I wasn’t, uh, I wasn’t expecting him to answer the door like this, hence why I haven’t said anything. Or why I can’t seem to find my words.
“Kelsey . . . the oven.”
“Right,” I say, stepping to the side. “The oven. Gas. It smells like gas.”
JP moves past me and I watch his backside retreat into the main living space.
I’m not one to dismiss the truth, even if it pains me. And the truth here is that JP is gorgeous, especially with his shirt off. The kind of man that you see walking down the street and all you can do is stop and stare to take in everything about him. With his shirt off, not only do you get glimpses of JP’s tattoos, but you get a whole show.
*Mentally cries* God, he’s sexy.
Ahh, did I just think that? No, he’s not sexy. He’s just . . . someone to look at that’s easy on the eyes.
Not sexy. Nope. Just . . . attractive. That’s all.
Okay, moving on.
“What did you do to the oven?” he calls out.
This is where I have to play defense because the moment he knows I was lying, he’ll make a run for his room and I’m going to have to block him. I prepared for such an event by rolling up my sleeves and removing my socks so I don’t slide along the floor. The sweaty gription on the bottom of my feet has already occurred, so I believe I’m ready.
I walk into the living area, staying close to his hallway to perform a blockade, and in a very dramatic voice, I say, “I lied.”
His head snaps around and his eyes meet mine. “You lied?” he asks with a tilt of his brow.
“Indeed.” I hold my chin up even higher. “The oven story is a farce. I never even touched it.”
“Jesus Christ,” he says, and just like I predicted, he starts moving in my direction.
Man your position!
I back up into the mouth of the hallway and extend all limbs out, creating a wall with my body. If he wants to get to his room, he has to get through me first.
Which, I’m aware he probably has an entire person’s weight of muscle on his body over me, but I’m scrappy and I know how to cling to someone like a spider monkey.
“What are you doing?” he asks as he stops a few feet in front of me, seeming to realize I’m a force to be reckoned with.
“Stopping you from retreating to your room. What does it look like?”
“It looks like a pathetic attempt to get in my way. With one push of my pinky, I will have you flat on your ass.”
“I’m much stronger than I let on. Try me.” There is no way he’ll touch me.
Boy, was I wrong.
He steps up to me, presses his pinky to my chest, and gives me just enough of a nudge to throw me off balance.
TIMBER!
Because my arms and legs are fully extended, I have nothing to grab and, before I can even think about a counterattack, I’m falling on my ass with a clunk.
Man down.
Heat washes over my cheeks when I look up at JP, just as he starts to step over me. I might be embarrassed by my pitiful attempt to stop him, but I’m not giving up. Ohhhh no. I will not go down without a fight.
This man will talk to me if it’s the last thing I do.
I twist my body so my stomach is pressing against the ground, extend my arms out, latch onto his leg, and pull myself closer, hanging on for dear life.
“What the fuck?” he asks, staring down at me. He shakes his leg, attempting to rid himself of me—as if I’m an inconvenient piece of toilet paper that’s stuck to his shoe. Too bad for him, my grip is strong. “Kelsey, what the hell are you doing?”
With my cheek pressed against his leg, the bottom of his shorts tickling my nose, I say, “You’re not getting away from me, sir. No way. You will talk to me.”
“Let go.” He places his hand on the wall for balance and shakes harder.
“Never!” I cry out. “If you want me off you, you’re going to have to pry me off.”
Bad choice of words, because the next thing I know, he reaches down and plucks at my fingers.
I swat him away.
He swats at my hand.
I swat back.
He swats again.
I open my mouth and start chomping at his hand to scare him away.
That does the trick because the swatting ends and I resume my lethal grip.
“Kelsey, seriously, let the fuck go.”
“You have no idea who you’re dealing with. I have no problem claiming squatter’s rights on your leg. I have nowhere to be all night. It’s just you and me, bub, so it’s your choice. You either come talk to me, or you spend your evening with me attached to your foot.”