Page 30 of Bear In A Bookstore
The muscles in Desi’s neck tightened. “I’ll text you when I’m done here.”
He ended the call and took a breath through his nose. His father was up to something. He was demanding by nature, yes, but something felt off about him lately.
Putting his phone away, he realized Kora had moved to her desk and was pondering the suit of armor, then looking at him. He got up from the stool, suddenly recognizing the look on her face. He crossed his arms, trying to discourage her.
She tapped on the chest plate. “I think this would fit you.”
“No.”
“It would really help me out if you could—”
“Not happening.”
“Right, but research, remember? I’m in the middle of this fight scene and I can’t quite figure out how the elves battle with the armor on.”
“No.”
Her shoulders fell. She gave a slight eye roll. “I’ll . . . be your date for the gala tonight. I’ll let you pick me up and everything.”
He cocked his head and grinned. “Oh, really?”
Kora pointed a finger at him. “It’s one date. And no Netflix and chill afterwards, got it? One and done.”
She was trying to be serious, and he respected the boundaries she was setting, but she wasn’t very convincing. Flushed cheeks, wide eyes, increased breathing . . . was she excited by the thought of being his official date tonight? Or was it something else? That looked a little bit like regret on her face.
“Deal. Suit me up, my lady.”
It took some doing to unfasten the armor from the mannequin and set it in pieces on the floor. Desi stood with his arms out as she fitted the chest plates and spaulders over the shoulders. A curved piece enveloped his neck, making it impossible to turn his head. She stood back and appraised her work. One corner of her mouth pulled up, her lips pressing together to hold back the laugh that wanted to come out. The getup felt ridiculous. It probably looked worse.
She held up the leg pieces. The boots weren’t attached, thankfully, because he’d never fit into them.
“These legs aren’t going to fit over your jeans.”
She cocked her head, analyzing how she might get them onto him.
The pieces were a touch too small, but she’d managed to cage his arms and chest and fasten everything into a tight casing. He moved his arms up and down, and in small, careful circles. He couldn’t get them all the way down and no way in hell could he bring his arms to the center of his body.
Kora placed a leg piece next on his thigh, then removed it, thought for a bit, then shook her head. “They aren’t going to fit, unless you . . .”
She made a circle with her hand in front of his legs.
“Take off my pants?”
“Yes. I’ll turn around and you tell me when you’re ready.”
Desi blinked, looking down at her with amusement as he tried to bring his arms together in the movements necessary for unbuttoning his pants. He looked like a T-rex trying to put on a belt. Kora bit the inside of her cheek when she realized how helpless he was, her cheeks blossoming pink.
Desi arched his brows. “You’re going to have to take my pants off.”
Chapter Eleven
Desilookedridiculousandridiculously hot at the same time and now she had to strip his pants off him.
This was a great idea, Kora, really. The man made her hot and bothered in the worst way and now she’d put herself in a position to get all up in there. She couldn’t very well back out now. They’d come this far. Besides, seen one man in his underwear, seen them all, right?
Hesitating, she reached for his waist but stopped. His body was so damn tight. She’d taken great care not to look at his muscles or brush against him when putting on the upper body armor. Despite her care, his body heat had reached out to her, caressing her. Daring her to take one little feel of a giant bicep or poke his chest to see if was as hard as it looked.
She didn’t want to see if any other part of him was hard, so she’d have to handle his fly with the utmost caution.
