Page 20 of Hard

She nodded and set her phone on the table, screen down. “Yeah. Just that jackass Rich trying to talk to me, and I’m getting pissed with his lies.”

He wanted to ask more, but the look on Crestin’s face told him she didn’t want to talk about it. Glancing to his side, he saw Izabella was doing everything she could not to look at him.

He wanted to reach out and place his hand on top of hers to still her, making her see that shit didn’t have to be this way.

But also this wave of pleasure washed through him because although he hated she was nervous, he loved the fact he’d gotten under her skin. He could still imagine her naked, under him, her body his for the taking while her moans of pleasure rang in his ears.

If he didn’t stop his train of thought, he’d get hard right here, and he didn’t want to make this about that.

“How are you, Izabella?” He saw the way she straightened, her body going tense. When she finally looked at him, the proximity of their faces and the fact her scent slammed into him even harder had his cock twitching.

Stay down, fucker.

“I’m well, and you?” There was a slight hitch and tremor in her voice, and he could see the way she was starting to breathe faster. Lowering his gaze to the top of her shirt, because fuck if he could help it, he saw the way her cleavage rose just slightly to the hem, giving him a teasing shot.

She had this tiny birthmark on her left breast, and he could still picture himself running his tongue over it.

“I’m good,” he said in a deep voice and slowly lifted his gaze back to her face. She turned her attention forward, and he did the same, finding Crestin looking at both of them strangely. The waitress came at that moment with the pitcher of pop, and after setting it down, she left them alone.

It was only a few more minutes before the waitress came back with their pizzas, and the silence during that time had been a little strange and awkward. Maybe Crestin suspected something, or maybe she was just caught up in the shit with that fucker?

Hell, maybe he was reading into everything too much?

“Are you guys okay? You’ve both been acting weird since I came back to town,” Crestin said as she grabbed a plate and a slice of pizza.

“I’m good. I’m fine,” Izabella said quickly, maybe too quickly because it seemed forced.

Crestin lifted her gaze to Izabella and lifted a brow. “Okay, you’re good.” Crestin smiled and lifted the slice of pizza to her mouth. “And you’re good, too?” his sister asked him before taking a bite.

Corbin leaned back in the seat. “I’m always good.” He grinned when Crestin rolled her eyes. Yeah, playing it cool when the woman he wanted was pressed right up next to him was hard as fuck.

14

Yes, this was just as awkward as Izabella had imagined it would be, but fortunately, it had to be almost time for them to leave. The pizzas were almost gone, thanks to Corbin nearly eating a whole one himself. But a man his size, with the muscle he packed on, clearly had to keep up the caloric intake.

Glancing over at him as he spoke with Crestin about her work, Izabella couldn’t help but admire him. He looked like he might have shaved this morning because he had just a hint of a five o’clock shadow on his face. His short dark hair was slightly messy as if he’d been running his hands through it all day. It looked good on him, though. Really good.

Crestin said something that made him laugh, and the side view of him smiling, of his straight, white teeth flashing, had this wave of arousal slamming into her. She sucked in a breath, trying to act unaffected by his proximity, by the memory of what they’d shared the other night.

But it was so hard. And then Crestin’s phone rang, and the conversation ceased.

“Damn,” Crestin said softly. “I’m going to take this. It’s my work, and they only call me when it’s an emergency.” She got up and left the table before either of them could say anything in response.

Izabella looked at Corbin, who already had his gaze on her. They looked into each other’s eyes for a few seconds, and then she felt the slightest touch of Corbin’s hand as he placed it on her thigh. Izabella’s entire body was tense, and she couldn’t breathe.

It was like everything else faded away at the feel of Corbin touching her under the table, of his fingers moving back and forth over her leg.

Neither said anything for a moment, but the heavy weight of his hand on her was louder than anything she could have shouted.


Tags: Jenika Snow Romance