Page 109 of A Lucky Shot

“Disagree. You are very good at this.” His hands inched inwards until his fingers rested on the outside of her knees. “I’m feeling very relaxed. And a little tingly.”

Same. “There’s eucalyptus in the mask.”

“Don’t think it’s the eucalyptus making me tingly.”

Also, same. Cass swallowed and stepped out of range of his hands. “Wait right here.”

“For what?”

“For me to get my phone so I can get proof of this moment for blackmail.”

“Go ahead.” Josh stood and surveyed the results in the mirror. “I look sexy as fuck.”

“You are green and slimy. You look like Shrek.”

“Shrek is green and slimy and sexy as fuck. Your point?”

How could Josh being smeared in green goop still make her heart rate speed up? A manic giggle escaped her throat and her own drying mask cracked around the edges. “I’ll try and keep my hands to myself for the next ten minutes.”

“Why fight it?”

She wasn’t sure if he was still joking. She didn’t think he was. Not with his usual playful smirk tucked away, with something darker behind his eyes. Cass ducked out of the bathroom and circled the living room while fanning her face. Josh trailed after her, fingers wiping at a green smear at the top of his pecs.

“A few more minutes, then dinner?” he asked.

“When are you leaving?” she blurted.

They’d watched movies all day, eaten, and the light of the short winter day had long disappeared from beyond the windows. They hadn’t planned an end for the evening. If he stayed, she would tip over into something she couldn’t climb out of. If he left, she might be able to claw back a semblance of whatever emotional control she had left.

She knew which she wanted, and she didn’t think she could have it.

He slowed, eyes narrowing. “Do you want me to leave?” he asked softly.

“No.” And that was the problem. Cass resumed her pacing. “Last night was great and today has been wonderful and I’ve had so much fun, and I don’t want it to end, and it’ll suck when it does and I just …” She dropped her waving hands and turned to face him. “I just want to be ready for it.”

A muscle in Josh’s jaw clenched, and he said nothing.

And now she was getting clingy. They were just hanging out, no matter what had happened yesterday, or what had been sparking between them for months. At least what had been sparking for her. Whatever games they had been playing. This was already in in territory she couldn’t handle. “You know, forget it. I?—”

“This is really weird, talking to you with green stuff all over your face. Come with me.”

Josh leaned her butt against the bathroom counter, running the water until it turned hot, and steam rose in lazy wisps. “Unless you tell me there is a magic potion to get this shit off, I’m just going to use water.”

At her nod, he soaked the washcloth with hot water and wrung it out. He didn’t need to be standing as close as he was, gripping her chin to tilt it up with one hand and carefully washing her face clean with the other. Slow, gentle circles. The water beaded over her cheeks and down her throat. His heavy-lidded gaze roamed over her face. The steady strokes from his hands were firm but soothing, and she closed her eyes and let him take over.

“I don’t want to go,” he said after silent minutes.

“Oh. Okay.”

He swiped a final pass with the cloth and then stepped away to scrub at his own face like he was trying to remove a layer of skin.

“I like spending time with you, and you like spending time with me.” He paused, raising an eyebrow at her in question, and when she nodded, he continued, “I’m happy to eat more sweet potatoes and play a card game before going home, if that’s what you want. But I don’t think it is.” He swiped the last of the green from his face and dropped the cloth on the counter. His eyes burned dark, and he crowded into her jaw clenching as his breath tickled her lips. “Tell me I’m right.”

“Josh, I?—”

“I can feel your heart pounding. I can see your pulse in your throat, right here,” he said, tracing his finger down her neck, and her breath caught in her lungs. “Right now, I want nothing more than to slide my fingers in your pussy and see if you’re wet for me already. I think it’s been way too fucking long since I’ve been inside you, but if you’ve had enough, just say it.”

No one had ever accused her of thinking before she acted. A voice she was sure belonged to Libby whispered at her, you’ve done this before, you know where this is going. But Cass was beyond that. There was no turning back now. Not even if she wanted to.

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