Page 84 of Down & Dirty

I tossed a pair of socks at her, and she caught them against her chest. “I’m still alive, aren’t I?”

A slight rise in her eyebrows told me that wasn’t the most convincing argument. But it was true. I’d never felt better, either.

“You’ll supervise. If we look like we’re about to get worms or something, you can step in. Okay?”

That pleased her. “Okay. But know that I’m happy to help. I didn’t come here thinking I’d be catered to.”

“Of course you didn’t,” I said, grabbing my socks as I went to walk past her. “But that’s only because it’s never happened before.”

She smirked ruefully. “And it will never happen again.”

My stomach lurched, the chance to tell her it could if she stuck around was almost strong enough to make me voice the words. But I knew better. Skylar was easily startled. One thing at a time.

With a flick of my wrist the shirt in my hand whipped out, landing sharply on her ass, making her yelp.

“We shall see,” I muttered before closing the door behind me, her fresh irritation like kindling to the flame.

CHAPTER 27

CORY

If it hadn’t been tradition, I never would have left. Sky’s face had lit up with this magnetic kind of gratitude as I ran her a bath, filling the thing with bubbles and lighting the few ratty candles we had along the windowsill... it was far from a luxury spa, but she’d been entranced. When she sank into the water, her sigh was so loud it came through the door. The sound of it made my dick swell, and I realized staying would have been a terrible idea after all.

Before we left, I went to say goodbye and it was only because of the thick blanket of bubbles obscuring her perfect body that she let me in. The sight of her did something to me. Hair gathered in a mess atop her head. Cheeks rosy and glowing. And a look of satisfaction that was on her face far too rarely. The whole scene was so enticing, I didn’t even stop to think before I bent low to kiss her goodbye.

She tasted like mint and honey, from the mug of tea I’d set beside the tub. And she’d leaned into me, taking more when I pulled away.

“Be back soon,” I whispered against her lips.

She turned up her music with the remote. “What?” she shouted, laughing at herself.

I nodded down at her, appreciating the playful look on her face. “Punk,” I muttered as I shut the door behind me.

Mack met me on the porch in his thick Carhart canvas jacket and work boots. His scowl deepened when I opened the door. With a glance behind me, he shook his head. “What’s she doing?”

I started down the steps. “Having a nice relaxing soak.”

He huffed. “Sounds like it.”

My brother’s disapproval was comical. He’d been single longer than me and I didn’t wonder why. Mack had closed himself inside a narrow little slice of the world, and anything or anyone that upset his neat, orderly life got shown the door faster than you could say “commitment issues.” We Ellis men all had ‘em, but he was probably the worst of us.

“We’ll take my truck,” Jake called, stomping down the steps with his keys in his hand. “I need to get gas anyway.” He was wearing almost the exact same outfit as Mack, and I hid my chuckle under my breath; these two had been in close quarters too long.

The townie attention Skylar and I had gotten the day before warmed up considerably with the addition of my father. He waved congenially at most, smiling at friends. It had been so long since I’d been in a town where faces were familiar and history was shared. It was a little suffocating at times, but as Jake pulled into the parking lot, I tried to imagine the way Skylar would see it. Based on the joy on her face yesterday, she’d probably love that small town feature.

“Cory’s on cart duty,” Mack grumbled as he hopped out.

I closed the door behind me, catching his eye over the truck bed. “What are we, twelve?”

“Beau’s not here, so you’re the youngest.”

“And you’re the shortest,” Jake spat, his eyebrows going up when Mack turned to glare at him. “Are we gonna sit around and state a bunch of useless facts, or are we going to get some food? I want to get back before dark.”

I wouldn’t have thought my brother’s scowl could get any worse, but there he was, red and angry. Mack hated being the shortest.

“You’re still nearly six feet, bro, it’s okay,” I laughed, strolling by him to the cart corral.

“Fuck you,” he muttered.

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