Page 45 of The Wingman

His eyes warm at the wordours. “I guess I have a few minutes.” He takes a seat at the kitchen bar and accepts the espresso I hand him. The cup looks comically tiny in his huge hands.

“So, um.” I move so I can see him around the flowers and lean on the counter, concentrating on not wringing my hands or fidgeting. “Last night.”

He stills, and our eyes meet.

“I’m really sorry.” I look at him dead-on while my heart pounds. “We cuddled, and I got horny.”

Hayden coughs mid-sip, staring hard at a spot on the floor, and my face flames harder. Pressed against his body, my hormones took over and made me grind back against him.

He was hard. I swallow, remembering how his intimidating erection felt pushing against me.

Just like I suspected, he’s proportional. I shiver at the memory.

I know what happened: he got turned on because he’s a hot-blooded human in need of regular sex, which he hasn’t been getting lately because he spends all his time with me. He’s a good friend, so when I basically begged him to cuddle me, he said yes.

I need to show him I’m not reading into his body’s response and that nothing has changed between us.

“It’s not a big deal.” Rule number one: Always be confident and chill. “It took me by surprise because I haven’t felt that way in a long time.” Uh, I’m losing the plot here. “You’re—” I wave my hand at him, and he arches an eyebrow with amusement.

“I’m what?”

“Big. Tall. Broad. Muscles. Good smelling.” With each word, his grin hitches higher. My skin is too warm. “Stop smiling.”

“What’s wrong with smiling?”

“You look smug.”

“You just told me I make you horny.”

“Made,” I stress. “Mademe horny because I was pressed up against you—oh my god.”

I didn’t just press up against him. I ground my ass against him like a cat in heat. Hayden sputters with laughter into his tiny coffee cup.

“Stop it.” I put on a stern voice, fighting a smile as relief loops through me. “I’m trying to beserious.”

He frowns down at his cup in a thoughtful way. “If I smell good, does this mean we’re probably not distantly related?”

I burst out laughing. “No, probably not. You smell amazing.”

He smiles up at me, sitting back in his chair, and warmth tumbles through my stomach.

“My body reacted. It doesn’t mean anything. Nothing has changed between us.”

Rule number five, the most important of all: Never get attached.

“Yeah.” His smile dims, and his chin dips in a tight nod. “I know.”

“I took your offer of cuddling and made it inappropriate. You’re helping me and that’s it.”

His mouth flattens. “Yep. That’s it.”

And then there was the shower after. Every time he touches me, he jumps in the shower after. I try not to think too hard about that. I know I’m not his type, but to need toshowerafter touching me?

Ouch.

“Great. So we both agree it wasn’t a big deal.”

Hayden’s smile is tight. “Already forgotten.”

---