Page 46 of The Perfect Distraction

“Beth,” he shouted, and then tipping his head back, he found his release.

She kept ahold of him until his body relaxed, and then she scanned the room for a box of tissues.

“In the bathroom,” he said.

She went into the connected bath, grabbed the entire box of tissues, and rejoined him.

His expression was serious as he cleaned himself off, but after he’d wadded up the tissues and reassembled himself, he gave her the biggest smile she’d seen yet.

“Good?” she asked because one could never be too sure.

“Are you kidding me?”

“I need to hear your words,” she teased, borrowing one of his phrases.

“Come here,” he said, and he pulled her forward until she was standing between his legs. She entwined her arms around his neck, and his encircled her waist, and then he kissed her.

I’m getting used to this, she thought happily as she opened her mouth for him. Sunburned or not, they might have rounded another base if it hadn’t been for the sound of a car door slamming very nearby.

Colton let go of her and stood up in a rush. “Shit!”

Beth froze, unsure what he was so upset about. Joey wasn’t due back until tomorrow morning. At least, that’s what he’d said.

Pulling a T-shirt out of his dresser drawer, he hurriedly pulled it on while she attempted to refasten her bra.

“Turn around,” he demanded, and he quickly hooked her back up.

She followed him downstairs without a word and glanced out the front window as they stepped into the living room. Sure enough, Joey and Gretchen were standing by the trunk of her sporty sedan, and she was handing him a duffel bag.

“Stay here,” Colton instructed, and he shot out the back door, combing his fingers through his hair as he went.

Heart racing, Beth rushed into the small powder room off the kitchen and assessed the damage. Strands of hair had escaped her ponytail, and her lips looked puffy from all the kissing. She quickly fixed her hair, straightened her clothes, and took a few deep breaths before going back into the living room.

Peeking out through the curtains, she saw Gretchen leaning over to kiss Joey’s cheek, and then she and Colton exchanged a few words before she got into her car and drove off. Beth wished she knew what they’d said to each other. But Gretchen was the least of her concerns as she waited with trepidation for Joey’s reaction to her being there.