Page 28 of Theirs to Treasure

She nodded, her nose shoved into the pillow.

“What the fuck? Sam, what’d you do. Why is she crying?”

“I didn’t do anything. She was making a joke about not being able to wear thong panties and I laughed, and then she started to cry.”

It seemed like the air around her started to freeze. Sam had thought she had been making a joke? That’s why he’d laughed?

“You’re a dumbass, Booth,” Chance’s voice was a low growl. She’d never heard him sound so mad.

The mattress depressed near her head. Strong arms wrapped around her. She’d recognize that smell anywhere.

Chance.

“Sam would never make fun of you, Zee. Never.”

“I’m going to go get another ice pack,” Sam said from someplace far away.

“Zee, will you look at me? Please?”

Josie hated that her eyes were filled with tears, but she couldn’t resist the way he said please.

“Sam told me about your old boyfriend. He has you conditioned to think men might not like your body or that they would laugh at you, and that’s what happened just now, right?”

“I feel stupid. I shouldn’t have let that happen. I hurt Sam’s feelings.”

“Fuck him. He should have been more careful with you.” Chance kissed her temple. She started to push against his chest, but instead found herself stroking her fingers through his blond chest hair where his shirt was unbuttoned.

He smiled sensually. “You are an amazing woman, Josie Decker.”

“Who is very thin skinned. I should have known better. I’m pretty sure that for some weird reason my body turns you both on.”

Chance sighed, and pushed up against the headboard taking her with him so they were eye to eye. “Have you ever considered the fact that we aren’t the ones who are weird, but it was that perverted asshole you dated who had some need to make you feel shitty so he could feel good about himself? Maybe he is the person who is wrong in this equation?”

Chance’s big hands stroked up and down the back of her corset, then up higher, so that he was massaging the back of her neck.

Sam had walked into the room holding the ice pack while Chance had been talking. He was nodding in agreement by the time Chance was describing her ex.

“Do you think it’s possible he’s right?” Sam asked gently as he put the icepack on the night stand and sat down beside her on the other side of the bed. “Because from where I’m sitting, I see nothing but a gorgeous woman.”

She couldn’t help it, her fingers were drawn to the part of her belly that pooched out between the top of her support hose and the bottom of her corset. Sam saw her, and tugged her hand into his, and twined their fingers together.

Chance moved her so that she rested against the pillows and he slid down the bed far enough so he could begin the slow, and to Josie’s mind, awkward process of pulling down the support hose. God, she hated how her hips and thighs seemed to expand outward as he pulled the lingerie down her body.

* * *

Had she just made that little squeak of protest? Or was she just shy? The way her hand trembled against his shoulder and her breath came out in pants he wasn’t sure.

Chance tossed the hose on the floor then crawled back up the bed and slid his body behind hers so that her cheek nestled into the hollow of his shoulder. He took a long moment to stare down at the beautiful woman that was displayed before him.

Josie wiggled just a little, he knew she was just trying to get more comfortable, but she was brought up short when her hips pressed against his erection.

“Damn right I’m hard as a rock. Bet Sam is too. What man in his right mind wouldn’t be with someone as beautiful as you in his bed?”

“I know, right?” Sam looked over Josie’s shoulder at his friend. “Just wait until you actually sink your fingers into these hips. When you actually get to trace your fingers down the insides of her thighs, you’ll be touching heaven.”

“Sweetheart, you could make a man lose his mind,” Chance whispered in her ear. She shook her head ever so slightly.

Chance splayed his hand along her jaw and turned her head so their eyes met. “But for me, I will always see the beauty of your heart.” He saw her eyes well up with tears, and he knew his own were overly bright. His hand stroked downward, to her stomach and rested there. Sam was right, her stomach felt soft and sumptuous against his hand. He felt her quiver. He delved through her curls until he found the silky folds of her sex. Her legs were shut tight, but that didn’t matter, he smiled to himself, he still had room to work.