“Your words, not mine, brother,” he chuckled as he picked up his roll of wallpaper. “I guess this wall is prepped as good as it’s going to get. I’ll get this going right now, Gracie.”
“Thank you,” I said.
“Unbelievable. You made that whole scene and for nothing.” Carl shook his head and stormed out of the laundry room.
Cutler motioned for me to step out of the room, and he placed his hand on the small of my back as we walked down the hallway into the kitchen.
Another subcontractor, Jackson, was there, laying the floors, and he and Cutler were discussing the timeline.
The electrician, Coby, was waiting for him as soon as he finished talking to Jackson. I didn’t know how he handled being pulled in so many directions all the time.
Cutler Heart wore a lot of hats.
And right now, while I stood there watching him do his thing, it nearly took my breath away.
His shoulders strained against his navy tee as he listened intently to Coby’s questions.
I watched as he put fire after fire out.
Everyone came to him, and he never lost his cool or got frustrated.
He was the most confident man I’d ever known.
The sexiest man I’d ever known.
And it took everything in me not to pull him against me and kiss him right here in the middle of this kitchen, in front of all these people.
The irony was not lost on me.
I’d come to Blue Sky Bay to have a fling and keep things casual.
But this felt like anything but casual.
This felt terrifyingly real.
And that was not supposed to happen.
twenty-one
. . .
Cutler
“I can’t believethat this is what you wanted to do before your parents arrived,” I said, wrapping my arms around Gracie a little tighter under the hot water.
“I love baths. I’ve never bathed with a man. You’ve covered a lot of firsts for me, Bear.” She rolled onto her stomach, her chest now pressing against mine, as water splashed all around us.
“I’ve never taken a bath with a woman. You’ve covered some firsts for me too.” I nipped at her bottom lip.
“That was really nice of you to insist that they stay here at your house this weekend. You know they were more than willing to stay at a hotel.”
“Of course they should stay here. Although I didn’t think about the fact that it would mean that you wouldn’t be in my bed.” I leaned forward and ran the tip of my tongue along her bottom lip. I had this unwavering need to touch her anytime she was near.
A little moan escaped and her eyes fluttered closed as she moved forward, grinding against my rock-hard cock.
I traced a finger through the bubbles on her skin, water sliding down her arm. Her hair was piled on her head, her smilesoft and trusting, eyes sparkling in a way that made my chest ache. She looked at me like I was the only person in the world, and something settled inside me—a warmth, quiet and steady, filling a space I hadn’t known was empty before now.
It was undeniable.
