Page 39 of Capitally Engaged

“How many brothers do you have?”

“Too many.” I glared at him. “Four.”

“And how many are in town right now?”

“Three.”

I lifted the ice off his forehead. The swelling had already gone down from the cold.

“I guess it just sounded a lot worse than it actually was.”

Preston nodded. “I honestly think it hit my foot and my head at the same time. My toe got the brunt of it.”

“Do you need me to check that too?” I asked, half ready to get on the floor if he asked me to.

“I’d rather you told me why you went lingerie shopping today, buying something in my favorite color on you.” He stared at my robe like it offended him, hiding the blue silk from his eyes.

“Do I have to be sitting on your lap for that?”

Preston withdrew his hands from my hips and leaned back into the cushion giving me as much space as he could, considering I was on top of him. I regretted the question immediately. “Of course not. You never have to do anything you don’t want to do with me.”

Something further thawed in my chest. This man could be my undoing, if I let him. Maybe even if I didn’t.

“I mean, you are pretty comfortable.” I shifted slightly, discovering a hard bulge in Preston’s pants. I raised an eyebrow, and he retracted further into the couch.

“Sorry, sorry. I mean, I’m not sorry. You’re gorgeous and you’re sitting on me, and I’m only human. But I am sorry it reared its head while we’re trying to have a conversation.”

I couldn’t help my giggle. “Reared its head?”

Preston shrugged, a big smile on his face. “So, Jax. Why did you go lingerie shopping?”

“I thought I might try to seduce you,” I said, meeting his gaze.

“And what happened to not playing with fire and keeping physical touches to necessity only?”

I shrugged, trying to play it cool, though my heart was beating wildly. “I suppose I’ve had a change of heart.”

“Any particular reason?”

“Does it matter if there was?” I responded, my reflex to keep some cards close to my chest winning out.

Something flickered across Preston’s face. “I suppose it doesn’t.”

Part of me wanted to follow that flicker, but I worried that path led to the undoing I was so desperate to avoid. Best to keep things simple and straightforward.

“Okay. Well.” I untied the knot holding my robe together. Preston sat up straight, his eyes following my movements. “I think we should have some ground rules.”

Preston’s throat bobbed as he swallowed. “Ground rules,” he repeated.

“Just to try and avoid getting burned by that fire.” I slid the robe off my shoulders. Apparently, a little seduction was still in bounds after all.

“I’m listening,” Preston said, his eyes roving over the reemerged blue fabric.

Before I could list any rules, Preston’s phone rang, the vibrations resounding against my thigh. His head thunked to my collarbone.

“That’s the senator’s ringtone.”

“Okay, well put your phone on Do Not Disturb.” The phone stopped ringing while I spoke. “Oh, never mind. Now where were we?”

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