Kianna Alexander - A Love Like This

He moved into the bathroom, which was much smaller than the one upstairs, and swung open the mirrored medicine cabinet to put away his stuff. The pedestal sink left him no space to leave toothpaste and whatnot around it, so he tucked away everything he’d need daily and shut the cabinet. He looked to the shower stall, glad the downstairs bathroom had one so he wouldn’t have to climb the stairs to bathe. Satisfied, he tucked the empty toiletry bag under his arm and stepped out into the hallway.

Hadley was already there, tucking fresh towels and sheets into the hall closet. Because of the narrow hallway, there wasn’t any practical way to go around while she had the closet door open, so he waited.

She shut the door, saw him standing there and jumped. A little squeal escaped her lips.

He chuckled. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you, but the hall isn’t wide enough for me to have gone around.”

She put her hand on her chest, drew a few deep breaths. “No problem. I guess I’m just a bit of a nervous Nellie.”

He sensed her tension and instinctively placed a hand on her shoulder. He could feel the stiffness gathered there. “Are you going to be okay?”

She looked up at him, those sparkling brown eyes of hers as wide as the plains in the Midwest. Her mouth fell open in an O shape, but she said nothing.

Something shifted between them as their eyes connected, and he sensed the tension leaving her, the muscles unknotting beneath his hand. “Am I making you uncomfortable?”

She shook her head, eyes still wide. “No.”

He gave her shoulder a squeeze before moving his hand away.

Breaking the contact seemed to bring her back to the moment at hand. She blinked a few times, then asked, “Is there anything else you need me to do?”

“My laptop and the binders. I left them in the office. Could you grab them and bring them downstairs?”

She nodded. “Anything else?”

“The writing table up there. I’d like it moved into the downstairs bedroom, if it’s not too heavy.”

She was already headed toward the stairs. “Nah, I got it. That thing’s not as heavy as it looks.”

Over the next several minutes, she moved the writing table into the downstairs bedroom. Once she’d set it in the corner near the window, she placed his laptop and the three binders he’d brought with him on the table. He stood in the bedroom doorway, observing her.

She turned his way. “Are you good now?”

“Yes. Thanks for coming over to do this for me.”

“You’re welcome.” Her brow cocked then. “What’s going on with your back, anyway?”

He thought about what to say and about how much he wanted her to know. Not wanting her to think of him as helpless, he said, “Let’s just say stunt work is hard on the body, and I’m not as young as I once was.” Great. Now I’ve made myself seem old.

“Okay, then.” She looked as if she wanted to know more, but thankfully, she didn’t press. Moving toward him, she spoke again. “I’m headed home.”

He moved so she could exit the bedroom, then trailed her to the door. “Thanks again, Hadley.”

Opening the door, she turned back toward him with a smile. “Remember, if you need anything else, just call.”

“Won’t the office be closed over the weekend?”

A sly expression on her face, she reached into the pocket of her jeans and pulled out a business card. She moved into his personal space, adjusting his arm and hand until his palm was up and open, then pressed the card into his palm. “My cell phone number is on the back.” Closing his fingers over the card, she slipped through the open door and closed it behind her.

As he flipped the card and read the number scrawled there, he couldn’t contain his smile.

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