All in on You

Chapter Eighteen

Of all the thoughts swirling in my head leading up to tonight, none of them even came close to being about what Angelo would be wearing.

I've seen Angelo wear many styles at this point. I've seen him in full equipment, half-dressed with his hockey pants on but jersey off, and in the suits he wears to games (those glimpses are always from the pre-game show on the televised broadcast). Then there are the designer casual things he wears, like the pullover when we went to JT's, and my personal favourite, his Saints sweat stuff. Talk about cozy and sexy.

And yet, I've never seen Angelo dressed like he is the moment he opens his door. Black jeans on the bottom and a crisp white shirt with the sleeves pushed up to his elbows on top. His forearms officially make me feral. Am I drooling? I better not be drooling.

It takes superhero strength for me to tear my eyes away from his body. Lucky me, his face is just as delightful. His skin is freshly shaven and his dark hair is pushed off his forehead. I'm in love with the black curls that gather at the back of his neck. Angelo Bradford really is something.

And right now, he's just staring back at me.

"Hey," I breathe.

"We match."

"Hmm?"

Angelo's eyes take a slow drag down my body and my stomach flips.

"We're matching," he repeats.

Oh, right. Ha. We're both wearing black and white, which is ironic. Not only because we didn't plan this, but because what we're doing is very much in the grey area. The rules say no, but who are we really hurting by having dinner together? Not us, I hope.

"That we do."

"It's okay, I can admit it. You wear it better."

He's a cheeky fellow.

I glance around the empty yet stunning hallway.

"So, were you planning on bringing the table out here to eat, or should I come inside?"

Angelo grins and raises his hand in mock surrender.

"I don't have a good comeback for that, other than I'm too busy admiring the view to notice where you're standing. But please, Har, come on in."

"Thought so," I say as I step foot into Angelo's unit.

I'm not ashamed to admit that I, too was admiring the view and didn't really get a good look into his place until now. And now that I'm seeing it...

"Wow, Angelo, this is amazing."

He's offered to take my outerwear but I'm full on ignoring him, because this is all just too much. I'm glad I had the sense to take off my boots, because I'm padding around, trying to take it all in.

It's immaculate, all decked out in neutrals and granite and marble. It's modern yet lived-in, unattainable but also comfortable.

"I can turn up the heat if you're still cold," Angelo quips.

I spin around. Angelo is waiting by the front closet, wearing an amused expression.

"Again, wow," I say as I hand Angelo my things. I thank him as he hangs my coat in his closet. If I wasn't on my best behaviour, I'd sneak a peek at what he has stashed in there. "This place is impressive."

Angelo lifts his arm to touch the nape of his neck and his shirt lifts an iota, revealing some smooth, tanned skin. Yum.

"Thanks. But I can't take all the credit. My older sister is into interior decorating and she's responsible for how it looks."