As if to prove my point, he gave me a thrust, pressing his hard cock to my stomach, then reached behind him and tugged off his shirt, revealing miles of powerful muscles and beautiful colors. “I was the idiot that doused my nuts in murder-cream and missed two entire nights with you.”
“Hmm, but I have plans.”
“Maybe I have plans too,” he said, smiling and pulling away to adjust himself. I shook my head and looked down, biting my lip.
“Eyes up here,” he added, running a hand over his head. “Sorry if I’m a sweaty mess. I went for a run.”
“Don’t apologize. You smell amazing. I want to rub myself all over you like poison ivy, then lick you like a popsicle.”
“Um,” he chuckled, glancing down at his body.
“Oh, god, bad analogy. It’s just you’re so manly and strong, and when you look like that…”
His chest hair was damp and sticking to his pecs, then dipped down his abs and onto his happy trail. He didn’t have a six-pack, and he didn’t need one. His muscles were from hard manual work, not doing thousands of sit-ups. Every inch of him was hard and taut, except his cock. I imagined that would be like steel wrapped in velvet, and I made a strangled sound in my throat, thinking of seeing him in all his natural glory.
I trailed off, waving my hand in front of him and shaking my head, desperately trying to save myself from jumping on him like a crazed harpy. “But seriously, I was wondering if you wanted to go out with me tonight. I’m meeting my girls and their significant others atB’s Bar.”
“I’ll need to shower unless you want me and my sweaty ass to go like this.” He rubbed his hand down his chest and waggled his eyebrows.
“Shower first, dinner after,” I said, shaking my head and pointing to the bedroom.
“You go ahead,” he said, gesturing to the kitchen. “I’m going to get something to drink and feed Phoebe.”
“Thanks.” I nodded and turned around, digging deep for the courage to tease him a little.
I cleared my throat and untied the knot to my robe, slipping it over my shoulders and letting it pool on the ground. If he was looking, and I was most definitely not turning around to find out, he would get his first look at my tattoo and my ass. I told myself I just wanted him to see my Lotus Flower, but the thought of teasing him made me shiver, and I couldn’t help but glace before I got to my bedroom door.
Mark had turned around and was staring at me with a dark, feral expression on his face. An expression that made my knees weak and my pulse race. An expression that made me crave tonight.
Crave him.
14 - MARK
Holy fuck.Talk about an open invitation I was ready to pounce on. It wasn’t the beautiful colors of her Lotus Flower tattoo that started on her upper thigh and wrapped around her waist that had me following like a love-sick puppy. And it wasn’t her brazen flirtation of dropping the towel and walking away with this coy little smile on her face and dare in her eyes. It was something I saw on her face when she asked me to dinner, and in the way she bit her lip when she turned those beautiful doe-eyes my way.
She was letting me into her world and inviting me into her space, something I had a feeling was rare for her. I was honored and up for the challenge. Ready to proudly have her on my arm and by my side. My hand was pushing open her bedroom door when a constricting feeling hit me square in the chest and spread throughout my body like I’d been doused in ice water.
She didn’t deserve me.
Feet that were confident seconds before were now stuck like cement shoes in the hallway, and I ran my hands through my hair in indecision. Clear expectations or not about our limited time, tonight felt important, and I was thinking with my fucking dick. But what red-blooded man wouldn’t?
Tonight felt like something Jenna should do with her boyfriend, and that wasn’t me. No matter what the nagging voice in the back of my head said, I wasn’t going to change. Turning around, I stalked to my bedroom and kicked off my shoes, closing the door and pacing in the small space. My knuckles were white from clenching them so hard, but I didn’t follow her.
Not yet.
15 - JENNA
Itugged at the hem of my strappy, A-line black dress, trying to smooth it down below my knees. I was a ‘jeans and tank-top girl,’ but I wanted to spice things up tonight. I added a few beach waves to my normally stick-straight hair and did my eyes with a gray and smoky look. When I opened my bedroom door to see Mark waiting in black jeans and a tight black button-up shirt, I knew I’d made the right call.
His jeans hugged his muscular thighs, and I saw his substantial package that left nothing to the imagination. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from it.From him.
He clenched his jaw as he strode forward, looking dangerous, and tracking his eyes slowly down my body. I felt exposed and vulnerable under his gaze, but more than that, I felt desired and longed to rip my dress off and press my body to his. My stomach fluttered because I didn’t like the way he made me feel, as if he could burn me to ash with a single touch and crush my heart to dust.
He leaned down and nuzzled my neck, then whispered dirty things to me until I was panting. Whatever we had, whatever temporary thing this was, it was going to be something big, something scary, and something I wasn’t sure I’d survive.
He pulled away and grabbed his keys, giving me a sly smile and locking the door.
“So, tell me about your friends,” he said a short time later, turning down the radio and putting his hand palm up on the center console. I reached forward and entwined his fingers with mine like it was something we’d done for years.
