It’s more intimate than I would have thought, watching him take off his shoes.
I try not to smile. “Jacob’s eating too. He can be your tester.”
He grabs some clothes from his bag and stops next to me in the doorway. “Sounds like you could kill two big birds with one poisonous stone.” He smiles at me, and it’s as potent as an electric jolt.
We’re standing too close. He smells kind of like dirt and kind of like cleaning supplies, but for some reason, I don’t mind it.
“I’ll be eating too.”
His eyes rove over my face. “I’m starving, actually, and it smells amazing.”
I think he’s referring to the food, but my brain scrambles anyway.
My gaze dips to his mouth. After a second, he slides away.
The bathroom door shuts softly, and then the water kicks on.
I’m still in the doorway, staring at nothing.
I do not want to think about him naked in my shower.
ChapterTen
Archer
When I emerge, clean and refreshed, I find Finley in the kitchen chopping tomatoes for a salad.
I pause before entering, stopping to take a second and view her unobserved. Her hair is down, long and wavy. She’s wearing skinny jeans, dark ballet flats, and a T-shirt that hugs her curves to perfection.
I’m tempted to stare at her longer, but there’s a fine line between admiration and creep. Besides, I can’t act on these feelings, even though something has definitely shifted between us. She’s been less guarded since the raccoon incident.
“Do you need help with anything?”
She spins to face me, her gaze dipping for a second to take in my attire—nothing fancy: a long-sleeved black Henley with gray sweatpants. She bites her bottom lip and then gives me her back.
“Will you set the table?” she says over her shoulder, gesturing with her knife to the plates sitting on the counter. “I don’t know where Jacob ran off to.”
I grab the dishes, stopping next to her for a second. “Why are you feeding me?”
She scoops up some chopped tomato using the flat edge of the knife and drops it into the bowl. “The past few days have been terrible. I made sure of it. But despite all evidence to the contrary, I’m not a total dick.”
“I didn’t think you were.”
She puts the knife down and faces me, resting a hip against the counter. “Plus, you saved my ass from the killer raccoon.”
“They are rather nefarious.”
One side of her mouth curves. “I’m sure I saw him twirling his handlebar moustache.”
“Those raccoons sure know how to maintain their facial hair.”
Just when I think I’m going to get a genuine smile, the side door bangs open.
“Where were you?” Finley asks Jacob.
“Putting away my tools from the table like you asked.”
She watches him for a second and then nods. “Dinner’s about ready. Will you bring the chicken and rolls to the table?”