I turn back around—seething, flustered. “I can’t believe you just did that.”
“Really?” He laughs. “You know my rule. No swimsuits.” He arches a purposeful brow. “And right now? You’re breaking the rules.”
“Nice try. Not happening.”
He takes a step toward me, and I throw an arm out, making a stop sign with my hand. “Uh-uh. You stay right there.”
“Fine,” he says, one corner of his mouth lifting.
He sinks into the seat across from me. “You know when these bubbles stop, you’re going to be able to see everything.”
“Worried it’ll look soft and small under the water?”
“Nothing small about it, babe.” His gaze drops, and mine locks on his Adam’s apple as he swallows. “Nothing soft about it, either.”
My bottom lip rolls between my teeth without thinking. I bracemy arms on the edge of the hot tub and lift myself up. The cold air hits my chest, and Matt’s stare turns lethal.
He doesn’t even try to hide it.
Nope. His eyes are fixed on my chest, unapologetic.
“Remind me,” he says, gaze dragging up to meet mine. “Why are we not having sex?”
“Because we’re not making this more complicated than it already is. Because we’re mature adults who decided Cole was more important than our physical needs. Because we have a beginning, middle, and an end to this… and no one wants to get hurt.”
“Sounds like bullshit to me.”
“God.” I shake my head. “You can’t stand someone telling you no.”
“It’s not the no,” he says. “It’s that it’s from you.”
I pause, absorbing his answer, but it only confuses me. “Is it because you worry I don’t want to?”
“No. I know you want to.That’sthe problem.”
He stands and moves toward me, water dripping down his perfect fucking body.
I sink back down into the water and splash a wave at him. “Stay back,” I warn.
He just chuckles, dark and wicked. The devil coming to collect on the lie I’m telling with my silence.
“Why can’t you just admit you want to?”
He grips the lip of the pool on either side of me, caging me in. “Worried you’re going to cave?” he murmurs, his gaze searing into mine, his cock inches from my face, just below the surface.
My words catch in my throat.
I can’t fucking breathe.
I stand suddenly, fight-or-flight taking over. If I don’t get out of the hot tub, Sabrina’s right—I’ll cave. I’ll sleep with Matt.
I know myself too well.
I know him.
And I know it’ll be too good to stop.
I don’t answer him. I just turn and step out, the chill sending a wave of shivers through me.
