No, not her voice—her hand on the waistband of my jeans.
I blink down at her as I stand there in silence. She’s just staring up at me, those eyes saying so much while her mouth says nothing at all.
To say I’m caught off guard would downplay how I’m also intrigued. I watch her swallow, looking for the courage to say what she wants. That’s why she took my shot—her liquid courage.
But surely no matter what it is she wants to say, she knows I’ll understand. That whatever she wants, I’d get.
I part my lips to tell her in case she doesn’t, but her fingernails barely scrape my stomach. And that makes my breath come out ragged in the quiet of the room as I only manage to whisper, “Evie.”
She says nothing. Just stares up at me.
We’re breathing in sync, eyes fixed. And the drip of the faucet is the only sound in the room as her chest rises and falls.
The familiar pull I have to her starts to cloud my judgement, so I blink a few times, about to back away, but she beats me to the punch.
“You should get in.” Her voice is husky and breathless.
Fuckdraws out in my head. There’s no way I’m hearing her right.
But I know I am. I felt it the moment she laid eyes on me just now.
She peeks up at me through long lashes, her bottom lip drawn between her teeth before it glides out slowly.
“What happened to being just friends ...”
I ask, but I don’t care about the answer.
The silence grows around us, as if it’s stilling to make room for the electricity growing between us. When she doesn’t answer, I test her resolve, rocking back on my heels to move away, but she grips my jeans tighter and sits up.
Goddamn.
Water sloshes, and my knees feel weak as water slides between her full breasts, soapy bubbles slowly falling from her nipples.
She’s looking up at me, topless and brazen.
God never created a more beautiful woman.
“Get in, Chase. We can go back to being friends tomorrow.”
I look deeply into her eyes, understanding exactly what she means—a one and done—but I shake my head anyway because now I do need to know why.
Both her hands come to my jeans as the shine in her eyes makes me feel how raw she is.
“There’s too much going on inside of me. I’m still too scared, and for whatever reason, you’re the only one that makes that go away. I don’t understand it ... and I don’t want to analyze it. But you’re the only place I feel safe.Youtake it all away.”
We don’t have to analyze it, because I understand it. Everything she’s saying ... none of it could ever make sense to anyone else except for us.
What she doesn’t get is we feel the same.
Evie closes her eyes as if she’s talking to herself. “I just need a moment ...” Her lashes flutter open as she locks that exquisite gaze back on mine. “Please give me one.”
I’ll give her as many as she wants. Every day. For the rest of my life.
Because I’m crazy about the girl.
She never had to ask me twice. Period. The end.
Without another word, I step directly into the tub, T-shirt, jeans, and socks. She gasps up at my smile before I sit down, bounding water over the sides.
