Chris opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, Megan burst out, “Oh my God, your skin is so beautiful!” She rushed forward, grabbing Hannah’s hand, examining her arm and any spare inch of exposed skin. “Seriously, most people don’t have this creamy skin with the peachy undertones without tons of freckles.” Megan raised pleading brown eyes to Hannah’s face. “You have to model for me. Please say yes.”
Hannah turned her confused gaze on Matt, looking between him and the short brunette still clutching her hand and pleading with her. Chris just stood by the door, which he’d closed, an amused expression on his face.
Matt shook his head. “Megan, you’re scaring her. Back off.” He gently detached Megan’s hands from Hannah, putting a little space between them, and turned to Hannah. “I told you Megan’s a painter. She’s looking for a bunch of models for a project she’s working on that might turn into a show in a few months.”
Megan smacked his arm, the sound of skin hitting skin cracking in the room. “It will be a show. No might or maybe about it.”
Shrugging, Matt grinned at Hannah. “Okay, it will be a show. She’s roped Chris and I and a few of the other guys into modeling for her as well. It’s really not that bad.” He stepped closer, into her space, his hands on her waist pulling her against him. “We could hang out more if you did.”
Once again, the effect of Matt’s presence and his blue eyes gazing into hers, willing her to agree, had her nodding her head. “Okay. As long as I still have time for school and work and everything.”
“Of course!” Megan rushed to reassure her. “We’ll work around your schedule. Weekends and evenings work best for me anyway. It’ll only be a few sittings, probably. It shouldn’t be more than a few hours altogether.”
Hannah nodded, her eyes never leaving Matt’s. He smiled, his annoyance with his roommates seemingly forgotten. She’d just agreed to come to his house at least two or three more times, after all. Meaning she’d see him again outside of work. If he and Chris were also modeling, would she be posing with one or both of them? That might be interesting.
Megan’s hands thrust between Hannah and Matt, holding a pen and pad of Post-Its. “Here. Write down your number so we can work out the schedule. I’ll need to see my roster …” Hannah took the pen and Post-Its, scribbling down her number while Megan muttered to herself about schedules and models and skin tones. Hannah wasn’t really listening.
Craning his head around, Matt pulled out his phone as she jotted down her number. “Mind if I save that?”
She looked up at him, a smile on her face, warmth spreading through her again that he wanted her number, any remaining resistance forgotten for now. Maybe they’d see each other beyond when they were modeling for Megan. “Go ahead.”
Matt smiled back and typed her number into his phone before pocketing it. Hannah tried to give the paper and pen back to Megan, but Megan was distracted, her hands in her hair, still muttering to herself, so she set them down on the coffee table. A chuckling Chris took Megan by the shoulders and started to guide her to their bedroom door.
Megan seemed to become aware of her surroundings again, and her head snapped up. She turned back to Hannah and Matt. “It was so nice to meet you! I’ll be in touch.” And with that she led Chris by the hand into their room, with him still chuckling the whole way.
Goosebumps rose on her skin again when Matt leaned in close, his breath whispering over her skin. “We should relocate. Unless you want to hear Megan and Chris going at it.”
Hannah’s eyes widened, and a mischievous grin pulled at Matt’s lips. “Uh, no thanks.”
He chuckled again. “My room?” He tilted his head in that direction.
She followed his gaze, then glanced back at the front door. The events of the night and all the emotions hit her at once, dragging at her, making her tired. The spell of Matt and his body had broken the minute the door opened, and she didn’t know if it could be recovered right now. Or if she should even try.
Shaking her head, she took a half step toward the door. “I think I should go home. I’m really tired, and I have stuff to do tomorrow. I can call a cab if you don’t want to go back out.”
Matt’s hand on her cheek turned her face to his, and he placed a kiss on her lips, a sigh of disappointment soft on her face. “No, I’ll take you home. Just let me grab my shirt and a jacket and I’ll be ready to go.”
Moments later they walked back to the still-warm car parked in the driveway. Matt didn’t say much the whole way home, though he did give her one more kiss before she got out of the car.
Exhaustion pulled at Hannah as she made her way into her apartment and got ready for bed. She had to be up early to help get signatures for the petition to get the university to expand its recycling program. She never liked bullying people into signing something, and Saturdays were the worst day to be on campus trying to do that, but she’d been guilted into helping, so she’d be there. Distracted by thoughts of tomorrow and her need for sleep, she pushed her evening with Matt out of her mind, resolving to think more about it and what exactly she’d gotten herself into tomorrow.
Chapter Eight
Matt returned to a dark living room and silence. At least taking Hannah home meant he missed the soundtrack to his own private porno for once. Back in his room, he stripped down and climbed into bed. He thought about taking a shower, but decided not to, not wanting to wash
