"Sorry," I said, wriggling out of his hold, "I don't sleep with guests. Right now, I have to do some stuff in my office and then I need to make lunch. After that, we're all off to the Pioneer Days festival." I scrunched my lips, trying not to smile. "You'll need to keep your clothes on for that."
He tapped a finger on my lips. "I know that, Eve. I'll help you with lunch."
"No way. You are a guest, so go mingle with the rest of the gang."
Val stared at me for a moment, his full lips twisting into a half frown. He gusted out a sigh and nodded. "All right. I will mingle."
"Good."
He sauntered to the door, pausing there to glance back at me. "But I won't give up on seducing you."
Val walked out the door.
Once it clicked shut after him, I almost sagged into the counter. Whew. One calamity averted. For now.
He wouldn't give up. I believed that. For some bizarre reason, an infamous football star and unabashed nudist who liked to tape himself having sex had set his sights on me, the non-nudist proprietor of a low-rent resort who refused to sleep with guests.
Maybe a roll in the hay with him would be worth the risk of repercussions. He kept telling me he wasn't the jealous type and he didn't want a relationship. So maybe, just maybe, I could take the roll with him. Oh yeah, my body loved that idea.
Chapter Ten
Val
When Eve strolled out of her house at one fifteen, her guests were waiting for her in the grassy area between her home and the guest house. I'd made sure to be in the front line. Eve stopped a short ways from us, gripping the strap of the huge purse she'd slung over one shoulder.
Her brows lifted a touch when she saw me.
I'd changed clothes for the occasion, though I doubted Eve would appreciate my ensemble. She had, I was sure, hoped I'd keep my entire body covered so she might feel less inclined to ravish me. Though I hated disappointing her in any way, this one time I had to do it.
Her gaze traveled the length of my body. Her raised brows lowered and cinched together over her nose.
Maybe my clothing surprised her. I was, after all, wearing swim shorts with a brightly colored zigzag print, a sleeveless T-shirt, and the latest, impossible-to-get style of Nikes that featured a bright pattern not unlike my shorts. I'd taken off my bucket hat and my Ray-Bans so I could see Eve clearly, though I held them in my hands.
She looked incredible in her pink jeans and white blouse. Here in the sunshine, the blouse became semi-transparent, revealing the outline of her bra that barely covered her gorgeous tits. She wore white sandals that exposed her toes and the shiny pink polish on them that matched the polish on her fingernails. She'd painted her nails since I had left her in the kitchen.
Just looking at her pink nails made me want to fall down at her feet and suck her perfect little toes one by one.
A straw hat with a wide brim perched on her head at a slight angle, shading her face. She adjusted the strap that held the hat in place and smiled at me. "Nice outfit, Val. I suppose that's the latest fashion in summer menswear."
"It is, but I augmented it with my own style."
"Naturally." She eyed my clothing again. One side of her mouth kinked upward. "Your style is definitely unique."
Every other man in our group wore subdued clothing—khakis, denim, shirts in earth tones. Ollie had opted for a bright-blue T-shirt, but even that was subdued next to my clothes.
"Why blend in?" I said to Eve. "I enjoy standing out from the crowd."
"No kidding." She feigned a surprised face. "I never would've guessed."
Ruth patted my arm. "This is a good sign, sweetie. Eve is flirting with you. I've never seen her do that with anyone else, not even the gentlemen she had flings with."
"I am not flirting," Eve said. She darted her gaze around the crowd, gripping her purse strap in both hands, and cleared her throat. "Not that it would be anyone's business if I were."
Her cheeks had turned a lovely shade of mottled pink. It almost matched her jeans.
Ruth hurried over to Eve and hooked an arm around her shoulders. "It's okay, Evie. We're all glad you found a man who excites you. Maybe you'll even let him take you on a date."
The idea of exciting Eve excited me, but Ruth would be disappointed about the dating suggestion. Neither I nor Eve wanted that.