Build Me Up by Lili Grouse Page A

would be the best revenge. So she unclasped her bra and slipped her panties off and stuck them in the hamper, put the lid on and pushed it outside the door.
    “Ready for pickup!” she called out and closed the door again, her pulse racing. She turned the lock and turned on the shower.
    He didn’t have any floral scented shampoo, conditioner or shower gel, just a 2-in-1 concoction that was said to take care of both body and hair. Yeah, right. Her hair would be frizzy after that kind of treatment. Then again, Ford didn’t exactly need shampoo, now did he? No soft waves curling into his face and making him look all boyish. Nope. Ford was all man. Hard and rough and… the water was way too hot.
    Kristen scrubbed herself clean, forcing her mind to stay off Ford and his limbs.
     
    Ford, having chucked his dirty clothes and pulled on sweats, went upstairs to collect Kristen’s clothes. As he picked up the hamper, he could hear the shower running. Imagining Kristen under the spray didn’t take much effort – not imagining it took all his concentrated energy. What had he been thinking, insisting she come over to shower and wash her clothes?
    Ford shook his head all the way back down to the laundry room. As he pulled out her dirty jeans, T-shirt and sweater, stuffing them into the cylinder, something fell onto the floor. He bent down to pick the items up and felt silk under his fingertips. Damn. She’d put her underwear in the hamper.
    The panties were pale pink and trimmed with lace, matching the bra. Realizing he would be pretty creepy to be studying any of the items, he quickly stuffed the panties into the washing machine along with the rest of her clothes. He pretended not to notice that the bra cups fit perfectly in his hands before he tucked them inside, as well. He definitely didn’t check the tag.
     
    Ford was just getting the coffee ready when he heard footsteps on the staircase. He turned his head as Kristen walked into the kitchen and spilled hot water on the floor. Her wet hair was leaving dark spots on his gray T-shirt and the sweat pants were pulled as tight as they would go and still hung on her hips. One little tug and she’d only be wearing his T-shirt.
    “Uh… coffee?” he offered lamely.
    “Thanks. It’s pretty cold in here,” she said and hugged herself. He tried to not look at the spot where his T-shirt met her flesh and where it was evident that she wasn’t wearing a bra – and that she was indeed cold.
    “I’ll get the furnace going,” he said and put the kettle down on the counter. “Help yourself to coffee.”
    “Thanks,” she said and he avoided eye contact as he passed her. Yup, inviting Kristen Barnes over had been a definite mistake.

 
     
     
     
     
     
    EIGHT
     
     
     
     
    Kristen smiled to herself as she poured her coffee. She’d shocked him with the underwear, and then again with her almost-wet T-shirt. Needling him was the best way she knew how not to think too much about their relationship. They weren’t friends, and they certainly weren’t lovers, so to keep things casual she knew she had to treat him like she would any other guy she came across – with just the right amount of flirtation and brazenness.
    The technique had served her well in the past. She’d always managed to keep feelings out of the mix whenever she’d interacted with men. Some were business connections and just needed that smidgen of flirtation to keep them hanging around; others were appealing distractions that welcomed her brazenness with open arms and didn’t bother calling her the next day.
    Flirting with Ford was bad, but building a friendship with him was worse. Friendships led to feelings and feelings led to disappointment and regret. Those were things she could do without.
    When she’d filled her cup, she wandered out of the kitchen and over to the living room. She always felt like living rooms were warmer than any other room in a house – maybe because of the rugs and fabrics.