Page 78 of Down & Dirty

Later standing at the foot of Cory’s bed, staring down at it, I felt a lot less humor, and my pulse started to race.

After the kiss out by the pond, the energy between us was charged. It was like we’d flipped a switch, but now I wasn’t so sure how far I wanted to go with it. Even if we didn’t have the contracts complicating things, I had a million questions about what he was thinking, and what all this meant. But it felt like too much to ask after a couple of kisses. And god, if he was just thinking of this physical connection between us as an added bonus of our arrangement, I’d look like a fool for making it into something more.

I still wasn’t even sure I wanted more.

Things were comfortable between us now, and being attracted to him was a surprising, but no longer unwelcome, evolution. But Cory was a man who lived his life on the road, and sold himself to the highest bidders. And being here had shown me he had shadows that I knew nothing about.

He might have more facets to him than I’d originally accounted for, but that still didn’t mean I knew enough to make a decision about where this was going, or what this was between us.

And it wasn’t just betweenus. Micah factored into this too. I refused to entangle him in a relationship that I might want, but that wasn’t going to last. He was too sweet, and he got too attached, for me to do that to him.

All of this was flooding my mind when I heard Cory close the door behind me. He must have read the apprehension on my face, because he laughed awkwardly and stepped around me to grab his bag off the bed.

“Don’t worry sugar. We’re not ready for that.”

I bit my lip, trying to gauge his reaction. “What do you mean?”

“I mean that look of terror on your face at the idea of sharing a bed with me.” He leaned over my shoulder, kissing my cheek before he said, “Nothing happens unless you want it to, Sky.”

A deep swelling appreciation mixed with my lingering unease. I trusted Cory, and hearing him say that was a reminder of how careful he’d been with me since the start. But now the ball was in my court and that pressure only made my heart race faster.

He pulled a pillow from the head of the bed, and tugged the extra blanket from the foot of it, tossing both onto the floor.

“You aren’t sleeping there?” It was hardwood covered by a thin braided rug.

“Beau’s room is too packed for me to deal with now. And dad’s new gym was the old spare.”

He pulled his shirt over his head, revealing a part of his body I’d never seen before and my mouth went dry. Every inch of him was sculpted, like god herself had run her hands along his skin, cutting and mounding muscles with the specific intention of driving women mad.

I fought the urge to stare, but I lost. White flag waving, I roved over his rounded shoulders, and thick biceps. I licked my lips when I got to the valley of his stomach and the way the patch of hair in the middle dipped down past my view, like a breadcrumb trail meant to be followed by eager hands, and lips, and tongues... Even his chest, dusted with dark hairs, was perfect, just as I’d imagined every time he’d pulled me against it. Hard and strong, and sturdy enough to bear the weight of me and all my stupid fears.

Why didn’t I want to sleep with him again?

When Cory cleared his throat, I whipped up to find him watching me. His eyebrows were up by his hairline, and his mouth was curled into the most obnoxious grin. Pure arrogance at catching me in my appraisal. But honestly, I wasn’t even ashamed. The man was more like a work of art than I’d ever imagined, and not giving him his due would have been a worse offense.

“You like what you see, gorgeous?”

That nickname, coming from his smirking lips, while he taunted me in all his shirtless glory was like a shot of arousal straight to my veins.

“You look fine.”

He barked out a laugh, snapping me out of my daze. And then I laughed with him. Because my body humming at the mere sight of Cory’s torso was pretty ridiculous. And yet it felt so good, I didn’t mind.

“Thanks.” He fanned the blanket out on the floor.

I scowled again. “Stop. This is silly. You’ll be sore as hell tomorrow if you sleep on the hard wood. And I’m expecting a full tour of this town of yours, so you can’t be half asleep all day because you were miserable all night. Just keep your hands to yourself.”

He was eyeing me uncertainly, but I turned away to pull out my pajamas. A pair of leggings and a vintage AC/DC concert T-shirt. I took both and went for the door to change in the bathroom, but he stopped me with a hand on my arm.

“Are you sure?”

“You’ll behave?” He gave me an offended look, like I should know better. And I did. “I wouldn’t have said anything if I thought otherwise.”

“You too,” he said, bending to scoop up the blanket. “No wiggling that perfect ass in my face.”

I shook my head as I opened the door. “I’ll wiggle all I want. You can just count to ten or something.” I looked back at him as he tossed the pillow back on the bed and shook his head with a chuckle.

“Whatever you say, boss.”

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