Page 41 of Tempt Thy Neighbor

“Oh fuck. I thought you were joking about it.” I whirl around to find Sutton standing in the doorway. I didn’t even hear the front door open.

We’ve been living together for a month now, and I’m still not used to seeing him in my space.

Just like I’m still not used to seeing him at work.

Before, I used to only have to see him at galas. It was easy to ignore him then.

Now, he’s everywhere, and I couldn’t ignore him if I tried.

We have breakfast together.

We walk to work together.

We have lunch together.

We come home together.

We’re always together…and I don’t completely hate it.

Or the way he blasts his music in his bedroom, even though it’s god-awful. Or the way he always helps himself to my favorite snacks, even though he knows it drives me nuts. Or how he plops down next to me on the couch and ruins my me time, only to make me laugh with his impressions of the characters in the show I’m watching. Or how he always insists on paying for my lunch at The Gravy Train to impress Darlene, no matter how many times I protest.

But worst of all, I don’t completely hate the way he sets my body on fire.

Like right now.

I’m trying very,veryhard to not notice the way his sweat-soaked clothes cling to his body. It’s obvious he just got back from the gym, which seems to be his nightly routine.

I figured he’d have to work out a lot to maintain the body he has, but I didn’t think he’d be up there every night of the week. Sometimes I wonder if he just goes to avoid being around me and splashes pool water on himself to make it look like he actually worked out.

Judging by the abs I’m able to count right now, I’d say it’s highly unlikely.

“Achoo!”

His sneeze is so loud the cat jolts awake.

“Aww. You woke her.”

“I—achoo!—told you I’m allergic.” He sniffles, running the back of his hand over his nose. “I wasn’t lying.”

“Well, you have one of three options: move, medicine, or die. Your call.”

“Gee, so glad you care so much about me.”

“I don’t.”

He toes off his shoes and tosses his keys into the bowl on the counter. “Nice to see you again, River.”

“Hi, Sutton.”

I don’t miss the flirtatious grin he gives her, and I don’t miss her breathy answer.

It makes me laugh that even River, who is completely in love with my brother, isn’t immune to Sutton’s charms.

He heads into the kitchen and pulls a glass from the cabinet. He fills it from the pitcher of water in the fridge, downs it, and fills it again.

His eyes don’t leave me the entire time, and I hate the way my nipples pebble under his scrutiny.

He’s been doing that a lot—staring at me.

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