She draws back, wagging a finger. “None of that.” She tilts her head. “Yes. I would be happy to do the driving, and I would be honored to be included in the birthday festivities.”
“And—no pressure—pizza and cake afterward. If you don’t mind two sets of grandparents.”
I think better of it as soon as the words are out of my mouth. Lucy’s parents will probably get emotional at some point, and I don’t want to subject Elle to that.
But it’s too late to retract the invitation now, and Elle seems like she can handle it. She’s pretty unflappable.
“I’m used to grandparents,” she says dryly. “They can’t be any more horrifying than Trevor’s parents.”
“Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree?” I wager.
She grimaces and shakes her head. “You got that right. Speaking of signs I should have heeded.”
“I guess I’ll get to meet them, or at least admire them from a distance, at Trevor’s wedding.”
“Lucky you,” she says, rolling her eyes and peeking at her watch.
“You have a few more minutes.” I raise one eyebrow and let my gaze drop down over her skin-hugging outfit.
She twists one hand in the other uneasily. “I like to be sitting in my chair, fingers on the keys, ready to dial, a few minutes before the actual appointed time of the interview. So I can, you know, clear my head.”
I can’t ignore a red flag waved in my face like that. Before she can react, I bend to kiss her, deep and thorough.
She moans into my mouth.
I let her go, and she takes an uneven step back against her front door. Her mouth is open, her lower lip is soft and wet, and her eyes are glazed with desire.
I want to do it again, but I’ll have to be satisfied with my work—for now.
“Now you really need to go clear your head.”
“I hate you,” she says, but she’s smiling all out, and what the hell, I grab her and kiss her once more for good measure before I trot back to my house.
I whistle as I walk.