Page 41 of Time Out

My place or yours?

Mine.

His response came right on the heel of me hitting send, and I grinned, thinking of Davis staring at his screen, wanting me to text him back so badly he couldn’t take his eyes off his phone.

What a dangerous thought. I was the one who said I needed a friend. I hadn’t lied, but I didn’t really like it either.

Anything else between us would be too complicated. Too risky.

Thirty minutes?

It’d give me enough time to shower and grab a quick Uber ride.

Tell me what you want.

There were a lot of things I wanted—like to see Davis naked again right before he climbed on top of me. Or feel the press of his warm, strong hands as he spread my legs…

Pepperoni, mushroom, and jalapeños, I typed out.

He was asking about pizza. Not my desires… I’d already made it clear where I stood with him.

Now I need to remember it myself.

To my surprise, Davis was in the lobby of his building when my Uber pulled up. As soon as I stepped out and thanked my driver, Davis was opening one of the main doors and holding it open for me.

Similar to all the other times I’d first set eyes on him, my chest squeezed and my mouth went dry. That body of his moved with natural grace only someone supremely confident in themselves could move. His worn jeans were slung low on his hips, fitted over the stretch of his thighs and his cream, faded Clemson sweatshirt was oversized, but could do nothing to hide the bulk of his muscled arms I’d clung to. His full lips were stretched wide, curled up into a grin that said this guy didn’t live life all too seriously but could when necessary. I knew his family was in Nebraska, and he’d grown up with a simple life.

Probably on land outside a small town that wouldn’t have been far too different from mine if my parents’ religious reviews weren’t cult-like.

“Hey. Good timing. Is the pizza almost here?”

“Don’t know.” He grinned at me and stepped back so I could enter. “I was waiting for you.”

“Oh.” How very gentlemanly of him.

“Come on. I want you to meet Roger.”

“Roger?”

“Yeah. He normally works security at night. You met him the other day.”

Oh… I glanced at the security desk and yep. It was the same older and portly man who had the pleasure of witnessing me fleeing from the elevator, tears in my eyes and rushing like fire was nipping at my feet. He’d barely even been able to ask me if I was okay before I shouted yes and ran through the front doors.

“Roger, this is my friend, Maggie.”

“Hello, Maggie.” He tipped his chin, making his eyes disappear beneath the brim of his hat. “Pleasure to see you again, miss.”

“Nice to meet you.”

Davis’s hand settled at my back, low and it was a barely there burn of a touch, but it singed my flesh through my thick flannel shirt and tank beneath. “I’d like for Maggie to be added to my permanent visitor’s list and given a key.”

“A key?” I asked; at the same time Roger’s bushy brows rose.

“Mr. Hall— “

“Davis. Please, you know I hate the mister stuff.”

“Certainly, um… sir.”

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