Page 32 of The Seascape Between Us

Instead, I got up from the sofa. “I’m going to make the bed.”

I hurried away from Daniel and his hair flopping across his forehead. After making up the bed, I went back to the living room.

“Okay, the bed’s made. You can lie down for a bit before I order dinner.”

Rolling his eyes, Daniel stood. “I want to shower first.”

I didn’t blame him. Between grime from pulling out the old bathroom and his blood, he probably felt like he was covered in dirt. “Okay, just try to keep your arm dry.”

He nodded and made his way to the bathroom across the hall from my father’s room—Daniel’s room, at least for the next few days.

I heard the door click shut and less than a minute later, the water running. I tensed, and my cock twitched. Images of Daniel naked under that hot spray, tiny rivulets of water following thegrooves of his muscled chest and abs trickling between his ass crease cluttered my brain.

My cock was already half-hard. I scrubbed both hands down my face, frustrated with myself. What was I doing? I shouldn’t be thinking about him like that. Not when we’d agreed to a fresh start for the hotel and the partnership. Still, I couldn’t seem to chase away those images of him naked and wet in the shower. I guess what he didn’t know couldn’t hurt him.

The water shut off, and from where I slouched on the sofa, I could hear him open the bathroom door, pad across the hall before he went into the bedroom and closed the door.

I’d planned to sleep upstairs in the same room I used the last time I stayed here. It wasn’t the largest of the two bedrooms upstairs, but it had a view of the ocean and I’d love that when I had stayed here before. It was probably a smart choice, choosing to sleep on a completely different floor than Daniel, because the more time I spent around him, the more I wanted to touch him.

I desperately needed something to occupy myself, a distraction. I should have had Carter bring my laptop. Maybe I should order dinner now. It was just past four p.m., early for dinner, but then neither of us had had lunch. Maybe I should wait a bit before ordering food, let Daniel sleep for a while before I woke him to eat. I should at least find out what he wants.

I stood and made my way to his room. I knocked on his closed door.

“Hold on a second,” Daniel said. I could hear the rustle of fabric before he said, “Okay, come in.”

I opened the door enough that I could peek my head inside. Daniel was in the bed, the quilt pulled up to his waist, his chest bare. His towel was in a wet heap on the floor next to his bed, his clothes in another pile in the far corner.

Holy god, was he naked under there? Heat rolled through me like a wave. I could feel my resolve to keep things professionalweakening. My hands itched to pull the quilt down, revealing all of him one glorious inch at a time.

“What is it?” Daniel asked, brows pulling into a frown.

I swallowed hard, my mouth suddenly dry. “Um… I didn’t ask. Is… there… anything you want me to order for dinner?”

He shrugged his broad, naked shoulders. “I’ll eat anything.”

He really would. He wasn’t just trying to be easy-going. I remembered from before, he pretty much liked everything.

“How does Chinese sound?”

“Great.”

“Is there anything specific you want?”

“You know what I like.”

I did. I remembered all his favorites. There was something almost surreal about being together, but not together. I remembered how good it felt being with him before it turned bad. Not just sex, though that had been pretty fucking spectacular too, but just being close to each other, knowing I could look over at him and know exactly what he was thinking from his expression.

Something in my chest ached, but I pushed those thoughts away. “Do you want me to order now, or do you want me to let you sleep first?”

He snorted. “It’s not even five o’clock. There’s no way I’ll sleepnow.”

“I can help you.” The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. “Help you relax, take the edge off.”

Daniel stilled, his gaze darkening. “What do you mean?”

“Exactly what you think I mean. Do you want me to?”

“What about the hotel? The partnership?”

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