Page 43 of Cherry on Top

Will took advantage of his day off to catch up on paperwork and go to the gym.

And, knowing what he was about to endure, he got off twice. First, in the early morning, hand slicked over his cock, coming all over his stomach, and again, during the shower he took after his punishing workout.

It was all pointless, though, because the moment he walked onto the long porch that ringed the whole first floor of the Sweetheart Inn and saw Enzo leaning against one of the intricately carved support poles, he became hard, instantly.

Enzo, in his paint-smeared clothes, dirty and sweaty and flushed, was hot enough.

Dressed in a pair of dark jeans and a short-sleeved black button-up that clung to his chest and his biceps, his hair curling over his forehead, gaze intent on Will, he was so gorgeous Will wanted to cry with it.

“Hey.” Even his voice was deeper and rougher, the sound sliding over Will like velvet over his skin.

“You . . .uh . . .clean up good,” Will said. He’d almost decided against saying it, but then he reminded himself that he was supposed to be bowled over by him. That was the whole point of this.

That he looked as awestruck as he felt.

Enzo’s grin was crooked and charming. “Well, yeah. I was hardly going to show up in my painting clothes.” He paused, maybe just noticing that Will was still hovering in the vicinity of the door, unsure how close they were supposed to get. He knew Joy had been downstairs, and there was almost no way she wasn’t watching them now. But he also didn’t know how close Enzo wanted him to get. “You gonna come over here?” he murmured, gesturing with one of his hands.

Will didn’t typically notice hands. To him, they’d always been tools. But Enzo’s were long and slender, beautifully formed, like the works of art he created with them.

“Uh, yeah. Wasn’t sure you wanted—”

“Come over here,” Enzo said firmly, and a moment later his arms were folding around him, tugging him close. It was just like the other day, except that instead of the sharp-sweet tang of Enzo’s sweat, he smelled delicious. Practically freaking edible.

Will slid his hands over his back, felt Enzo’s muscles tense and relax and told himself that this ludicrous idea still made perfect sense.

“A day off looks good on you,” Enzo said. His fingertips brushed Will’s chin.

Will’s breath stuttered. Wildly trying to convince himself this was all pretend.

But the look in Enzo’s eyes looked so real.

“Uh, thanks?”

“And . . .” Enzo smoothed a hand down his chest. Probably feeling the way Will’s heart was rabbiting like crazy. “You look good, too. Real good. Good enough to take a bite out of.”

Please do.

But instead of leaning in closer and encouraging him, Will look a step back. It would be so easy to lose himself, to fall into the magnetism of this man, but he needed to resist.

Kate’s warning slash reminder was still echoing in his head. He’s not sticking around.

“Where are we going?” Will asked. “I’m hungry.”

“Me too,” Enzo said and waggled his eyebrows.

Will laughed, the sound surprised right out of him. “You’re ridiculous.” But the over-the-top comment had been a much-needed bucketful of cold water to his desire.

They were play-acting, that was all. Putting on a good show. Enzo had already told him he was going to make it good. So of course it needed to be convincing.

“Oh, but sweetheart, you love it.” He paused. “Let’s go. We’ve got reservations at Rudy’s.”

Rudy’s was the most popular restaurant in town, and as a result, would be full of Indigo Bay residents, even on a Wednesday night.

No doubt the rumors were already circulating because Enzo had made the reservation for two—though Will supposed they could assume Enzo’s plus one was Giana.

Will told himself he was not surprised as Enzo reached out and took his hand, squeezing it gently as they walked down the stairs towards the sidewalk.

It was only a five minute walk from the Inn to the other side of the tiny Indigo Bay downtown, where Eliza sat, on the other side of the park.

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