Page 37 of Nils

I blow out a relieved breath.

I’m pretty sure I’m safe from running into him, as the only illumination is from a lamp on a stand against the wall, which is usually how he leaves this area once he goes to bed.

Feeling confident, I step all the way into the entry hall and gently place my car key fob into a bowl next to the lamp.

I let out another breath.

I can finally completely relax.

But then, before I can run off or move in any way, Nils freaking pads down the stairs, clad in a pair of dark lounge pants and nothing else.

With nowhere to hide, I freeze.

Why is he coming downstairs?

He looks like he was sleeping, or getting ready to.

Where can I go?

What can I do?

I look left and right.

I’m trapped!

As panicked as I am, I don’t miss that Nils doesn’t have on a shirt. I take a quick few seconds to admire his sculpted chest…corded arms…taut stomach—

“Ellie?”

Oh crap, he’s at the bottom of the stairs now, and I’m like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming car.

“Er, uh…”

I look left and right again.

I have nowhere to go, no place to hide.

I am well and truly busted.

“Um,” he goes on, cocking his head curiously, “not that it’s any of my business, but why are you wearing a Boots outfit?”

Shit, he knows the place.

I make a face, then state, more as a question than a reply, “Because I work there?”

“You do?” He looks really confused now. “I thought you worked at Applebee’s?”

I nod. “Yeah, I work there too. I, uh, actually work at both places.”

He crosses his arms, making his muscles just freaking pop, so it takes me a beat to realize he just asked another question.

Making sure I’m not openly drooling, though internally I totally am, I say, “What was that?”

Smirking, he pauses.

Okay, I think he just figured out that I was ogling him.

He must, as he looks smug when he asks, “I said, why didn’t you tell me you work at Boots too?”

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