Page 5 of Recklessly in Love

Bringing myself back to the present, I focus on keeping calm as we trudge back through the deep snow, though it’s just far enough to keep the sweat coming under my thick jacket and gloves … yeah, the nervous excitement has nothing to do with it. That’s what I’m telling myself, though I know it’s bullshit.

When we get to the building, we knock the snow and mud off our boots and pants before heading indoors. It’s nice and toasty inside, but as I strip off my jacket, gloves, and hat, goosebumps spread over my skin.

At first, I think it’s just the air hitting my sweat-soaked T-shirt, but then my eyes flick up and meet Joanie’s ice-blue stare. Just like the first time, I feel her sharp gaze X-raying me. I can’t help the grin that pulls at my lips. I swear my body has a fucking mind of its own when it comes to this chick. Because it’s sure as hell not listening to my decision to stay cool around her.

Now done stripping out of his snow gear, Nate doesn’t seem bothered by his sweaty shirt. Or the sexual tension that’s suddenly thickened the air. He starts heading toward the girls but gives me a look when I don’t follow.

I only see it out of my periphery as I don’t actually look at him, unable to look away from Joanie despite my determination to be cool. “I’m going to change my shirt in the office,” I say in Nate’s direction. It takes all my willpower to tear my gaze away and head down the hallway.

I half hope she’ll follow, then kick myself at the thought. That definitely wouldn’t be feeling her out first. Well, there’d be feeling something, but … I mentally slap myself as my mind starts to picture feeling Joanie up. Jesus fucking Christ.

Changing my shirt cools me down but does nothing for the thoughts racing through my head. So, when I return to the room, keeping my eyes to myself is way more difficult than it should be. I look only long enough to notice Mia and Nate seated on one side of the table, with Joanie standing near Mia, chatting.

Food, Greg. Focus on the food. You’re hungry, right? As my eyes settle on the spread of sandwiches, sides, and desserts, it does help divert my focus a little as my stomach rumbles in anticipation. Between the meatball subs dripping with marinara and melted cheese and the array of clearly fresh-baked sweets, it smells fantastic in here. Way better than stale air and sweat, which is what it usually smells like.

But my focus is abruptly broken since I’d been standing there admiring the food a hair too long as Joanie saunters between me and the table. Her tight little ass nearly grazes the front of my jeans as she picks up a plate and starts loading it with sweets before settling in one of the chairs on the other side of the table.

“You know, I made meatball subs just for you,” Mia grumbles to her friend.

Joanie pops a jam tart in her mouth and grins around it. “Sorry,” she mumbles, making an exaggerated yum face. Except it looks pretty much like an O face, so there goes my determination to focus on the food. Though, I may still be drooling, for different reasons now. Not helped at all by Joanie licking her lips and blowing me a kiss.

The little vixen knows exactly what she’s doing.

I smirk and shake my head at her, grabbing a plate for myself and loading it up with a bit of everything before sitting down in the chair next to her, across from Nate.

Food.

Focus. On. The. Fucking. Food.

“I’m on vacation. I’m allowed to eat dessert first,” Joanie declares.

I look over at her without thought, and her eyes move from Mia to meet mine. I hold her gaze as I continue eating. She grins.

“And you did just lose your job. If I were you, I’d eat whatever I wanted, too,” Nate agrees. My eyes flick over to him. She just lost her job? Well, that’s interesting. Then he adds with a thoughtful face, “Actually, I’m pretty sure that’s exactly what I did when I moved here after quitting my job.” He looks at Joanie with concern. “Just … uh … don’t do it for as long as I did.”

Joanie laughs. “What, did your body fat get above ten percent for the first time, hot stuff?” she teases.

Nate blushes, and I hold back a laugh. He was a little softer around the middle back then. Like she heard my thoughts, Joanie’s attention shifts back to me.

“So, Greg,” she says, leaning toward me and wrapping her lips around a cookie. I watch, mesmerized as she licks the crumbs off her lips before continuing. “Tell me all about your mountain man life. Lots of chopping down trees? Skinning animals to sell their fur? Swimming naked in remote lakes?” She bats her eyelashes.

I set down the sub I was working on and wipe my mouth, trying to hold back the smirk. “Yeah, exactly,” I reply. “Just like I’m sure you spent your days lying to defend remorseless criminals and getting paid exorbitant amounts of money to play the justice system.” I meant to point out that she was applying ridiculous stereotypes to me, just like I’m sure people do to her. But as soon as the words are out of my mouth, I realize they may have come off as harsh and judgmental.

To my surprise, she grins and points her fork at me. “That is actually pretty accurate.” Then she takes a bite of the cheesecake on her plate, licking the fork clean. Of course. My eyes track the movement despite trying to pry them away. If she wants to turn me on … well, I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t working. Honestly, I’m just relieved I didn’t offend her.

“All right then,” I concede. “No, I don’t skin animals to sell their fur.” I raise an eyebrow, then add with a shrug, “But the rest?” I smirk, leaving her to imagine me chopping down trees and swimming naked in remote lakes.

Just by the look on her face, I know she is. Just like I was imagining feeling up those perky little tits earlier. I shift in my seat, trying to give my dick some relief from the pressure it’s suddenly under.

“Well,” she says, a bit breathlessly. “I hope tree chopping and naked swimming are part of this whole winter festival crap. Because if they are, I may be warming up to the idea.”

Before I can peel an acceptable response from the dirty ones floating through my brain, Mia offers, “There is the Freeze Your Buns Run.” I suspect she’s mostly just trying to move on from talk of naked swimming. I should be grateful. It’s not a great time of year for that. But if it was Joanie swimming naked … I shake myself. You’d think I was eighteen again instead of thirty-eight with all these horny little fantasies.

“Oh?” Joanie asks with interest. “Does that require nudity as well?”

I almost choke on a chip. This woman is going to be the death of me. I cough and take a swig of beer before answering her. “Almost, but not quite. It’s an undies run. In the snow.” I decide to screw with her just a little to get back at her, so I wink at her. “Think you can handle that, city girl?”

She gives me a challenging look. “I can, if you can, mountain man.” She lifts her chin, pink staining her cheeks, presumably in embarrassment at the rhyme.

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