Page 4 of Let Me Love You
“Yes, I have.” His voice was soft, but poised.
“I’m impressed. And proud of you. I remember moving here ten years ago and you were just a thirteen-year-old kid with nothing but football and girls on the brain.” Laughing, she continued. “I think that remained your status for quite some time. But now, look at you, a college graduate with an engineering and a business degree. A bright future. It’s so great to see and have been a part of it.”
“You’re embarrassing me.” Swatting his hand in her direction, he grazed her arm. His heart stopped. His breath lodged. Starting where their skin connected, a current shot through him. He’d touched her before. They’d hugged, brushed past each other, and he’d even picked her up and tossed her in the pool. Butthis—this was different. Stronger.
She jerked her arm away as if the touch burned, and wrapped it over her middle. Goosebumps pebbled her forearm and the light hairs stood at attention. That he had any effect on her at all gave him hope.
“Any plans for the summer?” Despite her reaction, her voice remained calm.
“Not really. Was hoping to hang out around here when I’m not interning.” Byherehe meant right here, next to her. Taking her to dinner. Going to the beach at sunset. Curling up on the couch watching a movie. He didn’t care as long as they spent time together.
“Interning? That’s right! Your mom mentioned you got an internship in Tampa. How great. And exciting! Do you think you’ll get a permanent position there afterwards? Or do you plan to move on when it’s over?” Her rambling made his lips twitch with a hint of a smile. She seemed nervous, off balance since they touched. He wished he could see inside her pretty head to gauge where her thoughts had wandered. The insight would boost his confidence.
“I took my FE exam my last semester and passed it.”
“FE?” Her brows knitted.
“FE is the fundamentals examination. It’s the first part of my engineering license. I need to work or ‘intern’, as the firms like to say, for four years before I can even apply to take my professional exam and get my professional engineering license.”
“So, this internship is four years? That’s a long time.”
“It’s not the kind of internship you’re thinking. It’s paid. Health and retirement benefits. Paid vacations. Sort of like being an engineer without all the liability.” He laughed. He’d never admit his nervousness about the job. It had been one thing to take classes and practice structuring fake buildings. These buildings would be places where people would live or work. Though thoroughly excited, this reality also made his skin tingle and stomach somersault.
Real world, prepare!
“Rochester and Rogue train their interns with the hope they will take a permanent position. I’d like to stay in the area. I love it here. Thisismy home.” He had every intention of staying in the area and sweeping her off her feet, but she’d understand that soon enough. “Other than that, I just want to relax and get into the swing of this real-world stuff, as you call it. Catch up with some friends and family.”
“Sounds incredible. What a great opportunity for you.”
“Thanks, Stace. Means a lot to me that you feel that way. What’re you up to this summer?”
“Working on a new book.” Her words carried an edge of excitement and her eyes lit up like they always did when she wrote. Randy hadn’t zapped that aspect of her happiness.Good. “Remind me to tell you about it later. I’m still hashing out the characters, but the premise is there. Plus, I’m teaching one writing course at the community college this summer. I’ll be back full time in the fall, but I wanted to get this book going and a full load of writing classes in the summer is too intense to allow it. The semester doesn’t start for another two weeks either, so I’m pretending to have a ‘summer break,’ too.” She cocked an eyebrow and beamed at him. His chest tightened at her delight and happiness. She had no idea how sexy she was, how adorable.
“I want to hear about the book. Is it a romance or suspense?”
“It’s going to be both. I can’t tell you everything yet.” She folded her hands in front of her chest as if praying. “I’m still working it out, and you know how I am about revealing all of the details of my plot before it’s ready. But I’d love your thoughts when I am.”
“My thoughts?” He raised an eyebrow. That she asked his opinion on a storyline surprised him.
“Absolutely. The hero is going to be a pro-football player who gets wrapped up in a murder investigation of a teammate he had a feud with. The heroine is the detective investigating the case. I’ll need some help with the football terminology and making sure I get it right. Who better than you? You’re the biggest football buff I know.”
“I love it! I’m intrigued…and flattered,” he said, and meant it. “I look forward to helping.”Hell yeah!He wanted to throw up a fist pump. She’d just given him the most perfect excuse to spend time with her. Things were falling into place.
She swung her legs to the side of the chaise lounge and leaned forward with her elbows resting on her knees.
“Hmmm. Maybe I’ll even make the hero resemble you.” She studied his face with heat simmering in her blue eyes. Her gaze roved over his features, down his body and back up.
“How would you feel about a character in my book being physically based on you? Light brown hair, short, almost military. Eyes the color of a clear blue sky. A perfect nose, well, except for that little bump where you broke it long before I knew you.” She smiled. “Built, lean muscles, broad shoulders.”
Her voice sank low and sexy. He couldn’t tell if the change was for him or the character coming to life in her mind. She leaned closer. He swallowed the lump in his throat.
Her lips parted, her breath pushing out in little bursts. Her gaze dropped to his mouth. Was she going to kiss him? He pulled his bottom lip between his teeth, trying desperately not to palm the back of her head and kiss the daylights out of her. Should he go for it?
He shifted, uncomfortable because his growing erection pressed into his shorts and he had no real way to adjust without being obvious. The movement shook her from her daze and her cheeks pinkened.
So, he did the only thing he knew would ease her discomfort and redirected the conversation. “Mom told me about Randy and the divorce being final. Why didn’t you mention the pending divorce when I was home last time? I know I was only home a few days before Cancun, but I’d have helped you deal with this. We’re friends, Stace.”
The light vanished from her eyes and he instantly regretted his words.
