Page 23 of Contingently Yours
He’s tense under my touch, but I don’t miss the way his cheeks go crimson. Does the guy do it with the lights off? For Pete’s sake, he acts like he’s never heard of an R-rated movie.
“It’s not intimate,” he mutters, pretending there’s something incredibly interesting on the ground at his feet. “You’re justbeing an asshole because you’re embarrassed you grabbed my dick.”
Oh-ho-ho. So,that’show it is?
Slipping behind him, I sidle up close until my chest is flush with his back. I have a brother, a gay cousin, played soccer in college, and am very secure with my body and sexuality. Lucas Everette apparently needs a lesson in just how nonexistent my embarrassment meter is around other men.
Sliding my hand down the front of his chest, I bring my mouth close to his ear just as the Hepperlys crest the hill. “I’m not embarrassed,” I challenge in a low tone meant only for his ears. “I stroke my dick every morning. Yours just got in the way.”
I swear his heart feels like it’s about to beat out of his chest underneath my palm. He’s as rigid as a post, but has enough sense not to move as our clients approach.
“Then why are you being an ass with all the body comments?”
Aw… Big man’s embarrassed.
The thing about being embarrassed, though, is that it means you have to care about what the other person thinks. Why would Lucas care about what I think of his body? This isn’t the first time his lips have parted like he’s gasping for air when I’m touching him. Pretty sure he was doing it this morning, the way he just lay there, frozen and panting. I wonder…
Is the Chia wrangler in denial?
“What’s wrong?” I purr, dragging my fingertips lightly across his chest. “Can’t a man admire the way his lover’s big, bushy tuft is packed into a child’s size snack baggie?”
His throat undulates so hard I hear agulpsound, and…he’s fucking trembling.
“Stop it.” I think he meant that to sound threatening, but it came out as a rasp.
Oh. My. God.
I think Lucas wants to climb underneath a coffee table. Is that why he looks all disgruntled every time I touch him?
His freak-out is not my problem. I didn’t force him to come on this trip.
My fingertip touches something hard and puckered.
Shit. Pretty sure that’s a nipple.
And…he just shuddered.
Yup. Definitely a nipple.
Screw it. He wants this commission as badly as I do.
Circling it with my fingertip, I leave him with one last parting order before the Hepperlys are upon us, remembering the way he complied the other day when I went off on him. “Why don’t you just shut up and smile like a good boyfriend when I compliment you and your tuft?”
Smiling, I wave my other hand at the Hepperlys, who are busy cooing over the light breeze wafting in from the cay and the sunset that we’re apparently missing. I’ve seen dozens of tropical sunsets. I can miss one to analyze this evolution of the world’s angriest ranger.
Lucas sucks in a sharp intake of breath and his hand clenches over mine. I thread my fingers through his, but not to be cruel. Dario and Keenan are filing past us toward the water. Tufty needs to hold out for a few seconds longer, or this scene was all for naught.
Slinking my other hand around his waist, I hold him in place in case he gets any ideas about moving. I stroked a dick that wasn’t mine this morning. My pride can’t handle being publicly rejected by my fake boyfriend right now, so he can stand strong for two more freaking seconds.
“Ahh, yes,” Mason hisses, bringing up the rear. “Water. Water that I can get in without being eaten by a shark.” Just as he passes us, he calls out, “You blokes coming?”
“Be there in a minute,” I assure him cheerfully.
There is no earthly reason why I haven’t let Lucas go yet. There’s no earthly reason why he couldn’t have burst free from my arms now that all three men have likely reached the water. I think I’m just too enthralled over his ragged breathing and what it could mean. The guy’s practically hyperventilating in my arms.
Sweat, I remind myself, when I catch a whiff of his potent, musky scent. Releasing him, I step back, all too aware of how our skin sticks to each other’s for a second.
What the hell am I doing?
