Page 37 of Icebound Hearts

Sawyer’s eyebrows shoot halfway up his forehead, a startled, choked sound escaping him.

Then he belts out a laugh.

I grin, the butterflies in my stomach calming down as the tension dissipates a bit. He shakes his head, his laughter slowly turning into a low chuckle as he rubs his fingers across his temple.

“So you’re saying that because I walked in on you naked once, and you’ve now walked in on me, uh… doingthat, we’re even?”

I shrug again. “Sure. Why not? I mean, we’re both grown adults. We’ve both seen people naked before. And both of the times we walked in on each other were complete accidents. So, no harm, no foul. Right?”

His lips twitch as if he’s holding back a smile, and he blows out a breath before he nods. “I suppose you’re right. As long as you’re sure.”

“Positive.” I nod emphatically.

“So we’re good?”

He dips his chin a little, studying my face as if searching for any sign that I’ve been permanently traumatized by the sight of him jerking off.

“Yeah, we’re fine.” I lift a brow at him. “Ihaveseen a dick before, you know. It’s not that exciting.”

Something flashes in his eyes, and my face heats as I realize I basically just admitted that I looked at his dick. I half expect him to call me out on it, but instead, he clears his throat and nods. Silence falls between us for a moment, and just as I’m starting to worry that the awkwardness will return, Sawyer offers me a small smile and jerks his head toward the kitchen.

“Are you hungry? I could use something to eat, and the least I can do is make you some food.”

I grin, giving him a look that suggests he should already know the answer to that. “I never say no to food.”

Looking a bit relieved, he heads into the kitchen, and I trail after him.

Leaning against the island, I watch him assemble ingredients for a couple of sandwiches, trying not to pay too much attention to his hands as he pulls several slices of bread out of a bag. He has really good hands, big and strong, with long fingers and a few veins running up his forearms. I’ve always had a thing for hands, and now that I’ve seen one of his wrapped around his cock, it’s hard to get that image out of my mind.

After a few minutes, Sawyer glances my way, and I realize that things have gotten quiet between us as I’ve been trying—and probably failing—not to stare.

My stomach flutters all over again, and I flail around for something to say. Unfortunately, the first thing that comes to mind is the question that’s been bouncing around in my brain ever since I saw him upstairs.

“How many piercings do you have?” I blurt.

Sawyer freezes for a second, and I swear the temperature in the kitchen rises by a few degrees. Then he laughs ruefully, returning to his sandwich making. “Uh, there are ten total.”

“Holy shit,” I whisper, my jaw falling open. Despite the slight awkwardness of the moment, I can’t contain my curiosity. I lean forward a bit, lowering my voice. “How is that even possible? Didn’t it hurt like hell?”

He shrugs, cutting several slices from a block of cheddar. “It didn’t feel great, and the recovery really sucked. I guess those are the types of things you do when you’re young, impulsive, and have more money than you know what to do with.”

I rest my elbows on the counter, my brows furrowing. “What on earth made you decide to do something like that?”

“Like I said, I was young and dumb. One of my college buddies dared me one night when we were out drinking, and the next morning… well, you saw the result.”

“You didthaton adare?” I ask, unable to believe my ears. “I mean, okay, jumping off a roof into a pool or something, I’d expect from dumb, young guys, but getting your whole cock pierced? He must have been one hell of a friend.”

Sawyer chuckles, seeming much more at ease than he did when he first came down the stairs, despite the rather detailed conversation we’re having about his cock. “Well, we aren’t friends anymore, so I’d say not really.”

“I don’t think I’d be friends with him after that either, so I get you.”

He huffs out a laugh at that, making me grin.

The kitchen falls silent for a moment as I watch him expertly cut a tomato into thin, even slices. Our conversation in the living room on my second night in the house pops into my head as I remember how he told me he hasn’t really dated at all since his divorce years ago.

What I walked in on upstairs was one of the hottest things I’ve ever seen, but there’s something about the thought of it that makes me sad too. Because Sawyer is an amazing guy in the prime of his life, and he deserves more than a quick jerk off in his bedroom while his kid is at a birthday party.

“Do you ever miss it?” I ask suddenly.

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