Chase Me (Broke and Beautiful #1)(44)

“He was smug,” Honey muttered. “Are there any egg rolls left?”

Abby fished through a bag and handed her one. “Finder’s fee. I want half.”

Roxy smirked at them and turned, bracing herself to open the door. This was ridiculous. How could this guy make her feel nervous and secure at the same time? She wanted to see him, but she also wanted to run back into her room and hide under her bed. A totally unacceptable reaction. Lately, guys tended to be more of a diversion when she had time, but she never grew fascinated with them. The opposite, actually. She walked away from time spent with Louis wishing she had longer. Wanting to know more about him.

She gave herself a silent command to grow a pair, then opened the door. Oh man. He looked way too freaking good. Hair still slightly damp from a shower, curling at the ends where he’d probably shoved it back with an impatient hand. Plain white T-shirt untucked over well-worn jeans. Freshly shaven. His mouth immediately kicked into a grin when he saw her, but it dimmed into something darker as he looked her over. She felt her nipples harden underneath her tank top and knew he noticed. There had always been an undercurrent running between them, but after this morning, it seemed to snap and spark, letting off heat in the space separating them. Drawing them closer.

Louis stepped slowly into her personal space before leaning in and kissing the skin beneath her ear. “You thinking about me naked, Rox?”

Her lips curled into a smile. “That’s my line.”

“Yes, but you asking me is a waste of time. The answer is almost always yes.”

“Almost always?”

He brushed their mouths together. “I’m not going to lie to you. There was about thirty seconds this morning when I was thinking about breakfast.”

She pursed her lips. “What kind of breakfast?”

“Waffles. Blueberry.”

“All is forgiven.”

One strong arm snaked around her waist to pull her close. “Okay, this is a way better greeting than the one I got this morning, but you still haven’t kissed me yet. I’m here to charm your crabby roommates. It’s the least you could do.”

“You haven’t soothed the savage beasts yet.” She dodged his mouth, even though she wanted to faint in his arms and beg to be ravaged like in a black-and-white movie. “Kisses must be delivered only after the work is completed. You’re a lawyer, you understand.”

“I could argue that a down payment wouldn’t be remiss.”

“Stop. No legal talk. I’ve only recently discovered my weakness for it.” Roxy felt herself flush red to her hairline. Admitting weaknesses now? If she kept slipping up around this guy, he was going to run her over like a semitruck.

She tried to bat him away playfully, but he latched onto her wrists and tugged her close. Those brown eyes had gone from amused to intense, forcing her to catch her breath. “I have a weakness for every f*cking thing about you, so you’ve still got the advantage. All right?”

Unbelievable. How did he know the exact thoughts swirling around in her head? More than that, how did he know the one thing to say that wouldn’t patronize her, the one thing that would make her relax? She started to make some comment unworthy of the moment, one that would get them back to where they’d been when the door had opened, but he kissed her cheek and walked past her into the apartment.

“Oh, are you done mauling our roommate?” Honey asked, waving half an egg roll at him.

“Not even close,” Louis answered without missing a beat. For the first time, Roxy noticed he was carrying a plastic grocery bag in his hand. He set it on the kitchen island and reached inside. “Rocky road or butter pecan?”

Her roommates exchanged a look. “Huh?”

“Ice cream.” He held up two pints of H?agen-Dazs. “Which flavor?”

“Rocky road,” Abby shouted.

Honey made an outraged sound. “Butter pecan, but we switch halfway through.”

“Deal.”

As Louis tried out a couple of drawers to find the spoons, Roxy realized she was still standing there like a spare tool, with the door open behind her. She quickly closed it, just in time to watch Louis hand each of her roommates a pint of ice cream with a spoon sticking out of the top.

“You want me to microwave them?” he asked. With a straight face.

Abby beamed up at him. “No, it’s perfect. Thank you.”

Honey gestured toward the kitchen with her spoon. “What else you got in that bag, Mary Poppins?”

Roxy’s curiosity got the best of her, so she hopped up on one of the kitchen stools and reached into the bag. “Three . . . no, four Snickers bars,” she announced. “A bottle of wine. Tylenol. People magazine.” She peered further into the bag. “And Bridesmaids on DVD.”

Abby reached out for the bag. “You may continue mauling our roommate now.”

“It would appear I can be bought, too,” Honey sighed. “Fire up the DVD player.”

Louis sauntered back toward Roxy, looking so pleased with himself that she had to laugh. She thought of how he’d calmed his sisters down Saturday night, the way he’d handled the difficult situation with such ease. Even the way he’d talked her down in Fletcher’s bedroom after her botched attempt at stripperhood. Who the hell was this guy? The vagina whisperer?