Page 103 of Snowed In

His eyes widen, and he looks down at our laps as if it’s a surprise to him. But I also looked. My boner has not been murdered.

“Look, I don’t know. We’re stuck here. You might not be as bad as I thought you were...”

“Gee, thanks,” he deadpans, and I really cannot believe he’s doing this. I mean, I thought he was kind of slutty. And now he just wants to talk?

“What’s wrong? You said I was adorable.” I waggle my brows at him in an over-the-top way, and thank goodness, he chuckles at that, his big hand smoothing over my back again, but he doesn’t move to kiss me.

“I don’t want to hookup just because you’re bored.”

I frown. “Why not?” Honestly, I do not understand. Everything I’ve known about him since we met says this would be his ideal night. Unless... oh shit.

I climb off his lap dumbly and scoot over to the far side of the couch. “You said I’m adorable...” I start, and then my cheeks heat as I look anywhere but at him. “Not hot—adorable.”

I hear a heavy sigh, and then I feel him moving over toward me on the couch until his thigh brushes mine. “You’re very hot.”

“Oh my God.” I cover my eyes and groan, “Okay. I do not need a pity fuck. I’m not desperate.” I drop my hands and glare at him. “Iamhot.”

He rolls his eyes at me and laughs. “I know that. Isaidthat.” He huffs. “But your brother would kill me if anything happened. He kind of warned me off you...”

“He what?” I sit up straighter, my anger brewing. He’s always done this. He thinks he has to protect me so much, but he doesn’t. I’m not weak. That asshole. A loveable, good brother—but an asshole all the same.

“He loves you.” Hunter doesn’t seem pissed at Zane at all, and of course he isn’t. Hunter doesn’t get mad at Zane. Ever. They never fight.

“I love him, but I don’t need him to protect me and certainly not from you. I’d know exactly what it was if we hooked up here.”

“And what’s that?”

I roll my eyes and push my head back against the couch. “A hookup. Plain and simple. A snowed-in, stuck-here hookup. And I would be totally willing and fine with that, for your information.”

He remains still, and I can’t really read him, but he looks...

Disappointed?

That can’t be right.

Chapter Six

Hunter

God, he tastes good.Like hot chocolate and warmth. Home. But he doesn’t really want me like that.

I’m getting the impression he’s just horny and would have jumped anyone at the moment. Which doesn’t make me feel great. I like Simon. I always have. He’s intimidating with his big brain, but he’s funny and smart. Kind of snarky, but hey, I like that.

He just sees me as a big dumb jock.

I wish it was different, but I’m not sure my heart could take it if his wasn’t in it, which it clearly isn’t. And that’s not something I realized until his lips were on mine. Selfishly, I let myself enjoy it for the moment.

I loved every second of his inviting mouth on mine. Of his lithe sexy body grinding on top of me. But it’s not right.

“We should watch a movie,” I say dumbly, giving myself a little distance from him, but I can feel his eyes on me. Probably wondering if I’m broken or something. It’s no secret I get around.

But those are just meaningless hookups... With Simon? Ugh, it’s different. It just is.

I grab the remote and start flicking through all the choices, notreally wanting anything but give up and select some cheesy comedy I see and put the remote back down.

“You really don’t want to hook up with me?”

Jesus. Christ. I really need him to just let this go.

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