“Marti!” Mel jabbed her in the ribs with her elbow.
“Ow!”
“Do you have to make it weird?” Mel asked.
“What? It’s true.”
Mel stood and headed toward the door. She had to get to her office, or she’d be late. Besides, this little unearthing of her feelings did very little to help her feel better about the fact that, when Blake grabbed her wrist before she headed for the shower, she had wanted to sink inside his arms. Or how, when she covered his mouth with her hand, she’d wanted to remove it and replace it with her lips. She had hoped her friends would make her see how crazy that was. Instead, they only validated her when she needed them to make her see reason, to talk her down from the ledge.
“I’ve carried and birthed triplets. I’m sure Jen,” she said, thinking back on beautiful she was, how young, and vibrant she’d looked, “has zero stretch marks and the skin tone of a supermodel from all those expensive spa treatments.”
Caroline shot her a dirty look. “You don’t give yourself enough credit. You’re a babe.”
Marti and Caroline followed Mel as she opened the door and stepped back out into the hall. The sound of clacking keyboards, soft chatter, and phones ringing filled the space.
Marti bumped her shoulder. “You’ll know if he liked what he saw.”
“What? How?”
“Trust me, you’ll just know. You’ll catch him staring when you’re not looking, or he’ll blush when he looks at you, his eyes will trail your body or dart to his favorite part.” She wiggled her brows, and Mel’s cheeks heated. “There are all kinds of ways. Watch his body language, and I guarantee you’ll be able to tell.”
“That’s ridiculous. And what if he didn’t like what he saw? Then what?”
“He’ll be unable to look you in the eye,” Caroline said with confidence.
“You two are crazy,” Mel said, pointing at them, but she couldn’t help her grin. “I’ll see you later. Lunch?” she asked, and when they nodded, she turned and headed to her office.
All throughout the day, she wondered what Blake’s expression
was when he glimpsed her in her birthday suit. She had been too embarrassed to meet his eye, except for that one heart-stopping moment when she’d placed her hand over his mouth, and it was enough to send her into arrhythmia. Still, Marti’s words stuck with her all day.
And it made her wonder . . . How would he look at her when she got home?
MEL
SHE TOLD HERSELF NO matter how Blake acted when she walked through the door, it meant nothing. So he saw her naked? Things were bound to be a little awkward. If he didn’t look her in the eye, it would be a natural reaction and not because he thought she looked like an ogre.
Still, no matter how many times she repeated this to herself on the subway ride home, her stomach fluttered with nerves. By the time she entered her apartment, her anticipation levels were off the Richter scale. Any second, her insides would quake and she’d split in two.
She stepped inside to see Blake sprawled out on the ground, playing what seemed to be an epic game of Candyland. When she approached, he glanced up and sprung to his feet.
“How was work?” he asked, shoving his hands in his pockets.
Mel’s stomach sunk. No look of longing in his eyes. No blush. Nothing. Then she reminded herself she was being stupid. Snap out of it!
“It was great. If all goes well, I sign my contract at the end of next week and get my first paycheck as Executive Editor soon after, so that’s something. The week can’t go fast enough,” she said, glancing away.
“Right.” Blake scratched his head and angled himself toward the kids.
When Mel risked another glance at him, she caught him trailing his eyes down her body from her peripheral. Chest, legs, feet, legs, booty, face. She caught his gaze, and he immediately turned his head and cleared his throat, his cheeks a bright crimson.
A little thrill ran through her. He was totally checking me out. And his cheeks are turning red. . .
Her body flushed, a pleasurable warmth coursing through her veins. Maybe it was pathetic to feel that much joy at the notion a man had seen her in her birthday suit and liked what he saw, but, hey, she was human. After having three babies all in one go, his finding her attractive meant something to her, even if it was a little awkward and egotistical.
Blake cleared his throat, glancing at her from under his lashes. “So, I’ll see you tomorrow, then?”
Mel bit her lower lip, trying to suppress her smile and failing. “Yeah, tomorrow.”