True Colors (The Masks #1)(30)
Chapter 14
It was eight o’clock and I was attempting to put the living room back exactly how it had been before the grown ups left. Thankfully I’d made the boys help me return some of the pillows earlier. What a mission!
By some miracle, both the boys were asleep already. It probably helped that after half an hour of launching from the top step onto the mountain of pillows, blankets and couch cushions, I had taken them to the beach and run them ragged. After that, they devoured their tofu, stir-fry, brown rice noodle concoction and were too tired to do anything else but play in the bath and fall into bed.
I had missed a call from Stella while I was entertaining the boys and had tried to call her back, but she wasn’t answering. It bugged me a little, but I decided to let it rest. I couldn’t be bothered grovelling. Yes, I did ditch her on Friday night, but for a really good reason and I went back to get her afterwards! I knew she’d never understand what I did for Libby, but I knew I’d done the right thing and that felt good.
As I shoved the last couch cushion into place my thoughts returned to Eric...again! I'd been thinking about him all afternoon, wondering what he was doing. The idea that he got my hint and would come over skimmed through me, but I knew I was dreaming. As if he would. I laughed at myself as I turned to look at the pile of blankets. Once those were folded and put away, I was free to do as I pleased. I could tell my obsessional thoughts of Eric weren't going anywhere so I needed a heavy-duty distraction once I was done or I'd go insane. I shouldn't be thinking about him at all. If Stella knew how bad my crush was getting, she'd flip a switch. It's not like he belonged to her or anything, we'd both liked him for the same amount of time, but that was under the understanding that neither of us would ever actually get him.
I seriously had to stop thinking about him!
I was trying to decide whether to go for my kindle or the TV remote when the doorbell rang. I rolled my eyes. It was no doubt Stella. Not exactly the diversion I was hoping for, but probably exactly what I needed. With a deep breath I tried to summon the energy for the encounter. But when I opened the door I was flooded with a mixture of relief, astonishment and giddy joy.
“Hi.” I leaned against the frame.
“Hey.” Eric was now in ripped jeans and his pale-green Quicksilver shirt. I loved that one on him. It was just tight enough to see the curve of his chest and shoulders.
“You want to borrow a cup of sugar or something?”
He grinned. “Actually I was wondering if you needed help burying your nephews.”
I swung the door open and stepped aside to let him in. “Actually they redeemed themselves by being adorably cute this afternoon, so I let them live.”
“That was good of you.”
“I’m a nice person.” I shrugged.
Eric walked into our open living space, looking at the artwork as he went. He seemed impressed by my parents' collection of photography and scenic oil paintings, giving me a nod of approval. I pointed to the sunken lounge area and followed him into it. His eyebrows rose as he pointed at the pile of blankets.
I shrugged. “Little boys doing sky diving practice.” I pointed from the top step then onto the pile. “That’s the last of the aftermath.”
He chuckled as he reached for a blanket and threw it towards me, keeping the other end for himself.
And so began the folding session.
“I hope you don’t mind me just popping over.”
Uh - that would be a NOT AT ALL, I can't believe you're actually here and trying to hide my ecstatic joy is taking major effort right now.
I could feel my hips wanting to break into a happy dance, but I quelled the urge and managed a demure smile as he stepped towards me, touching the corners of the blanket to mine, before stepping back so we could make another fold.
“Poppy and Lacey have gone for a sleepover and Mom’s boyfriend just arrived.” He rolled his eyes.
“You’re welcome here anytime.” I took the blanket off him and placed it on the bottom step as he reached for another one.
“Thanks.” He cleared his throat, looking slightly nervous and I wasn’t even reading him.
“Are you okay?”
As if suddenly aware that his edgy behavior was showing, he gave me a sheepish grin and reached for another blanket. “You said your week was better, but you were hiding something. I wanted to come over and see what that was.”
I caught the edge of the blanket and found the corners, holding them wide until he nodded at me and we folded together. I stepped towards him, touching our corners together and felt him looking at me. As his fingertips brushed mine, I stole a glance up at his face, his intense gaze and those perfect lips. I wanted to stretch up on my toes and "accidentally" knock our lips together, but how would I ever explain that one! Instead I cleared my throat and took a quick step back, getting my foot caught on the edge of the blanket. He grabbed my arm before I fell, pulling me up against him.
Damn his lips were close.
What if I just—
No. No. I would die if he didn't reciprocate and it didn't even occur to me to try reading him at that point. I was in such a fluster, my pulse thrumming in my head like a bass drum.
"So, the party."
"What party?"
He let me go so we could finish folding the blanket and the moment was gone. I was such an idiot. I suppressed my self-deprecating eye roll and as we worked our way through the next blanket, the two thick quilts, and lastly the sleeping bag, I told him about the party and Libby and what Carter tried to do to her.