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“I’m getting changed.” He leaned to the side, likely eyeing the clock behind me. “Time for bed, sweetheart.”
My eyes flared wide, and I spun around, putting my back to him. His gentle chuckle rippled through the air behind me, and I shivered. The sound of fabric shuffling made me duck my eyes to the floor. Holy shit. Is he really just getting undressed right behind me?
A soft thump sounded, and I saw his shirt hit the floor from the corner of my eye. The sound of his belt buckle jingled was next, and I sucked in a strangled breath, my mouth actually watering. I couldn’t stop my eyes from flicking to the side. I still didn’t turn, but damn, the idea of catching a glimpse of Pietor without clothes…
“Curious, darlin’?”
Pietor’s zipper practically screamed into the silent room, and I had to chew my lip with my eyes closed to survive. Another louder thump and Pietor’s pants were tossed haphazardly onto the floor next to his shirt.
I eyed the pile closer. At least I didn’t see any boxers tangled in there, so there was that.
“No.” My voice was tight when I answered, and even I didn’t believe me. “I…I’ll just get changed then.”
I hurried to the bathroom where I’d left my PJs before. I quickly got ready for bed, snagging a hair tie from the collection of random bathroom stuff that Pietor had brought from my apartment in his duffle. Sweeping my curls into a loose bun, I eyed myself in the mirror but immediately chastised myself.
“You're not going on a date, Billie. Just go out there and get to sleep.”
Stepping out without another thought, I walked to the bed and abruptly stopped. Where exactly was I sleeping?
When I looked up at where I assumed Pietor would be standing, I didn’t see him. Walking further to the end of the bed, I saw that he was lying on the floor, his arms folded behind his head.
Wearing only his boxers.
My mouth fell open—again. It had been flames that I’d seen on Pietor’s chest, but there was so much more.
The geometric designs I’d noticed surrounded a massive cracked skull that stretched across his chest and stomach. More of those black and white geometric designs traveled along Pietor’s ribs up to his neck.
His left arm was entirely blacked out with white ink over the top in similar geometric patterns, and a skeletal mermaid swam around the other arm, only her hair and tail visible from this angle. In fact, I wouldn’t have known what it was if it were for the idle scratch he performed over his stubble, revealing her.
Even Pietor’s legs were covered in tattoos. More bold, black geometric patterns covered his thighs and lower legs, leaving barely any skin visible. The intricate triangles and interconnecting circles and shapes reached all the way down to the tops of his feet, and I knew they dusted over the back of his hands, too.
And his nipples were pierced.
Jesus Fuck, I’m not going to survive this. Why? Why is this happening?
“Can I help you?”
I stumbled back when I realized he’d noticed me standing there, and my brain fired several inappropriate thoughts into the forefront. No doubt a result of being startled. It definitely wasn’t anything else.
I’m sure you could help me with loads of things, stud muffin. Oh, my God. Did I really just think that? Billie, what is wrong with you?
Swallowing—again—because I couldn’t think of anything else to do to ease the tension in my spine or the arousal blooming between my legs.
“You’re just going to lay there on the floor? Half naked?”
He opened his eyes, looking up at me from the floor, and my breath hitched as he smiled from ear to ear—casual and so damn sexy.
“I can go fully naked if you’d prefer.”
My cheeks flamed, and I backpedaled toward the bed. I backed up to the edge, losing my footing and plopping down with a ridiculous flop to my ass. Apparently, the short circuit that Pietor had caused with his less-than-subtle statement had affected my brain function because my eyes went right to his crotch, and I saw too much before I managed to pry them away.
Pietor was not a small man by any means. It took no stretch of the imagination to understand just how much I’d have to stretch to fit him. No, no, no. Stop. Bad, Billie. Bad.
The only thing that came out of me was a pathetic squeak. Pietor smirked, and I just couldn’t stay there under the heat of his gaze. I spun around, crawling across the bed, and practically dove beneath the covers. My chest was heaving as I tried to quiet my breaths, and the pound of my heart echoed far below the belt.
“Gonna hit the lights, darlin’? Or do you enjoy sleeping when it’s bright as fuck in here?”
I shook my head, knowing Pietor couldn’t see me roll my eyes. I leaned up onto my elbow, pulling the chain on the light that sat on the nightstand. The room darkened abruptly, and it took a few minutes for my eyes to adjust. I was nowhere near tired, and the fact that Pietor was right fucking there did not help.
