Wrong for You (Before You #3)(43)
Grabbing his hand, she pulled him toward the door. “Let’s go before I change my mind.”
***
When Alec stopped his truck in front of the Foundation, she didn’t know what to expect. Earlier, she was sure they were going to dinner, a movie, or something like that despite his reference to work, but now she was confused.
“What are we doing?”
Smiling, Alec pulled his keys out of the ignition. Without saying another word, he walked around the front of his truck and opened her door, holding his hand out to help her down. Now she understood why most trucks had running boards. With the slightly lifted height of his truck, she felt awkward stepping out with her dress, even if it was loose around her legs. All she needed was to face plant into the asphalt parking lot and her weekend would be complete.
“Are you going to answer me?”
He chuckled, interlacing his fingers between hers, and as much as she knew she shouldn’t react, her heart danced in her chest. This is only two weeks, she repeated in her head until she felt like Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. She had to remind herself that they weren’t playing for keeps. Their relationship was all about the present and she couldn’t let herself forget that, not even for a second.
“And for some reason I thought my Little Violet had patience. Who would have known?”
“Whatever…on any other day, but right now I’d rather climb back into my bed and not surface until tomorrow morning.”
Pausing, he raised one eyebrow, the one with the little white scar marring its perfection, but somehow making him even more alluring than if it wasn’t there. “If you plan on sharing your bed with me, then I’d be happy to ditch the surprise and reschedule for another day because there’s nothing I’d like more than to spend the day getting up close and personal with you.”
Admittedly, her heart swelled a little bit, probably too much for the finite nature of their relationship, which made her achingly aware that it was probably to her benefit that they only had two more weeks together. Any more time than that and she’d be irrevocability and unconditionally in love with the sexy as all hell man standing in front of her. “I’m good for now.”
“Keys,” he said, holding his hand out in front of her, his voice laced with amusement.
She handed him her keys, never taking her eyes off the way his t-shirt strained across his back with each motion.
“Now what?” she said as he flung the door open.
Just then a white van pulled into the parking lot.
“We watch them unload the new equipment for the music room.”
“Seriously?” she asked as a man rolled up the back door of the van.
“I walked into the music room last week and I couldn’t believe how sad it looked.”
She shook her head. “I know, but I don’t have anyone to teach the kids.”
“You have the money to hire someone now.”
She smiled. “You’re right. I totally do.”
Leaping toward him, she wrapped her arms and legs around his body as she showered kisses all over his face. “I love it. The kids will love it. Oh my God, I have so much work to do to get this ready and find a music teacher.”
“Is that bad?”
“No.”
His fingers skated under the hem of her dress, burning a trail of heat up the back of her thighs and she whimpered next to his ear.
“You can show me just how much you appreciate my donation when we don’t have an audience,” he whispered, letting her legs slowly slide down his body until she was standing again.
“Wait,” she said, the minute her feet hit the ground. “You used your own money for this?”
“Of course,” he said, grabbing her hand again and pulling her to the van.
“It’s too much.” She shook her head. “You can’t do this.”
“It’s not enough and I already did,” he shot back. “Now let’s show them where to put it.”
“What are we going to do with the old stuff?” She hated the idea of dumping it all in the trash, even if most of it was worthless and didn’t work.
“They’re taking it with them. They’ll refurbish what they can and throw away anything that isn’t salvageable.”
An hour later, she sat on a stool watching Alec tinker with the drum set. “I can’t believe you didn’t play in a band at some point. You’re pretty good, you know.”
He looked up as he twirled the drumsticks through his fingertips. “You think so?”
“Yeah. For a guy who sits behind a desk all day, you have some talent,” she teased.
“Who said I sit behind a desk all day?” he asked, crossing his legs at his ankles and leaning back in the small wooden chair.
She lifted one of her shoulders, shrugging before she crossed the room to be next to him. “Working at a talent agency seems like a desk job, but what do I know? I don’t really run in your circle, brushing up with the talented and the famous on a daily basis. You probably live a surreal life filled with actors and musicians. I barely recognize the latest Top Forty songs.” She laughed, holding her hands out in front of her. “Or even one that’s been on the radio for the last six months. Did I tell you I’m hopelessly and irrevocably tone deaf? I couldn’t hold a note if I tried. It’s sad, really.”