Page 18 of Tangled Kisses
Not with a woman like her.
Not being a man like me.
I may be good-looking, personable, and charming, but I sell my body to the highest bidder. What should be sacred between lovers is, for me, a transaction.
A perfunctory act.
Stripped of all meaning.
But despite all these misgivings, I was more than fine with passing off my regular client to Tim. She desired something, or rather,someone,different, and I was free to visit with our new arrival. Sure, it meant forfeiting my cut, but Capri would still get hers, and I was fine with that.
Capri saw it on my face, that knowing smirk dancing across her lips as she casually suggested I take Reese on the grand tour. It would have made sense for her sister to handle her orientation, but our boss knew I wasn’t taking no for an answer.
In my year here, I’ve never asked a favor of Capri, nor have I shown a speck of real interest in any of the women—client or resident.
Until now.
I want to spend as much time as possible around Reese, even if I know nothing more than her name and that she stirs emotions I thought had died long ago.
And now, I get to spend the evening with her.
The first of many, I hope.
Taking a deep breath to center myself, I lead Reese from Capri’s office to the foyer, praying she doesn’t feel my hand trembling against hers. Hell, my hand never shakes, not even before my first client a year ago. “Are you okay riding a four-wheeler?”
Her eyes widen as she pushes her glasses up her nose. “Is the house that big?”
God, she’s adorable. She’s more than a foot shorter than me, so tiny I want to pick her up and carry her in my arms, all while kissing any arguments from her beautiful mouth. “I meant the grounds, although the house is over six thousand square feet.”
“Makes sense, having space for your… clients.” I hear the trepidation in her voice. She’s out of her element, but she isn’t judgmental. Piper told me Reese did not know what type of establishment Rockin’ Rodeo Ranch was until she arrived.
For someone who was thrown a major curveball, she’s certainly handling it well. She also doesn’t seem disdainful of what we do here, although I sense the woman doesn’t have a mean bone in her body.
“As for the four-wheeler, I’ve never driven one, but I’m sure I can figure it out.”
She bends to grab her bag, the hem of her sweatshirt riding up just enough for me to catch a glimpse of them—two tiny dimples carved above the curve of her ass. God have mercy.I’ve seen every kind of body there is—sculpted, soft, enhanced, natural—but none of them stir me anymore.
But Reese? She’s making my pulse kick hard.
I clear my throat, drag my gaze away, only to have it slide right back, helpless. Judging from the way she gives her sweatshirt a nervous tug, she knows I’m staring.
I’m tempted to warn her never to cover that ass, but I need to remain a gentleman.
“I know I look a mess, but at least I’m clean. That’s a vast improvement over our first meeting,” she offers, motioning to herself. “Even Chowder was complaining about my lack of fashion sense.”
“That’s not what I was looking at.”
Crap. Did I say that out loud?
I feel the flush crawl up my cheeks as I focus my gaze on the garden. “I planned on driving the four-wheeler, with you riding on the back, but I can charge up another one if you’d prefer riding solo.”
Reese captures her lower lip in her teeth, and even though it may be against my better judgment to do so, I reach over and gently coax it free. “Deep breath. I promise I don’t bite.”
“Unless specifically requested?”
Fuck, I hate my life right now.
She winces at her joke. “Sorry, I’m a bit out of my comfort zone. When that happens, I cover it up with terrible attempts at humor.”
