Page 81 of Dancing in the Rain

“Also, there’s the fact that I was just cleaning toilets.” She looked down at herself.

“Hey, there’s lots of time. Go have a shower and change. Have a glass of wine. I’ll get my things and play World of Wizards for a while.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah. Come on. Help me out here. I’m kind of dreading hanging out with my former teammates.”

She still hesitated then nodded. “Okay.”

He followed her into the kitchen where she handed him a bottle of red wine to open. He knew where the corkscrew was now and opened it easily, then poured some into the two glasses she set on the counter.

She swirled, sniffed, and sipped the wine.

“How is it?” he asked with a grin.

“Very nice. Um, what kind of party is this? You said casual, but what should I wear?”

“I’m going like this.” He looked down at his jeans and dark button-down shirt. “Just bring a warm jacket.”

“Oh. Okay. I’ll be back in a bit.”

“Sure.”

She disappeared upstairs with her wine, and like he’d said, he headed to the family room at the back of the house where Chloe’s games were. The music kept the house from seeming too empty, which could be depressing as hell…knowing that Sara was gone and would never come back.

Forty minutes later Peyton reappeared. Her hair was down, in its usual stylishly messy waves, and she’d put on makeup…her eyes were shadowy and her lips shiny. She wore a different pair of jeans, dark skinny ones, with a thin black turtleneck top that was tight and showed off her curves. “Half my wardrobe is still in New York,” she said, glancing down. “I hope this is okay.”

“You look amazing.”

She caught his eye and apparently saw the heated admiration there as her cheeks got pink and she dropped her gaze. Her uncertainty was at odds with her usual confident, take-charge attitude. Was it because of him? Because they were sort of going on a date? Except it was just as friends. It was clear to both of them that there could be nothing more than that between them.

Dammit.

He checked the time. “Still lots of time. Want another glass of wine?”

“Sure. But…”

“I won’t have one,” he said. “I’m driving.”

She went and refilled her glass, then came back and sat beside him on the couch while he played.

“I don’t understand this at all,” she said, nodding at the TV screen.

“Well, first I have to—”

“Don’t.” She held up a hand. “I don’t even want to try. If I get into it, I’ll have to kick your ass.”

“As if that could happen.”

She smiled. “Also, I have no room in my life for this.”

He shot her a wry smile. “Wish I could say the same.”

He still hadn’t called back Jack Shipton, figuring it was the weekend and he’d be more likely to connect with him Monday morning. But he was going to do it.

They were ready to leave when he paused and said, “I’m invited to stay overnight at the party. I don’t know if you’ll want to do that…but if you might, it would be a good idea to bring along anything you’d need.”

“Overnight?” She frowned at him.

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