“Good. While you’re getting yours, grab me one, too.”
* * *
Dave only had one more day in town before he had to go home. And Ty had already informed me that once he left, I would be spending every minute of every day training to be Tiffany. I only had a little over a week before the cameras showed up, so I needed to be ready.
“How long is this going to take?” I asked Dave right before his scheduled phone conference with the youth center. Even when he was on vacation, he still had to work. Oh well, I couldn’t complain considering he wasn’t seven hours away.
He sat at the breakfast bar with his laptop, a notebook, pen, tumbler that was more than likely filled with some sort of alcoholic beverage, and his cell phone. “If I had to guess, I’d say an hour or so. But after that, you get me all to yourself.”
I rolled my eyes and plopped onto the couch, which wasn’t too far away from his temporary office. “Can’t you do that somewhere else, though? It’s interfering with my game time.”
“This is the perfect spot, Tosh. I’m feet away from the fridge in case I get thirsty—or hungry—and there’s a toilet several feet in the opposite direction in case I drink too much and need to relieve myself. Anywhere else in the house, and I’d be inconveniencing the group.”
I huffed and then pushed off the couch. “Fine, then I’m going next door to play.”
He waved at me from over his shoulder, not bothering to turn away from his computer to even look at me. It was apparent that he’d completely turned his interest to his conference call.
It’d been two days since the party in his back yard. Since then, I’d taken notice of when he was home, not in a stalkerish way, but more so I knew when to be outside just in case he happened to see me and say hi. That never happened, though. I didn’t get the impression that he was ignoring me, but I also didn’t get the feeling that he was willing to make any concerted effort to see me.
Thankfully, I just so happened to notice his Jeep pull around about an hour ago, so I knew he was home. As annoying as it was that Dave prevented me from playing in the comfort of my own—Tiffany’s—living room, I did inwardly celebrate the opportunity to knock on Jacoby’s door.
Which I did.
He didn’t answer, so after several long Mississippi seconds, I knocked again. Still no answer. I glanced over my shoulder to peer down the side of the house to ensure his Jeep was still where he’d parked it next to the house. It was. So I knocked again. The third time had to be the charm.
It wasn’t.
Disappointed, I turned to leave, only to scream and jump at the sight of a very tall and sexy man right in front of me. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the shock of it had scared me so much that I awkwardly tripped over my own feet and nearly fell backward.
Jacoby had a way of sweeping me off my feet—or knocking me off them, whichever way you looked at it.
Luckily, though, he was able to catch me this time. He saved me from another sore ankle and whatever other injuries I might’ve endured from falling over. At least he found it funny; humor danced in his eyes as he held me to him. I was so mesmerized that I couldn’t move, so I just stood there, holding onto him as if my life depended on it.
“What’s so funny?” I asked when his amusement became audible.
“I asked you if you’re okay.”
If he didn’t know his God-given gift of distracting women with his beauty, then it was not my place to explain it to him. I just laughed and pushed him away to stand on my own. “Yeah, I’m fine, thanks to you. Although, I wouldn’t have been in danger of getting hurt if you hadn’t snuck up behind me. You should really stop doing that, you know.”
His smile was intoxicating. “I’m sorry. I was in the house visiting with my sister when I saw you walk over, so I thought I’d come see what you needed.”
“Dave’s on a conference call.” I turned my attention next door, as if Jacoby needed guidance as to where this conference call was taking place. At least it gave me a moment to clear my head of all the inappropriate thoughts, his smile and eyes conjured up in my head. “So, I thought I’d see if you wanted to game for a bit.”
“Sure.” He turned the handle and opened the door, although he held his arm out in a gentlemanly gesture for me to enter first.
“You just keep your place unlocked like that? Aren’t you worried someone will rob you?”
He shrugged, though one corner of his lips remained slightly curled in the hottest smirk known to man. “I can see my place from Jessa’s kitchen. If someone wanted to break in, they wouldn’t have enough time to take anything before I showed up.”
“Good point.” Suddenly, I felt super uncomfortable. It was like I hadn’t thought through my entire plan. Now that I was here, I wasn’t sure what to do. It wasn’t like I could just hop on the couch and start playing without him.
I casually moved toward the living room that reminded me so much of mine and Dave’s back home. And just like last time, the dragon tank in the corner caught my attention. It really was a beautiful display; he couldn’t deny his talent at making it. In fact, it was enough to make me interested in the books that had inspired it. Although, that would have to wait a while, considering I had boot camp in my very near future, and I doubted I’d have time to read anything.
“What game would you like to play?” he asked as he
