Unbuckled. Placed carefully beside them.
Like a ritual.
Like I was stripping off the world piece by piece.
Her breath changed.
Just a little.
Then my shirt.
I didn’t yank it.
Didn’t rush.
Just caught the hem and peeled it up slow, muscles flexing as the fabric slid over my ribs, my chest, my shoulders.
The night air hit my skin.
Cool.
After a week of swinging hammers and hauling lumber, my body felt different. Harder. Leaner. Lines sharper.
Not gym pretty.
Work pretty.
Real strength.
Her eyes went wide.
Not subtle about it either.
They dragged over me like hands.
And something dark and hungry lit behind them.
Yeah.
She liked what she saw.
Good.
I smirked and stepped out of my shoes. Socks. Then unbuckled my belt, slow enough to make her swallow.
Folded my jeans neat.
Placed them down like I had all the time in the world.
Teasing her.
Letting the tension stretch.
Her fingers twitched at her sides.
“Ethan…” she warned softly.
I just grinned.
