head. She’d wanted a plan, but this didn’t feel like a good one. “I am so screwed.”
Lily sailed forward. “I can only hope so.”
Rose arrived at Payne’s Monday morning after having worked herself into one tangled knot of nerves over the weekend. There was the man Cami would bring over that afternoon…
And then there was Cami’s big blond brother. Would Payne take the opportunity today to mention that heated moment on Friday night? The phone call had interrupted…she wasn’t exactly sure what, but you’d think he might want to say something about what had happened between them.
Did you like my mouth on your skin?
Do you want it there again?
She’d chalked up his silence at the time to his preoccupation over the security situation, but after two days of stewing, replaying and analyzing his words and his actions, she was as confused as ever. Surely the attraction she felt ran both ways—why else would he have put his lips on her like that?—but he wasn’t rushing her into anything, that was sure
So she’d put herself into the pickle of bringing a stranger into the mix.
Which might not be so bad if the thought of her with someone else propelled Payne into making a move.
Her heartbeat skipped at the idea and she had to haul in a calming breath. Lily would tell Rose she should be making her own move, but her insecurities hadn’t gone away by the mere airing of them to her sister. So here she was, trapped in amber.
At the front door, she took in another breath and then let herself inside. “Good morning!” she called out, sounding cheerful.
“Why the hell are you dressed like that?” Payne’s voice sliced through the air.
She found him standing in the hall doorway, wearing nothing but a pair of nylon shorts and running shoes. Her mouth dried and muscles clenched between her thighs. The scar bisecting Payne’s torso must have taken up so much of her attention that time he’d pulled off his shirt that she hadn’t seen the tattoo on his side, over his ribs. Several inches below his armpit was the head of a dragon, colored in red and gold, breathing out fire. Below its scaly neck, instead of a traditional body was a multi-colored double helix that swirled down his skin to disappear beneath his waistband.
Rose stared, overcome by the urge to trace the lines with her fingertips. With her tongue. She wanted to get down on her knees and discover what was beneath that band of elastic.
“You’re going to get dirty in that thing,” he said, sounding bad-tempered.
Dirty. That’s exactly how she wanted to be.
But of course she didn’t have the guts to say it, so she smoothed her hands along the soft fabric of Lily’s dress. It was a bright print, nothing like she’d worn in her other life. The neckline was modest and it wasn’t terribly short, but it molded to her body because it laced at the back, cinching the material against her breasts and torso. The skirt flared over her hips and the shoes she wore were tangerine, with pointed toes and tiny kitten heels.
“I’ll be fine,” she said. “Are you getting ready to work out?”
He grunted, then spun about.
Her libido gave a little cheer. She’d caught glimpses of him in his weight room. Now she’d get shirtless glimpses. Yum.
After an hour, though, she started to worry. His exercise regimen had increased with his doctor’s approval, but he’d been going at it too long. At her last peek, his hair had been wet with sweat and he’d been doing bicep curls with weights that looked giant to her. He’d yet to emerge from the room.
Grabbing a chilled bottle of water from the refrigerator, she made her way there. The space was bright with windows and had a door leading to the side yard. It was propped open and a large fan stirred more air. At first she didn’t see Payne amongst the benches, racks of dumbbells, and other exercise equipment. Had he headed for a shower?
Then her gaze landed on him. On a mat, he lay face down on the
Lily sailed forward. “I can only hope so.”
Rose arrived at Payne’s Monday morning after having worked herself into one tangled knot of nerves over the weekend. There was the man Cami would bring over that afternoon…
And then there was Cami’s big blond brother. Would Payne take the opportunity today to mention that heated moment on Friday night? The phone call had interrupted…she wasn’t exactly sure what, but you’d think he might want to say something about what had happened between them.
Did you like my mouth on your skin?
Do you want it there again?
She’d chalked up his silence at the time to his preoccupation over the security situation, but after two days of stewing, replaying and analyzing his words and his actions, she was as confused as ever. Surely the attraction she felt ran both ways—why else would he have put his lips on her like that?—but he wasn’t rushing her into anything, that was sure
So she’d put herself into the pickle of bringing a stranger into the mix.
Which might not be so bad if the thought of her with someone else propelled Payne into making a move.
Her heartbeat skipped at the idea and she had to haul in a calming breath. Lily would tell Rose she should be making her own move, but her insecurities hadn’t gone away by the mere airing of them to her sister. So here she was, trapped in amber.
At the front door, she took in another breath and then let herself inside. “Good morning!” she called out, sounding cheerful.
“Why the hell are you dressed like that?” Payne’s voice sliced through the air.
She found him standing in the hall doorway, wearing nothing but a pair of nylon shorts and running shoes. Her mouth dried and muscles clenched between her thighs. The scar bisecting Payne’s torso must have taken up so much of her attention that time he’d pulled off his shirt that she hadn’t seen the tattoo on his side, over his ribs. Several inches below his armpit was the head of a dragon, colored in red and gold, breathing out fire. Below its scaly neck, instead of a traditional body was a multi-colored double helix that swirled down his skin to disappear beneath his waistband.
Rose stared, overcome by the urge to trace the lines with her fingertips. With her tongue. She wanted to get down on her knees and discover what was beneath that band of elastic.
“You’re going to get dirty in that thing,” he said, sounding bad-tempered.
Dirty. That’s exactly how she wanted to be.
But of course she didn’t have the guts to say it, so she smoothed her hands along the soft fabric of Lily’s dress. It was a bright print, nothing like she’d worn in her other life. The neckline was modest and it wasn’t terribly short, but it molded to her body because it laced at the back, cinching the material against her breasts and torso. The skirt flared over her hips and the shoes she wore were tangerine, with pointed toes and tiny kitten heels.
“I’ll be fine,” she said. “Are you getting ready to work out?”
He grunted, then spun about.
Her libido gave a little cheer. She’d caught glimpses of him in his weight room. Now she’d get shirtless glimpses. Yum.
After an hour, though, she started to worry. His exercise regimen had increased with his doctor’s approval, but he’d been going at it too long. At her last peek, his hair had been wet with sweat and he’d been doing bicep curls with weights that looked giant to her. He’d yet to emerge from the room.
Grabbing a chilled bottle of water from the refrigerator, she made her way there. The space was bright with windows and had a door leading to the side yard. It was propped open and a large fan stirred more air. At first she didn’t see Payne amongst the benches, racks of dumbbells, and other exercise equipment. Had he headed for a shower?
Then her gaze landed on him. On a mat, he lay face down on the
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