“I feel like it’s all I ever offer you, but I was planning on making my fiftieth cup of coffee for the day. Would you like some?”
He grunted, and I chose to take that as a silent agreement. Slapping my thighs, I said, “Come on, it’s cold out here.”
Getting up, I nudged him with my foot. Whereas I’d had to shove off my knees and heave myself up, he rose in one smooth movement. His gloriously thick thighs doing all the work.
Good Lord, what was wrong with me? Thoughts like that were definitely crossing the line of friendship. I grabbed the blanket and shook it out to distract myself before heading toward the house.
Both dogs instantly went for him, one in excitement, the other in furious outrage. I rolled my eyes, walking toward my little family who’d moved to the table and were now playing a game of Guess Who.
“Child of mine, shouldn’t you be getting ready for bed by now?”
“I was going to go outside and ask you if we could play one more game, but Layla told me not to bother you. She said you were having a mental crisis and would come back in when you were done asking the sky for the answers to life.”
I slid my eyes to the woman behind that statement. I was going to kick her in the ovaries when she least expected it. I opened my mouth but didn’t get the chance to reprimand either of them when Garrett’s rumbling laughter echoed out right behind me, sending shivers up my spine.
I glanced back, but he was standing so close, I only got an eyeful of chest. Tipping my face up, I squinted my eyes, but that only made him laugh harder.
“That sounds about right, J-man.”
I flung my hands up in defeat. “I hope you all get restless leg syndrome the second you try to fall asleep. Which, speaking of sleep, you seriously need to finish up and get ready, bud. It’s past your bedtime, and you have school tomorrow.”
He grumbled, flicking the remaining plastic figures down and loading the game back into its box. I watched him shuffle to his room, Sadie at his heels. She’d taken to sleeping with him lately, and although he wouldn’t admit it, he was eating it up.
“Coffee still okay with you, Garrett? I could also do tea or a glass of water?” He looked down at me, close enough I could feel the heat from his chest, and I fought the urge to press my chilled body against him for warmth.
“Coffee’s fine.”
I gave him a thumbs up, setting to work and chatting with him and Layla about their plans for the weekend. Layla seemed to be the only one with anything exciting happening.
“You sure you don’t need me to stay home to watch Jamie for you Saturday?”
I waved a hand near my head. “Nope, my parents are excited to have some extra time with him. You and Rick go off and have fun. Hike, get some vicious leg cramps, sweat profusely, attract mosquitoes, all that fun outdoorsy stuff.”
She gave me an unimpressed look. She and Rick were not, in any way, the outdoorsy type. They’d probably stay in and write new, amazing music all day.
Garrett had moved to the bar to watch me work. He looked so out of place with his huge mass of a body trying to get comfortable on our cheap barstool. “Which jobs do you do on the weekend?”
Grabbing the finished pot, I poured it into the two mismatched mugs I’d pulled out. “Payroll on Sunday and waitressing each night. Although, I honestly think I might call out from the restaurant. Someone recently told me I look awful so I think maybe I should pull back a bit.”
I winked at him over my shoulder and swore his eyes flared in response. But by the time I turned to slide him his mug and creamer, he was back to his normal, stoic expression.
“I actually start a new position Saturday as well.”
He wrapped his long fingers around the cup, and my gaze was drawn to his full lips as he pursed them to blow across the top. “Another one?”