Back Check Part 32

She gaped at him, then burst out laughing.

Drew's jaw went slack, watching her. She stood on his shiny bamboo floor, the sun turning her blond hair to a glowing halo. She wore skinny jeans, red Converse, and a flowy red-and-navy top with short sleeves, and she held the handle of her big purse in both hands in front of her thighs. Her face lit up with mirth was so incredibly beautiful he could only stare in awe, and her laughter was captivating.

He found his lips twitching in response.

"Oh my G.o.d." She dropped her head forward briefly. "Can you imagine?"

"Uh..."

She bit her bottom lip and looked back at him, eyes gleaming. For some reason, she wasn't freaked out by his nudity, and he found that fascinating. He wasn't freaked out by nudity either, usually; he was used to walking around dressing rooms and showers naked, all the d.a.m.n time. However, he wasn't a jerk.

"I should get dressed," he said, not moving.

"Okay. Right." She straightened her shoulders and narrowed her eyes. "I came here to ream you out. I am so p.i.s.sed at you right now. You need clothes on for this." She turned her back on him and strolled into his living room. "Although I have to admit, your body is totally worth looking at."

His face heated. He still didn't move.

"Go on," she said, facing away from him. "Go get your clothes, wherever they are. I'll wait here. And I won't peek."

He rolled his eyes and moved out from behind the door, closing it. "Thanks," he said dryly. "Appreciate it."

He strode behind her, past the kitchen, and around the corner to the family room. He scooped up his shorts and stepped into them. Jesus. He was drunker than he'd realized. What the f.u.c.k had he been thinking?

He nabbed his T-shirt and carried it to the living room, where Peyton waited. She could probably handle his bare chest. "Okay," he said. "I'm decent."

"Oh yes, you are," she said appreciatively as she turned. She took in his chest as he pulled the shirt on over his head. "Very decent."

He'd heard his share of compliments from women. Yeah, he was in good shape. He hadn't been working out over the last few months and he'd been drinking too much booze and eating too much junk food, but it wasn't like he'd been doing nothing-he'd played a lot of rounds of golf and done a lot of waterskiing and biking at Dougie's lake home in Wisconsin. So he hadn't put on weight or gone all flabby. Although if he kept up the lack of workouts and proper diet, that was no doubt where he was headed. Fat old guy with a beer belly and skinny legs.

Christ.

Anyway, he was used to admiration from women, and for some reason he really liked it from her, but her praise made him actually feel guilty for taking his body for granted. Just because he wasn't earning his living with it anymore didn't mean he shouldn't take care of it. He'd been abusing it lately.

"Come in," he said shortly. "I was just having a beer." He turned back to the kitchen.

"Or six." She eyed the empties on the counter. Her gaze lifted to his face. "Is this how you spend your time now?"

His gut burned. "Yeah," he said. "It is, actually."

She sighed and set her purse on the island, then walked into the family room and dropped onto one of the armchairs. "Is that why you think you shouldn't meet Chloe?"

He resumed his seat on the couch. "Partly."

"I came here to give you s.h.i.t and tell you that you can't change your mind now. But I'm kind of having second thoughts too." She glanced back at the empty beer bottles. "Drinking to excess in the afternoon and answering the door naked. Not exactly appropriate paternal behavior."

"Chloe's not here," he muttered. "Also, I'm not hurting anyone. It was just a stupid prank."

"It makes me question your judgment."

"My judgment is fine," he snapped.

"Really." She lifted an eyebrow. "You'll forgive me if I disagree."

Love stories you'll never forget.

By authors you'll always remember.

end.