Page 37 of Stripped Bare

Edwina tossed the remains of the wine in a garbage can by the lockers. She blew her hair out of her eyes and pulled Sullivan’s flannel closer to her as she crossed her arms. It smelled like him. Like pine needles and pancakes and a sexy hint of cologne. She wanted to turn her head and bury her nose in the soft, well-worn fabric but she resisted the urge.

Could Sullivan make her come?

The thought made her close her eyes briefly. What the hell was wrong with her? She was practically engaged to Nigel. None of this was fair to him. She was making him sound like he was doing something wrong, when he wasn’t.

“I’m the problem, not him,” she said, her voice sounding raspy and strained. “I get in my head. How am I supposed to just let go?”

“Ed, I know we said we’re friends but I don’t know if we should be talking about this. Some things are off-limits in opposite sex friendships.”

He was probably right but she felt strongly that if anyone knew how to make a woman orgasm, it was Sullivan. “But you’ve been with lots of women.”

He made a face. “That’s a whole different kind of vibe, Ed. Don’t go there with me, seriously. Some lines shouldn’t be crossed.”

She didn’t know why she felt so stubborn about it. He was right. But she persisted. “Did Lilly talk to you about her sex life? Before your dad, that is?”

The look on his face gave it away. “I guess, on occasion.”

“Then why is this different?” She knew why it was different for her. She wanted to hear why it was different for him.

He didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he looked out over the ice rink.

When he turned back to her, the look he gave her took her breath away. Not figuratively. In reality. It took her damn breath away. She actually sucked in air on a gasp, before quickly raising her hand to cover her mouth, perturbed she’d made that sound out loud.

His blue eyes bore into her, deep down into her soul. It was the stare of a man who did not have good intentions. The stare of a man who wanted to do dirty, filthy, things to her.

No one had ever looked at her like that.

It was as powerful as if he had reached out and stroked between her thighs right then and there. Her body reacted instantly, without any encouragement from her. She felt a heavy ache low in her belly, a sharp bloom of desire, and goosebumps racing along her flesh. She realized she was leaning ever so slightly in his direction, the force of his stare pulling her to him almost imperceptibly.

She swore she could almost feel his touch through that expression, that unspokeneverything. Anticipation hung heavy and oppressive in the air, like the humidity rolling off the concrete sidewalks in New York in August.

“You don’t want me to answer that,” he murmured.

“Why not?” she whispered, even as she knew she was playing with fire.

“Because I’m trying to be a better man.” He looked away again.

She dropped her gaze to the ancient linoleum flooring. The view of the gray speckles blurred, dancing in front of her eyes as she felt the blood drain from her face.

Sullivan was right.

Some lines shouldn’t be crossed.

“I don’t understand,”Edwina said, rubbing her eyes as she paced up and down her father’s driveway, on the phone with Nigel.

She had called him after she’d left the ice rink with Sullivan and Finn because she had realized he’d never called her back the day before, just sent her that text that he was at the gym. She’d just asked him about money.

“I explained to you, it’s personal.”

“It’s not a personal bank account,” she pointed out.

She was in the driveway because she didn’t want Sullivan to hear her conversation. Sunday and Monday were his nights off at the bar. When she’d left her bedroom, he was watching Paw Patrol on the couch with Finn and Licorice, who was turning out to be the most chill puppy she’d ever encountered.

“Don’t you trust me?” Nigel asked.

That question annoyed her. “Of course I trust you. But this is a business, one we’re both heavily financially and emotionally invested in. If I withdrew fifty grand and refused to tell you what it was for, you would lose your shit. Admit it.”

It was true. He would explode.

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