Page 12 of Privileged (Adrenalin)

“Use your imagination.”

“Seriously?” My jaw drops halfway to the floor. “How often?”

“Often enough.” I swear his neck turns the teeniest bit pink as he says that.

“But…but…you could do the same thing at the bar and not risk your job or your license.”

“And the whole town would know about it. You weren’t here to see Cade before he married Maddox, but that guy was his own tourist attraction, and it was the town’s worst kept secret. I like to keep my personal life personal. This job lets me do that.”

As someone who's always been a rule follower, it’s hard to contemplate the idea that Blake can so easily disregard them, especially for something as salacious as sex. It’s equally disturbing to think that people come in for a massage and get much, much more. From a stranger.

I want to say I don’t understand the appeal, but after what’s been happening with Carter, a tiny part of me isn’t repulsed. He’s easily the most handsome man I’ve ever seen up close, and his body is… let’s just say I’ve never seen one like it. There’s a definite attraction, on my part anyway, and my mind has certainly wandered. I wouldn’t have the first idea how to act on that though, even if it weren’t against the rules.

“How can you be sure customers want…” I wave my hand around. “That?”

“You can tell by the way they move their bodies. Have you never had anyone move like they wanted something more than a massage?” His eyebrows waggle briefly before disappearing beneath his hair.

I trap my bottom lip with my teeth.

“You have.” A slow grin spreads across his face.

“It only just happened the other day,” I rush to clarify, “ with this guy who’s only here for a few weeks,” I tack on a little white lie to cover my tracks. “And I didn’t do… that. I’m waiting for a position to open up with the ski team, so I can’t do anything that would jeopardize my reputation, even if I do kind of like him. Assuming this guy wants… you know… and being wrong could tank my whole career.”

“If he’srising to the occasion,he wants it.”

“Gross.” I swat his arm.

He laughs, rubbing the spot where I hit him. “Seriously though, a man's desires are a little more transparent than a woman’s. He wants it.”

“It, or me? Is there a difference?” Pretty sure I know the answer, but despite my own lust, part of me doesn’t want to be reduced to an object of desire. I’m not the casual hookup type.

“Not to me there isn’t, but since you asked, I’m guessing you’re more the relationship type, so seducing a hot tourist might not be what you want.”

“I don’t know what I want.” I rub my temples, wishing I didn’t feel like I was at a crossroads between a potential relationship and my career. Plus, since Carter is technically my boss, I shouldn’t be letting my mind wander to relationship territory.

“Can I askyoua question?” Blake gives me a curious once-over.

“I guess.”

“When’s the last time you had any fun?” He gives me a cheeky wink, as if I needed that little clue to know what he’s referring to.

“It’s been a while.” I pray I’m not blushing from that admission. “I’m not sure having a little fun is worth jeopardizing my career though.”

“Probably not. But what if the answer to your question is the guy wantsyounotit?”

My mind briefly flashes to what Lennon said about the way Carter looked at me, but I quickly dismiss it as a trick of the lighting or something equally plausible. Lennon himself said the restaurant was busy, so I’m sure Carter was really focused on something else, not the lanky guy who works a couple of jobs to scrape by.

“I think that’s highly unlikely. He’s just visiting, remember?” I fall back on my lie to justify my thoughts.

“Cade imported a guy.” Blake lifts a casual shoulder. “No reason you couldn’t do the same.”

“Oh my God, it was one boner. I’m not implying we’re soulmates.”

Blake wraps an arm around my shoulders and tugs me to him in a side hug that I think is supposed to be reassuring, though he’s strong enough it knocks me off balance. “Suit yourself. Just remember, in this town there aren’t a lot of other fish in the sea, so catch and release isn’t a bad way to live.”

“Oh my gosh, how did I never realize what a pig you are?”

“Wanting my friend to be happy and satisfied makes me a pig?” Blake puts his free hand over his heart like he’s wounded.

---