“Your spotter,” he repeated, working to get his heartbeat back under control. “You shouldn’t be on a ladder without one.”
Her gaze narrowed a second before her chin lifted. “Well, you’re here now. You can spot me while I finish up this last screw.” And without waiting for him to reply, she turned around and completed securing a large whiteboard to the wall. “There.” She grinned, elbow on her hip, drill in her hand, looking so at-ease with the tool, he wondered if she slept with the damn thing under her pillow.
And because he had a tool he’d love for her to handle, he forced the dangerous thought from his mind and tried to pretend nothing was wrong. “You can come down now.”
Her grin increased. “I know. I kind of like this angle.”
Her playful tone did funny things to his chest.
“Me, too.” He let his gaze trail slowly up her bare legs. “But if you don’t get down, I won’t be responsible for what others might stumble on if they walked in here.”
Heaven help him, a wicked gleam entered her eyes and she stepped down a few rungs, putting him eye-level with the promised land.
“Is that better?”
Fuck, yeah. That was great. And he would’ve told her, but he forgot how to speak. His mind fogged over. No doubt because he had no blood left in his brain. He shook his head, trying to clear it.
Didn’t work.
She stepped down onto the next rung. “Or would you rather this?”
His gaze was now even with mouth-watering cleavage, two beautiful breasts, and a pair of pert nipples, visible under her top, telling him she was just as aroused.
None of that helped his situation.
He swallowed past his dry throat and forced his gaze to meet hers. “This isn’t smart.”
“True.” She nodded, and came down the rest of the way.
It would’ve been good, except for the fact he still held onto the ladder. With a death grip. It was ironic how his defense for keeping his hands off her did little to keep hers off him.
Palms on his chest, she hesitated, and he found himself holding his breath to see if she was going to push him away or pull him close. God help him, he was equally terrified of both.
Chapter Eight
Gaze still glued to his, she trembled against him. Unaware of how it happened, Ryder had her trapped between the ladder and his body, as he continued to grip the sides. But he failed to resist dipping down to drag his mouth up her throat.
“This is a bad idea,” he murmured against her skin, loving how she sucked in a breath and clutched his shirt.
“Then this is probably bad, too,” she muttered a second before rocking into him.
Damn, that felt good.
She must’ve thought so too, because she did it again. And yet again.
His mouth was halfway across her jaw, needing to taste her hot kiss when he heard a voice approaching in the hall.
Shit. Lea.
Pushing away from the ladder, he took several steps back from Sophia’s sweet body just as his sister walked in, cradling her baby.
“Good. I caught you.” Lea smiled.
Unsure of her meaning, he decided to ignore it, and focused instead on his cute niece. “Wow, Lea, every time I see Melody, she’s grown.”
“I know. I’m afraid to blink.” His sister smiled, walking up to him with the baby. “Want to hold her?”
He held his hands up and stepped back. “No. Not a good idea. Think I’ll wait until she’s walking around before I attempt that.”
