AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Oh god! I’m killing him! He’s too pretty to die.
“Waahher.” He points to the sink.
“Shit, sorry. I was too busy being horrified.”
I scurry over with a full glass, which he promptly gulps. Being the mother I am, I start rubbing his back, noting his warmth and strength. The fucking horsepower rumbling underneath those muscles. It’s then I remember how wildly inappropriate this is and back away like he’s going to burst into flames.
Pounding his fist on his chest, he swallows, going back for more water. “Maybe the next time you want to apologize, you can buy me muffins or something.”
I raise my eyebrow because he’s pushing it.
“Not that these aren’t delicious because … yum. Can I have more please?” A dopey smile forms on his face as he lifts his plate.
I start laughing and almost fall over.
The burnt smell is lingering, and brown mushy pancakes are still piled on the griddle.
His face brightens, even though I know he’s suffering. Why is he so freaking cute? No, not cute… Adorkable.
It’s all too much, and I snort. I. Flipping. Snort.
Heat tingles up my neck and through my cheeks. My nincompoop nose chose airflow turbulence over the melodic laugh I was going for. Mother of God, why?
Jay is going to have a field day with this.
“Did you just snort?”
Hiding my flaming face, I nonverbally admit my blunder.
Remi clears his throat, hiding a chuckle, and I peek at his bemused façade through my fingers.
“You’re somethin’, you know that?”
Unable to fully confront him, I keep my hands over my hot skin. “You too,” I grumble, sulking in my embarrassment. My ears are so scorching I’m afraid they are going to melt off.
“Me too,” he agrees.
At his assent, I steal another glance at him.
Umber eyes twinkle in amusement as a sexy smirk creeps over Remi’s face. He stands, and it’s like the sky opens up, shining its heavenly light but only on him. Emphasizing the way his t-shirt molds around his hard chest and tucks into dark faded jeans that are slung ever so perfectly at his narrowed waist, hinting at abs so taut a dropped quarter would spring off of them.
My mouth dries. I swallow, trying to encourage proper saliva flow, but the damn thing is arid. God, he’s beautiful.
The manny walks toward me in slow motion, and I note every muscle ripple in his shoulders, down to his forearms. He’s flawlessly cut and devilishly handsome, with a wicked grin on his face. Liquid pools in my mouth at the angle of his jawline. I wonder how sharp it would feel against my tongue.
The thought barges in unwelcome but takes up a seat in my mind anyway. My breaths quicken as he comes closer. When I inhale his clean scent, I almost swoon.
The atmosphere crackles between us, or maybe it’s just my audible exhales. Whatever it is, it’s drawing me closer to his intense magnetism.
With glittering irises and a small chuckle on his plush lips, he pulls my hands away from my face. His mouth sets into a lopsided smile, and he rubs small circles on the back of my wrists with his thumbs. “Can I have a hug?”
A shiver skitters up my spine, answering for me. He can have whatever he wants.
Lost in the spell he’s casting, I peer up at him. “You’re asking?”
Is this a friendship hug, a truce … or—gulp—something completely different? Friendship and truce I can handle. We need to work together. We should be friends. There’s nothing inappropriate about that. Anything else, however, isn’t even a remote possibility.
It doesn’t mean the fantasy of him hasn’t planted strong roots in my head, though.
