I found myself nodding.

“Makes sense. I was back home, visiting the fam.” He shifted Raphael to his other hand, cradling the squirming thing to his chest. “Well, hell…”

I was gripping the door until my knuckles ached. “That’s… um, your tortoise?”

“Yeah.” A half grin appeared as he lifted the little guy. “Raphael meet Avery.”

Giving the tortoise a little wave, I kind of felt stupid afterward for doing so. It just stuck its head back in its green and brown shell. “That’s a very interesting pet.”

“And those are very interesting shorts.” His gaze dropped. “What are they?” Leaning forward his eyes narrowed, and I stiffened. “Pizza slices?”

Heat swamped my cheeks. “They’re ice cream cones.”

“Huh. I like them.” Straightening, his gaze drifted up me slowly, leaving an unfamiliar wake of heat behind. “A lot.”

I immediately let go of the door and crossed my arms over my chest. The corner of his lips tipped up. My eyes narrowed. “Thanks. That means a lot to me.”

“It should. They have my seal of approval.” He bit down on his lower lip as his lashes lifted. Those eyes pierced mine. “I need to get Raphael back in his little habitat before he pees on my hand, which he’s bound to do, and that sucks.”

My lips twitched into a small grin. “I can imagine.”

“So, you should come over. The guys are about to leave, but I’m sure they’ll be around for a little longer. You can meet them.” He inched closer and lowered his voice. “They’re no way as interesting as I am, but they’re not bad.”

I glanced over his shoulder, part of me wanting one thing and the other half wanting nothing to do with any of this. That part won out. “Thanks, but I was heading to bed.”

“This early?”

“It has to be after midnight.”

His grin was spreading. “That’s still early.”

“Maybe to you.”

“Are you sure?” he asked. “I have cookies.”

“Cookies?” My brows rose.

“Yeah, and I made them. I’m quite the baker.”

For some reason, I couldn’t picture that. “You baked cookies?”

“I bake a lot of things, and I’m sure you’re dying to know all about those things. But tonight, it was chocolate and walnut cookies. They are the shit if I do say so myself.”

“As great as that sounds, I’m going to have to pass.”

“Maybe later then?”

“Maybe.” Not likely. I stepped back, reaching for the door. “Well, it’s good seeing you again, Cameron.”

“Cam,” he corrected. “And hey, we didn’t almost run each other over. Look at us, changing up the pattern.”

“That’s a good thing.” I was back in my apartment and he was still in front of my door. “You should get back before Raphael pees on your hand.”

“Would be worth it,” he replied.

My brows knitted. “Why?”

He didn’t answer that, but he did start backing up. “If you change your mind, I’ll be up for a while.”

“I’m not going to. Goodnight, Cam.”