Seeing Myles shirtless the other day certainly didn’t help. It was much easier when I didn’t have the image of his treasure trail burned into my brain. And don’t even get me started on his perfectly-formed ass. I’m only human. Human and… horny as fuck.
Anyway, the more I think about it, the more I realize he was probably kidding when he offered me sex. He’s flirted with me so much since we met that I don’t even think he’s aware he does it anymore. It’s just who he is.
I place my purse on the vinyl seat beside me, smiling at Alex and Geoff.
“Oh, that’s what you look like,” Geoff deadpans. “I remember now.”
“Shut up.” I pinch his arm affectionately. “Sorry. I’ve been crazy busy with work and getting things ready for the new business.”
“It’s okay, we get it.” Alex smiles over her wineglass. “I just hope Shane is as understanding as us.”
Warmth creeps across my neck. I was kind of dreading this, because I’d talked him up so much, but I’m going to have to come clean. I draw in a breath, facing them squarely. “Yeah, that’s not happening anymore.”
Geoff’s brow knits and he sets down his glass of merlot. “What happened?”
“He just annoyed me, and”—I shrug, trying to be nonchalant—“it didn’t work out.”
“Aw, really?”
Alex scrunches her nose. “You let the guy who took you to La Bouffe getaway?”
I open my mouth to reply but Myles appears at our table with my drink. I give him an appreciative smile, pleased for the distraction, but apparently my friends aren’t about to let this go.
“Myles—itisMyles, right?” Geoff places a hand on his tattooed arm, gazing up at him. Jesus, is he fluttering his damn eyelashes?
I stifle a laugh at his misdirected flirting. He knows as well as I do that Myles is straight, but Myles, bless him, just nods at Geoff with a sincere smile.
“Geoff.” He extends a hand and Myles shakes it. “Now, what do you think about Cat letting the gorgeous Shane get away? Apparently he ‘annoyed her,’” he says, raising his hands to do air quotes around the words.
I take a long sip of my drink, glancing between Geoff and Myles. A shadow crosses Myles’s face, and he lowers himself onto the seat beside me.
“Is that what she said?” He leans back, folding his arms across his chest. “She told you heannoyedher?”
“Yes,” Alex says, chuckling. “She’s so picky.”
Myles barks a sardonic laugh. His gaze swings to me and he stops, reading something on my face I didn’t know was there. “Well, that’s… her call.”
“It’s okay.” I place a hand on his arm. “I was going to tell them.”
“Good,” he murmurs. He’s wearing a black T-shirt tonight, fitting snugly in just the right places, and I can’t help but notice how his bicep curves nicely into his sleeve with his arms folded like this. There’s an electric crackle in my fingertips where they rest against his skin, and when our eyes meet, that electricity sparks, forming a current down through my center.
Fuck.
I withdraw my hand, laughing unsteadily. A tiny part of me wishes he hadn’t been kidding the other day because, well, would itreallybe so terrible to have sex with Myles?
Yes, I quickly remind myself. He’s helping me build my business, for Christ’s sake. And I’ve seen him flirt with every woman that’s walked in here. I know he said that was just for tips, but that’s exactly what Mark used to say.
Myles rakes a hand through his messy hair, letting his gaze slide from mine. “I’d better get back.”
I nod, using all my strength to keep my eyes glued to the table, when what they really want to do is watch his tight little ass while he walks away.
“What’s going on?” Geoff asks, bringing my attention back to them.
“What? Nothing.” An awkward laugh escapes me. “Myles is just a friend.”
“I meant with Shane,” Geoff says. “But howinterestingthat you thought I was talking about Myles.” He raises his glass to his lips with a knowing look.
Heat hits my cheeks and I take a big gulp of vodka. “Oh, right, Shane. Um… he wanted sex and I didn’t.”
