He closes the door to the bathroom. “Had to use the….” He motions his head.
“Oh. Are you feeling better?”
Distract him, Noel. You already embarrassed yourself with that statement. Ugh.
I step closer to him to make sure I can see his eyes better. He’s not squinting as bad as he was earlier.
“The doctor came in and says I can go home soon. So, was that your… boyfriend?”
I about give myself whiplash as I switch from the door to Evan. I huff my annoyance at my brother.
“No, that was my twin brother. He’s… he’s new in town and highly protective of me. Both my brothers are. I’m technically the baby of the family, born last, but only by three minutes. They’ll never let me live it down.”
Seriously. Three freaking minutes changed my life. If I’d only moved lower in Mom’s uterus, I could be the older one.
Evan gets a huge smile on his face, and he steps closer to me. “God, I’m hungry.”
My heart pounds imagining what he could be hungry for, but before I can ask, he grabs his Henley from last night. He moves the gown down to his waist while he sits on the edge of the bed. There are moguls of muscles I’ve never seen on a man before. They’re so pronounced that I swear they each have their own zip code.
He stands up and holds the gown to his waist. “I’m craving pancakes from Sweet Magnolia’s.”
My mouth salivates at the mention of Sweet Magnolia’s. Every meal from there is to die for. I never know what to order when I’m there because each dish is divine.
“So good.” I wonder if I’m talking about his body or the pancakes for a moment, but then I shake from considering. “The doc is letting you break out of this joint?”
“Yeah. I have a concussion, and overnight was just for observation.” His eyes skim the room. “I hope they give me back my jeans, as this gown isn’t going to work out as a skirt in the winter wind. Although it could be quite freeing.”
Evan stands and turns around, and his tight, delectable ass pops from the slit in the back. Suddenly my mouth salivates for an entirely different purpose.
Realizing that I’m checking him out, I laugh, divert my eyes, and squeal, “Evan!”
Swiveling around, Evan’s eyes widen, and he grabs the two pieces together, but it pulls tight against his front, and I gulp at the outline of what he is packing in front—oh my word, that is not small.
“Sorry! I thought it was tied back there.”
I purse my lips and pray something embarrassing doesn’t slip from my lips. “Nope.”
That’s good. One-word answers. That always sounds smart.
I divert my eyes as my cheeks burn hot and tingly. This man is a serious package, in many ways.
He steps toward me with a silly grin on his face. “Well, you’ve seen my assets. Would you like to go on a real date and see if you like more?”
I unconsciously take a step back. “I…I have a few things to do this morning.”
This is moving fast and falling for him would be so easy.
Evan pauses, resting back on the bed. “Of course. I shouldn’t assume you don’t. How about tonight?”
My gut wants to jump to a yes, but my head and Nolan’s words keep haunting me.
Noel, you don’tknowhim. You just got dumped by a guy…
“I… I’m kind of in a funky place right now. My brother says I’m grumpy, but I just got out of a—”
“Sometimes the right person doesn’t come along at the right time, Noel. I’ve seen you at Sip Happens. I think you’re beautiful and you’re caring, and maybe this was meant to be. Don’t you want to find out?”
My jaw drops, and I shut it close quickly.