Page 40 of In Good Company

Lucy’s eyes go wide before she turns to face the sink. With her back now to me, my stomach sinks. Maybe I shouldn’t have asked the question.

I close the distance between us. Worry sets deep in my bones that I’ve upset her.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked,” I begin, reaching out to comfort her. I let my hand drop before our skin connects.

Lucy shakes her head. The ends of her wet hair dance across her lower back with the movement. “It’s fine. I just wasn’t expecting you to ask, and I guess I got embarrassed. Ididn’t know you paid enough attention to my account to know.”

I grimace, realizing that my question gave away how often I’m checking her account. It’s been every day. I can’t help it. I’ve been waiting to see who she posts her first video with. I want to hear her explain her recipes and see the passion in her eyes when she does something she loves.

“Did you not like my idea?” I ask, wishing she’d turn around and look at me.

“I haven’t had the courage to ask anyone to help,” she whispers. Her voice comes out a little shaky, making me feel guilty for asking in the first place.

I run my hand over my mouth. This is probably another one of my terrible ideas. The last thing I need to do is find ways to get myself alone with her even more, but the next words come out of my mouth anyway.

“Teach me, then.”

TWENTY-ONE

LUCY

“What?” I ask, turning to face Cal. I didn’t realize how close he’d gotten, but now that we’re face-to-face, the distance between our bodies seems so small.

It doesn’t seem to bother Cal. He keeps his determined eyes on me. “Teach me to cook and record it. You don’t have to muster up the courage to ask anyone because I’m offering myself.”

I shake my head. My cheeks heat with embarrassment that he felt obligated to offer to begin with. “Cal, you’re busy. You’re not taking time out of your day so I can teach you to cook for a silly little video.”

The strong muscles of his cheek feather underneath his skin as he angrily clenches his jaw. “What have I said about calling anything to do with your dreams silly?”

My mouth snaps shut for a moment. I don’t know how to respond to him. I wasn’t trying to diminish my dreams at all with my comment. It was supposed to be funny. He has far better things to do than take time to help me record a video. “I’ll ask someone else. I’m sure Charlotte will do it with me. I just haven’t asked.”

Cal takes another step closer. My heart leaps in my chestwith adrenaline. He’s so close that our bodies arealmosttouching. It wouldn’t feel so intimate if either of us wore more clothing, but the lack of anything more than swimsuits between us makes the proximity so much…more.

“I don’t want you to ask anyone else.” His words come out slow and composed until the very end, where they break off with the mention of other people.

“I can’t ask you to help me.” My words come out so quietly. I’m too focused on the closeness of our bodies to form coherent thoughts.

Cal’s blue eyes bore into mine. “You didn’t ask. I offered.” His eyes cut from mine and travel over my skin.

My breath hitches. He’s so close, and the pool house is so quiet that I wonder if he can hear the pounding of my heart. My skin breaks out in goosebumps under his intense stare.

“Cal, you really d?—”

Before I can finish my protest, he presses two of his fingers to my lips. The pads are rough against my sensitive skin. He drags them across slowly, making my pulse spike and my thighs shake with desire.

“It’s settled. We’ll start next week,” he states, his voice husky. “I’m looking forward to it.”

I can’t say anything. Not with him this close.

Time seems to stand still as his eyes stay locked with mine. The sun shines in through the small window behind me. Luckily, the pool house faces in a direction that shields us from the view of anyone at the party.

“Lucy.” Cal groans, his gaze falling to my lips.

I can’t help it. My lips part in desire at the sound of my name in his husky voice.

He traces over my lips, intently staring at them like he’s starved.

“We shouldn’t,” I mutter, knowing exactly what’s going through his mind. It’s the same thing that’s going through mine.

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