Page 72 of Untether

‘Still with me, gorgeous?’ I ask, attempting to keep my voice level.

Her tits heave in her gym gear as she catches her breath. ‘Yeah,’ she says with a little laugh, like she’s gathering her wits.

‘Good.’ I glance between our bodies and back up. She’s in tight yoga pants that show off her toned arse and legs, and a snug-fitting zip-up thingy. ‘You look beautiful today.’

That’s met with a classic Aida Russell eye roll. ‘Please. I look like shit.’

‘You look hot as fuck. And I can see your nipples.’ I tut. ‘Think it’s appropriate to bring your nipples to the BBC, Ms Russell?’

‘They weren’t a problem until you showed up and kissed me,’ she retorts.

Fuck, I’m basic, because that pleases me enormously. ‘How’s your cunt?’ I ask softly. ‘You sore today?’

Another eye roll. ‘Very, thank you for asking. I can barely sit down.’

I can’t help it. I smirk.

‘Jesus Christ, your ego is massive. And here I thought you were concerned.’

She’s not wrong. ‘I’m very concerned,’ I protest. ‘If you’d like to bend over the table for me, I’ll kiss it all better.’

She shivers, and I’m pretty sure it’s a good shiver. ‘I bet you would.’

‘What are you doing later?’ I ask, lifting a hand off the wall so I can slide it over her jaw.

She tilts her head a little, leaning into my touch. ‘Probably bingeingYoung Sheldon. It’s my weekend with the boys.’

‘Oh, yeah. Of course.’ Stupid fucker, Cal. Of course she’s with her kids.

‘Yeah. So no orgies for me tonight,’ she adds in a teasing voice.

I frown. It doesn’t come as a surprise that she assumes the worst of me, but I’m not going to lie—it stings a little. ‘I didn’t mean that. I was going to see if you’d like to come over and let me cook for you.’

Her eyes widen. She wasn’t expecting that. ‘Cal…’ She slips out of the space where my hand was and spins around. ‘Going to your house feels like a…’

‘Date,’ I supply, turning to face her.

‘I was going to sayblurring of boundaries, but sure. Date works. Look. I appreciate how sweet and attentive you’re being, and before you ask, I understand that you’re telling me the attraction is real and you’re not humouring me. I appreciate that. I really do.’

She takes a deep breath. ‘But I’m a single mom, and I got burned pretty badly by my ex-husband, and the last thing I need’—she holds my gaze steadily—‘is for some crazy hot sex club owner who’s way younger than me and way more experienced to start blurring lines and sweeping me off my feet.

‘Because you, my friend, are a very charismatic guy. And when you turn on the charm like this, it’s alot. I’m only human, and I’m lonely, and I enjoy basking in the warmth of your attention way too much. Like, I enjoy it so much it’s problematic. So I need you to keep things clear between us, okay?’

She holds out her hands, palms up, as if warning me to keep my distance. ‘You’ve already ruined my entire sex life for the rest of my life. I mean, how the fuck am I supposed to find a guy who can rival the way you made me feel last night? So when you start kissing me in broad daylight at myworkplaceand asking if you can cook for me? You’re gonna wreck me. I can’t do that stuff with you and not fall like a tonne of fucking bricks. I won’t survive it.’

She’s slaying me. I feel like I’m dying, like she’s ripping my heart out of my chest. And then she looks at me with those huge eyes and delivers her parting shot in a whisper.

‘Are you with me?’

Oh my good Lord. How a woman this smart can be so fucking obtuse is beyond me.

I take a step towards her and put my palms to hers before interlacing our fingers.

‘I hear what you’ve said,’ I say carefully, because no, I’m not with her. Not at all. Clearly, I need to spell this out for her in terms so simple she can’t possibly fail to understand. ‘But you don’t get it. I’m not trying to blur lines. I’m trying to take the next step with you. Iwantthis to be more than what it was when we started out. Let me put it in black and white. You’re Taylor Swift in this scenario, and I’m Travis fucking Kelce. You understand?’

Her eyes widen before she kicks into a mouth purse and an eye roll. She’s dismissing me again.

Nope.

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