“We can do itinbed,” he quipped. “Wherever you like. But right now…” Brantley opened the door, stepped outside.
“Son of a bitch.” Reese glared at him. “Why the hell didn’t you tell me it was rainin’?”
More like drizzle. Or maybe just the ridiculous humidity that’d been blanketing Coyote Ridge for the past couple of months.
Brantley smiled. “Where’s the fun in that?”
Less than a minute later, Reese was at his side cursing him, Tesha trotting along in front, tail wagging.
Damn fine way to start a Friday.
When they returned to the house nearly an hour later, Brantley felt even better than when they’d left. His heart was pumping strong, and the fresh air had cleared his mind.
“Not your best pace,” Reese said when they walked into the house.
Brantley peered over, barked a laugh. “Maybe that was because I was keepin’yourpace.”
He found himself smiling wider when Reese glared at him as he made a beeline for the refrigerator.
Brantley was ready when Reese tossed him a bottle of water, catching it with one hand while he admired the man. The good news was, the sleep had worn off and, in its place, a grumbling man desperately in need of a shower. Exactly where Brantley hoped to have him in the very near future.
“You want breakfast?” Reese offered, tossing his empty bottle into the recycle bin—somethingelsethat had just miraculously appeared in the house recently. “Not right this second, I mean. But before—”
“Shower first,” he interrupted, finishing off his water and pitching the empty into the allocated bin.
Reese turned back to the refrigerator, opened it. “I’ll wait till you’re done.”
Brantley turned and started walking backward, grinned again. “The hell you will. You’re gonna join me in the shower, Tavoularis. Right. Fucking. Now.”
Reese peered around the refrigerator door. “I’ll make breakfast.”
“Keep up with the excuses, and I’ll make you work for it.”
“Work for what?” Reese groused.
“Get your ass in the shower,” he commanded, still smiling. “Now.”
Reese finally gave up, stomping in the direction of the bathroom. “Anyone ever tell you you’re too damn chipper in the mornin’?”
“It’s gonna be a good day.”
“So you keep sayin’.”
Once they were in the bathroom, Brantley figured it was time for less talk, more action. After turning the water on, ensuring it wasn’t too cold and not too hot, he began stripping his clothes off, piece by piece. He knew Reese was still sulking near the sink, but he figured that wouldn’t last much longer.
If he knew anything about Reese Tavoularis at all, he knew the man couldn’t resist him when he was naked.
*
Damn it.
Reese knew he should’ve stayed in the kitchen. At least if he’d had any intention of resisting Brantley’s charms. Because here and now, with Brantley stripped bare, his heavy erection in his hand as he moved to stand beneath the spray of water, Reese felt his blood begin to pump faster and hotter.
Funny thing, considering they’d just beat feet for ten freaking miles. He should’ve been exhausted, ready to sit down, to rest, butoh, no. His body’s natural response to Brantley’s naked form was to stand tall and take notice, which made it impossible to resist the man. And Brantley knew it, too.
Rather than give Brantley what he so obviously wanted, Reese decided to sulk a little more, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against the counter openly ogling all that sleek, toned flesh.
Christ, the man looked good wet.
