“And what is one supposed to act like if they’re rich?” He looked amused, which she preferred to him being pissed at her.
She shrugged. “I don’t know. Someone who flashes their money around?” She tried to find the right words. “You don’t even drive a nice car.”
He raised an eyebrow at that, but it was paired with a half-smile.
“What I mean is, it’s not a Porsche or anything fancy like that.”
Daniel pushed his weight off the counter. “I’ve never been a car guy. I’ll leave that to Justin.”
Her friend’s boyfriend and Dom was the best mechanic she knew. He also loved classic muscle cars.
Before she could formulate how to respond, Daniel strolled into the living room and turned on the television. He began scrolling through the channels. One of her favorite shows popped up on the screen and she must have made a noise. He paused and looked at her. “Did you want to watch this?”
“That’s okay. I don’t—”
“Come.” He placed the remote onto the coffee table. “There’s nothing else on anyway.”
She hopped off the stool to join him in the living room. He sat down in the high-backed chair farthest away from the television, so she lowered herself onto the couch.
Ten minutes later, she was curled up on the cushions, her knees tucked under her chin, engrossed in the show. She’d seen the episode before, but it didn’t matter.
When the credits appeared on the large screen, she glanced over at Daniel for the first time since sitting down. He had a book open in his lap, reading. A pair of glasses were perched low on his nose and his forehead had the cutest wrinkle in it as he concentrated.
As if he could feel her gaze on him, he glanced up and removed the glasses. “Finished with your show?”
“The episode’s over.”
Daniel looked at the television, then back at her. “It looks like there’s another episode starting. Did you want to watch it as well?”
Sure enough, one of the main characters appeared on the screen as another episode began. Ali bit the inside of her lip, not sure if she should or not. She could sit there all night and binge the show, but she was a guest in his house...
He interrupted her thoughts. “Watch your show. I have my book.”
“Are you sure? If there’s something else you’d rather watch.”
He grinned and put his glasses back on before returning his attention to his book.
She let her gaze drift back to the television and was soon lost, once again, in the story. This time, when the episode ended and the next began, she didn’t do more than check to see that he was still engrossed in his reading.
Somewhere along the line, she stretched out on the couch and tucked her hands under her chin. She yawned, having trouble keeping her eyes open. There were more episodes after this one, but she wasn’t going to be able to stay up and watch them. She’d finish this one, and then she’d go to bed.
* * *
Every now and then, Daniel would glance up from his reading to peer at Ali over his glasses. She’d been so engrossed in her show she hadn’t noticed. Or at least, he didn’t think she had.
Halfway through the fourth episode, her eyes began to drift closed. He considered saying something but decided to let it go. If she was sleepy, he wanted her to rest.
Her chest rose and fell, and her mouth relaxed, signaling she was asleep. He continued to read, letting the episode drone on in the background, until he felt his own eyelids growing heavy. Closing his book, he set it on the table beside his chair before getting up.
He passed through the kitchen and made his way down the hall to her room. A faint whiff of cherries and lavender tickled his nose the moment he entered the room.
Daniel flipped on the light, illuminating the space. Her bed was in complete disarray, the sheets bunched in the center of the mattress. He straightened them, making the bed, and then turned down the sheets.
When he returned to the living room, Ali was still sound asleep. He didn’t think she’d moved an inch while he’d been gone. Her chest rose and fell with each breath, drawing his attention. She had nice tits. They weren’t overly large, but they were slightly more than a handful.
He shook his head, aggravated with himself for even allowing his thoughts to go in that direction.Too young for you, old man, he reminded himself.
Bending, he eased his arms under her knees and shoulders before lifting her into his arms. If he’d thought her scent affected him in her room, it was doubly potent with her pressed against his chest. The desire to run his nose along her skin, seeking the source of the sweet fragrance, had his groin tightening. He closed his eyes and forced those thoughts to the back of his mind.