Page 34 of The Proximity Effect

“Combined with what?” I could hear the grin in his voice.

“You know what.” I peeked through my fingers at him. “With your... everything.”

“My everything, huh?” He shifted slightly, and I caught another glimpse of that chest that belonged on a magazine cover.

“I think the heat is making me delirious,” I muttered, fanning myself with my hand. “Also, why is fifteen minutes suddenly feeling like fifteen hours?”

“We could always make the time pass faster.” The suggestion was heavy as his voice dropped to a tone that made my stomach flip.

I looked up at him sharply, my eyebrows shooting toward my hairline. “By doing what exactly?”

“We can play twenty questions or truth or dare.”

“Evan, we’re grown-ass adults.” I tried to sound stern, but the absurdity of suggesting playground games while we sat here in robes made a laugh bubble up in my throat.

He shrugged, the motion causing his robe to slip a fraction lower. “And? Adulthood is overrated. What’s the point of working so hard if I can’t act like I don’t have a care in the world when I’m not working?”

“That’s really philosophical.” I bit my lip, considering.

Playing games with an almost-naked Evan was a terrible idea, but it might be a welcome distraction from all the exposed skin. “Fine. We can play twenty questions.”

That seemed like the safer option because there was no way I would pick a dare. In this tiny sauna, with this gorgeous man, ‘dare’ felt like playing with matches in a room full of gasoline.

“You go first.” I was willing to bet those were my famous last words.

Chapter 13

Robe Woman Coital Alignment Technique

Evan

Ishifted on the wooden bench, trying to find a comfortable position that didn’t involve my robe riding up in awkward places. My muscles felt like wet noodles after that massage, though I’d tried my damnedest not to sound like I was auditioning for adult films. It wasn’t my fault Aiden had the hands of a god who specialized in making grown men whimper.

Still, every sound I’d made had been worth it to see Tessa squirming on the table next to me. And that accidental, not-so-accidental boob flash? Christmas had come early this year… or late, depending on how you looked at things, given it was almost February.

Now she sat across from me in this tiny wooden box, looking like a flustered goddess with her hair curling from the steam and her cheeks pink from more than the heat. I wondered what it would have felt like if those chef’s hands of hers had been working out my knots instead of Aiden’s. The thought alone made my temperature rise another few degrees.

“Okay, first question,” I said, trying to sound casual. “What’s the most satisfying thing you’ve ever put in your mouth?”

Her eyes went wide. “I... uh... well, from a culinary perspective, there was this amazing truffle risotto I had in Italy that was a religious experience. But then there was also this chocolate soufflé that made me moan in public, which was mortifying but totally worth it. Though if we’re talking pure satisfaction, there was this one time with a popsicle... wait, no, that sounds wrong. Not like that! It was really hot out and... oh God, that’s not better. Can we pretend I said ‘pizza’ and move on?”

I bit back a laugh, thoroughly enjoying her descent into chaos. “So, what I’m hearing is you’re very oral.

She grabbed a water bottle and took a long drink, probably to stop herself from digging the hole deeper. When she finally spoke again, her question caught me off guard. “What happened between you and the guys?”

I ran a hand through my damp hair and decided to give her only part of the truth. “They used to think I was hilarious. Even Archer once laughed so hard at one of my jokes he had tears running down his face.” The memory still made me smile, even if it felt like it happened in another lifetime.

“And now?”

“Now they act like everything I say is stupid or immature.” I shrugged, putting on my best ‘it-doesn’t-bother-me’ face while fidgeting with the edge of my robe. “I get it… but I’m trying to mend things. They are making it horribly difficult. Archer keeps looking at me like I’m proposing we turn the place into a circus, and Liam... well, Liam barely looks at me at all.”

“You’re all grieving...” Her voice was gentle, too gentle, like she could see right through my carefully constructed walls of jokes and deflection.

“I’m not—” The denial caught in my throat. Images of Gavin flashed through my mind: teaching me to ski even though he was terrible at it himself, covering for me when I accidentally set off the fire alarm in our dorm making midnight nachos, always being there with that stupid grin and terrible advice that somehow worked out anyway. That ridiculous Hawaiian shirt he wore to every important event because he swore it was lucky. “I’m dealing with it fine.” I wasn’t, but that’s what people said, right?

Tessa’s knowing look said she saw right through me, so I did what I do best, deflecting with humor. Besides, her sympathetic expression was doing dangerous things to my composure, and this steam room was already making my eyes water. Obviously.

“My turn!” I leaned forward, waggling my eyebrows with exaggerated suggestion. “What’s your favorite position?”

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