Page 34 of Burn for You

I lean into the door, pressing my ear against the wood to get as close as possible.

Rafael lets out another grunt from behind the door, and it sends tingles right down to my nether regions. I look down at my body. “Stop that.”

Why is my body all of a sudden reacting to this man? Every time he gets a little bit too close to me, it’s like every organ in my entire body holds it’s breath, waiting to see what will happen. I don’t know what they think would happen.

Nothing. That’s what.

Nothing would ever happen except maybe my impulses giving out and my fist slipping into his stomach.

The first time was about a month ago at Ferragosto, when he stood behind me getting the glasses from the top shelf. That’s the first time it felt like my body halted all function in his proximity.

I lean back in and for a while there’s nothing, he’s gone quiet in there. What was he doing? My mind wanders to all kinds of places.

Suddenly I lose my balance, falling forward as the door swings away from me, and I land on a hard, moist chest.

“Shit.” I yank my hands away from where they were just groping Rafael’s glistening pecs. I jump back, and when my gaze meets Rafael's, his eyes glitter with self-assurance.

“What are you doing?” He asks. He reaches his arms up to grip the top of the doorframe and…Jesus.

I can’t help my eyes from roaming over his half naked body, the muscles stretched out and shining with sweat. Good lord. Pizza guy's shoulders are pebbles compared to Rafael’s boulders. I inwardly scold myself for finding this man so downright attractive.

“Whitley?”

“Hm?” I force my eyes to part with his chest to look at his face instead, but it doesn’t help. Not with the way he’s looking at me. All arrogant and cocky.

“I asked you a question.”

Right. The question. The question being, what am I doing? WhatamI doing?

I can’t exactly tell him that I was standing here with my ear pressed to the door so I could hear the grunts he was making that made my body tingle.

He scrubs a hand over his face. “Huh, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you flustered, blondie.”

I usually hate it when he calls me that, but this time there’s a tiny part of me that kind of likes the way it sounds from his lips. Someone suffocate her.

I clear my throat and take a step back. “I amnotflustered.”

He takes a step forward, and I instinctively take another step back. “Really?”

I nod. No words able to escape my mouth.

He keeps walking until my back hits the wall. “See, the way your cheeks have this little pink color on them, says otherwise.” He reaches his hand up, as if he wants to trace the color on my cheeks, but he pulls his hand away a second later. Good, I probably would’ve smacked him if he’d touched me. Out of pure instinct, of course.

I swallow. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve seen bodies far nicer than yours.”

Nice save Whitley.

He crosses his arms, and it just makes everything worse. The way his tan forearms are corded with veins makes my focus jump. I nearly choke on my own saliva when I try to speak again.

“You’re a bad liar.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Whatever you say March. I’m going to go take a shower. Care to join?”

I scoff. “I’d rather jump in a bath filled with piranhas.”

“Obviously.” He smirks and tips his head. “Cute socks.” And then he walks down the hall, slipping through the door to his bedroom.

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