to me. Are you quite the expert on male dancers?”
“No, only once, about five or six years ago. Couldn’t remember the name, some touring company, I think. “
His eyes were on her with marked interest. She hurried to add. “It wasn’t like I wanted to go, but all the other women were and if I didn’t…” She stammered to a stop, her face reddening. She’d wanted to go.
A slow, mysterious smile pulled at his lips. “Did you have a good time?”
Ah, how to answer that. A dozen gorgeous guys parading around in next to nothing, acting if they were playing a starring role in her private dreams. The light bouncing off their glistening bodies, the women screaming, the numerous empty drink glasses littering their table, and a dancer with eyes like Will smiling down at her as he gyrated his hips, inviting her to tuck a twenty in his G-string. No, couldn’t be. The cartoon towel covered him thoroughly from waist to knees. She needed smaller towels.
“Odd question.”
He glanced down at the towel, which occupied her thoughts. “Do you have anything I can wear until my clothes are dry?”
“Ah yes, I have a closet full of clothes from all the various men who have passed through my home and left their clothes behind.” His eyebrows shot up at her statement.
“Of course not, but I do have a bathrobe that might work. It was my father’s. I took it as a remembrance since he spent so many Saturday mornings wearing it. It’s a little shabby, but should do the trick.”
“I’m not looking for anything fancy. Something that will cover me up enough for me to drive your car into the garage. Wouldn’t want the neighbors to get the wrong idea.”
His words made her snort. Wrong idea, yeah it sounded like any romantic action went out the window. “Yeah, a robe won’t give them the wrong impression.”