Page 28 of After All

But he didn’t see panties. Because she wasn’t wearing any.

What he did see, however, was a whole lot of pink. That was not satin or cotton or silk.

“Jesus, Peyton,” he growled.

She straightened and looked back at him over her shoulder. “You okay?”

He looked up to meet her eyes. “You’re not going to even pretend to play fair, are you?”

“What’s not fair about this?” she asked, turning to face him.

“Really? You walking around here andbending overwithout underwear on isfair?” he asked, his heart still hammering.

She shrugged, totally unconcerned. “No underwear is sexy. And now I’m going to make you lunch. That’s normal. Something normal for each something sexy. That’s fair.”

Scott scrubbed a hand over his face. What had he gotten himself into?

After a moment, she gave a light laugh. “I think what you’re missing here is that you’re kind of full of shit, and I know it.”

Scott dropped his hand and focused on her. “What?”

She nodded. “There is such a thing as being with someone for sex only, but you’re saying that you want a normal relationship. Well, that’s fine, but you’re ignoring the fact that a normal relationship includes sex,” she told him.

Scott frowned. “I’m not ignoring that. I want to add the other stuff in.”

She shrugged. “Okay. But even if we’re a ‘regular couple’,” she said, using her fingers to make the air quotes, “and having lunch together and phone conversations that don’t include the words ‘wrap your hand around your cock and imagine it’s my mouth’, and even if we go to the movies, and get each other silly gifts just because, I would still absolutely dress up in costumes and role-play nurse and patient—or any other damn thing you wanted. I would absolutely walk around this house with no panties on and bend over in front of you with the hopes that you’ll pull me down on your lap and push up my skirt and make me come so loud you hope that your windows are shut. And there would absolutely be a time when the windowsaren’tshut and your neighbors get to hear just how fucking awesome our sex life is.”

She put a hand on her hip. “So yeah, I’ll make you a freaking meatloaf and watch TV with you and spoon with you all night. But if you think that this is going to be all how-was-your-day and let’s-have-everyone-over-for-a-barbecue-this-weekend and pancakes in bed without me ever pouring maple syrup on your cock and sucking it clean and getting the sheets all sticky, then you’rewayoff.”

Scott had never been so turned on in his life.

Sure, the maple syrup blowjob thing helped, but that combination she’d just described? Neither of them would get over that.

“Fine,” he finally said. “When you bring my lunch in, you bend over all you want.”

Her eyes flashed for a moment, but then she took a deep breath. “I hope this goes without saying, but the only reason I’m making you lunch is because you were shot.Thatwon’t be a typical thing either. You’re a big boy.”

Yeah, he was. He nodded. “Noted.”

And he definitely watched her ass as she headed for the kitchen.

The next two weeks were looking better and better. In spite of the hole in his leg.

Chapter Five

Peyton only gotabout five minutes to compose herself before Scott hobbled into the kitchen and took a seat at the table.

She didn’t say anything. If he could get this far, he could make his own damned sandwich. And the fact that he was in the mood for a sandwich after she’d bent over in front of him with no panties on was more than a little annoying. But she’d signed up for taking care of him. Soaping him up in the shower sounded like all she really wanted to do, but of course she needed to help him with things like lunch. She supposed, on the first day anyway, that balancing on a crutch while putting ham and cheese on bread might be a challenge.

A few minutes later, he chuckled and she turned, ready to demand to know what was so funny about her making a sandwich.

“Did you see the skit Fallon did last night?” he asked.

Peyton frowned at what had to be one of the last things she’d expected him to say. “What?”

He held up his phone. It was open to a video clip fromTheTonight Show.

She carried a sandwich, chips, sliced apple, and glass of milk to him and took the phone. “No. I didn’t watch last night and I haven’t been on Facebook today.”

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