Page 25 of Her Greatest Adventure

“Tell me you’re as tired as I am, because I swear I could have fallen asleep in the—oh!” I gasp when I come face to face with a bare male ass. Perky. Round.Christ,it’s so round.

Any normal person would turn around at the unexpected sight, probably embarrassed or downright mortified to have seen something they definitely weren’t supposed to, but I’ve never been normal. And Cooper’s ass is far from normal. It’s a fucking masterpiece.

“Do you do squats? You have to. There’s no way an ass like that came naturally to you,” I ramble, finally forcing my eyes away from his backside and up to the pair of wide, panicked brown ones watching me from over his stiff shoulder.

“I’m so sorry,” he mutters quickly, yanking the heavy-looking quilt from his bed and draping it around his waist like a towel. “I thought I had more time to change. You were quieter than normal.”

“Are you calling me loud?”

His laugh is unsteady, almost unbelieving. “Yes. You stomp when you walk. It’s like a warning call.”

“I don’t stomp,” I defend.

“You do.”

“Maybe I do it so you can hear me with your old man ears.”

He sits on the edge of the bed, blanket still around him, the hem of his soft blue polo shirt tucked inside. Our eyes stay locked in a silent battle that neither of us wants to lose.

“So, you’re admitting it, then,” he says.

“What? No. I said maybe. As in, maybe if I did stomp, that would be the reason why. I’m not admitting anything.”

“Ah,” he hums with a one-shoulder shrug. “Right.”

I narrow my eyes. “What does that mean?”

“There’s no better time to learn how to accept defeat than right now, Adalyn. I’m a good teacher. I won’t rub it in your face.”

I scoff. “Yeah, right. There will be no accepting of anything besides a win.”

“If you say so,” he sings while pushing off the bed and walking toward me.

The way he moves drips with confidence. There’s an aura to him right now that makes my heart skip despite myself. I freeze when he gets so close I can smell his cologne, that perfect woodsy mix slipping over me.

“I need past you. I’m going to get dressed before this blanket gives me a rash.”

I find myself nodding, but no words come out. There’s not enough room for him to walk by from where I’m standing at the end of the beds, blocking the way.So move, Adalyn.The warmth from his body seeps into me, drying my mouth.What is happening?

“Adalyn.” There’s humour in his tone. “You okay?”

I nearly burst out a quickthank you, Godwhen my senses come back to me, and I jolt to the side, creating more than enough room for him to pass.

“Yep!” I squeak, staring down at the clothes in his hand. His grip looks tight, his knuckles slightly white.

“Be back, then,” he says, and then he’s gone, the air suddenly cold on my skin.

At the sound of the bathroom door closing, I leap into bed, not caring that my silk pajama shorts give me a wedgie as I tuck myself beneath the scratchy quilt. He wasn’t lying when he said he didn’t want to get a rash. This thing feels like it was made from sandpaper.

Nevertheless, I close my eyes and try to push the mental picture of a naked, peachy ass and whatever else just happened back there from my mind. I don’t behave well when I’m tired, or at least that’s what I’m going to blame my unusual reactions just now on.

The sputtering sound of water filters through the apartment as I try and fail to think of something—anything else—besides the image of Cooper in the same bathtub I was in just minutes earlier, naked and soapy.

For the first time in my life, I let my mind wonder about Cooper. Let myself conjure up things that I never would have before today. Before this trip.

Suddenly, there are questions I want answered. Like what is his dating history? How many women has he been with? Is there a reason I have yet to see him bring anyone to big family dinners?

I swallow, flopping onto my back and folding my hands on my stomach. The shower is still running, and as I open my eyes to look over at his empty bed, I exhale heavily, almost disappointed in myself.

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