Page 25 of Take the Bait

A human man was about to walk into her ultra-girly apartment.

And that had never happened before.

With one frantic sweep of her eyes across the kitchen and living room, Hanna wrangled her fingers together and took in a deep breath. She didn’t know why she was nervous. Being with Tucker felt eerily natural—even when she said something stupid. In fact, he seemed to find her penchant for being completely uncensored… dare she say, cute?

She sighed, shaking her head. God, wasn’t that every girl’s wet dream? To find a guy who found all her weird quirks to be adorable and even sexy?

Hanna couldn’t let herself hope for that. But she could certainly let herself enjoy what this is, for now at least.

Her phone buzzed, and she looked down to see Tucker had texted her.

I’m here, I think. Please tell me I’m not pounding on the wrong door.

She laughed, opening the front door to find him clad in linen white shorts and a navy button down tugged up over his forearms, carrying a black plastic bus bin on his shoulder with one hand and a grocery bag in the other. Her gaze snagged on the veins bulging under where his sleeves were rolled up as she bit her lip.

Okay, so he was being slutty tonight, and she was here for it.

“Sorry,” she said. “I was peeing.”

He laughed.

“Okay, I wasn’t peeing. I was panicking.”

He laughed harder. “Panicking?”

“This is the first time I’ve had a boy over,” she whispered conspiratorially.

“Ever?”

“Well, here.” She thought for a moment, pressing her lips together. “Honestly, it’s the first time I’ve had anyone over since I moved here, period.”

“When did you move here?”

“A little over two years ago.”

Tucker blinked, then recovered. “Well, lucky me. I get to be the first. Can I come in?”

Cheeks going hot, Hanna realized she’d not even opened the door the whole way.

“Yes, of course,” she said all too quickly, opening the door so fast the doorknob banged against the wall.

Get your shit together,Hanna.

He’s just a man.

A man with very slutty forearms.

“So what are we cooking?” She asked as he placed the groceries on the counter.

“Shrimp tacos and peanut butter cookies.”

“Interesting combo.”

“It’s the two easiest things I could think of to cook.”

“Yeah, about that. I appreciate that you want me to learn, but I need you to know that many have tried and failed.”

“I know.” Tucker’s lips tipped up. “Where are your pots and pans?”

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