Penny is just another one of Baylor’s fun ways of shoving my lack of fortune in my face. Penniless doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue like Penny does. A penny would never be found in his possession. Not even beneath the wads of large bills he keeps in his deep pockets. It’s nothing to him. Just a worthless piece of currency. A dull coin beneath his shoe on the sidewalk, not even worth picking up for a bit of luck.
But for as small and insignificant as I am, he sure enjoys stepping on me every chance he gets.
I narrow my eyes up at him, trying not to shiver as water from my hair drips down my back. “Fuck you, Baylor. Get out.”
A smile pulls at his lips. “I believe you’re the lost one here. I know Henry well enough to know he didn’t send you up here for me. He usually buys me more expensive girls.”
I take a slow breath so I don’t pummel him to death. Henry has never bought his women. None of them would have to. For some strange reason, women seem to simply fall at Baylor’s feet. I mean, sure, he’s good-looking, but he’s a narcissistic asshole with a God complex. There’s nothing attractive about that.
“I was clearly here first. Find another room.”
“Some of us don’t just throw our clothes on the ground and dig them out of a giant garbage bag during vacation.” He gestures to my black duffel lying on the floor behind him. “Mine were hung up in the closet before you got here. Besides, this room is the farthest away from everyone and—”
He suddenly stops, and my heart dances in my chest. Baylor leans down and takes a strand of my blonde hair between his long fingers. He steps closer, inhales, and releases a low growl that heats my skin. As much as I don’t like it, I almost beg him to do it again.
“You used my shampoo.”
“I …” I fumble for words as he continues to twirl my hair in his grasp, but I quickly find my tongue again and grin. “I did. And your conditioner too.”
Baylor drops my hair and rubs his fingers together like they’re dirty. “Not exactly the way I usually leave my scent on a woman.”
I snarl in disgust. “Get a good whiff because it’s the only scent of yours I’ll ever wear.”
A tremor courses up my body when I feel something hard begin to press on my stomach. I fight the urge to look down, but I can’t help myself.
Is he really …
My eyes slowly trail down the front of his collared black button-up that practically melts to his perfectly trimmed body. All of his clothes are tailored, so it comes as no surprise, but the sight still makes my mouth dry. My gaze dips lower to the waist of his black trousers, which does little to hide his growing erection.
My breath hitches, and I quickly look back up at him, but his eyes must’ve lowered when mine did and are still stuck where they landed.
Warmth swiftly replaces my chilled skin, trailing down to my core. My thighs start to ache, and my breasts swell from the attention they’re getting. I hate that my body is betraying me at a time like this, but it can only be because I haven’t been naked around a man in over a year. There’s no way Baylor Frost, of all men, is turning me on with just a look.
Baylor’s tongue peeks out, sweeping over his bottom lip before his deep emerald eyes flick back up to mine. “Get your clothes and get out. Now.” The roughness in his voice gives him away. I’m affecting him and not in a way he’s used to.
Baylor’s never seen me without clothes. This is an entirely new ball game, and the thrill of making him uncomfortable excites me too much to back down. Maybe I’m more like Henry’s friends than I thought.
I shake away that idea and put my hands to work.
“I don’t want to go,” I whisper, dragging my hands up and over the curve of my hips toward my waist.
I walk my fingers inward and trace the delicate skin beneath my breasts, watching the notch in his throat bob as he tries to swallow. His eyes grow darker as his pupils dilate.
“What do you think you’re doing?” he rasps, watching my movements with an intensity that motivates me.
“Just trying to get warm—that’s all.” I question my morals and how far I’m willing to take this when my fingers gently tug on my hardened nipples. My head drops back at the sudden arousal shooting through me from my own touch, but I keep my eyes trained on him.
If I make him uncomfortable enough, he’ll have to leave.Right?
My questionable theory crumbles when Baylor goes from watching my meticulous fingers to pushing his body against mine.
He takes three giant steps forward, keeping me steady with a widespread hand on my lower back as he forces me farther into the bathroom.
My eyes go wide as my ass hits the vanity with a thud. I grunt or moan—too surprised to hear the difference. My lips parting with such an erotic sound makes Baylor’s gaze fall to them, as if I commanded them to.
His warm palm twitches like he wants to slide his hands down and hoist me up onto the counter. Instead, he hastily removes it and shoves a finger in my face. “You have no idea what you’re messing with, Penny. Careful.”
My chest heaves against his as my heart rattles around in my rib cage like a butterfly trying to escape its prison. I don’t know what I was expecting when I decided to play his game but I wasn’t ready for this overwhelming feeling of fear and … desire.
