Page 18 of One Day Like This (Excess All Areas 1)

“Like I said, you don’t like conflict.”

“Not fair. I went toe-to-toe with our city councillors the day I ran into you on the tram. I can do conflict.”

Matt shrugged. “Yeah, because you’re fighting for someone else. Those claws come out when it comes to the people the shelter serves, or Luke. You’ve even defended Jase when he didn’t deserve it. But when it comes to you ...”

Izabel folded her arms, and it pushed her tits together, making the urge to run his tongue between them even stronger. Suddenly remembering he was naked under his grey joggers, he forced himself to recite the lyrics to “Savoy Truffle” by The Beatles.

Fucking obscure lyrics were bound to kill a pending boner.

“Fine. Fair. Whatever. No, I don’t like conflict around me. It makes me feel like I’m gonna throw up.”

“So, we’re agreed. I’ll talk to Luke. I’ll tell him the truth.”

“Which is?”

“I saw Harry being a shit, flaunting his side-piece, rubbing your nose in it, and I stepped in to help you out. And how I also saw Harry looked at you like you were a lobster and steak dinner he couldn’t wait to sink his teeth into, and I didn’t think it was fair for you to have to deal with him alone.”

“Urgh. Do you have to make me sound so incapable, Matt?”

Matt reached forward and ran his thumb along her cheek, the friction setting him alight inside. “You’re not incapable, Iz. You’re just too good to see the bad in people.”

“Now you’re making me sound like freaking Mary Poppins.”

Matt looked at her bags by the door. “Well, you do seem to be able to pull anything required from those twenty-seven bags you carry around with you.”

Iz turned her face away, but he could see the upturned corner of her lips as she tried to hide her smile. “Fine. Whatever. But I’ll figure out somewhere for us to stay.”

“Not happening. I take you somewhere, I pay.”

Her eyes snapped back to his. “This isn’t a date.”

He heard the words, but the tone told him something different. There was longing. For a moment,he’dforgotten. It felt so natural to be around her, to want to protect her from her own good nature. Hell, he’d gotten buoyed by the idea the two of them were making plans. Plans that included just the two of them, and a hotel, and a beautiful location miles away from brothers.

“I’m still paying. Leave the hotel and ride to me. If it makes you feel better, you can pay to add me to some of those extra events if you need to. I draw the line at anything requiring extensive audience participation.”

Izabel smiled at him. A full on, bright-eyed, joyful smile. His world righted, and for a moment, it didn’t matter that there was every risk Luke was going to kick his head in when he told him, or Jase would give him shit for taking her. For the briefest moment, he felt as though he could take everything they could throw at him so she would smile like that for all fucking time.

Her eyes fixed on his, her chest rising and falling a little faster than normal, a comfortable silence fell between the two of them.

“I should get going. I’ll be late,” Izabel said.

Disappointment rattled through him at the thought he’d not get to talk with her anymore today. “Fair point. Have a good day, Iz.”

“You too, Matt. Just message me when you’ve told Luke. You still have my number, right?”

“Yeah, I think so.”

He knew so. There had been many a drunken night when he’d picked up his phone, searched for her number, and let his fingers hover over the keys before closing it again.

“Great.”

“Great.” Fuck, why was he repeating what she said? He grabbed the door and opened it for her. “Later, Iz.”

And he watched her walk down the hallway until she was out of sight.

4

The following day, with his phone sandwiched between his ear and shoulder, Matt added a date to his calendar on the laptop precariously placed on his knees. “I’ve put it on the band’s schedule. The second Saturday in December is reserved for you pending receipt of—”

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