“So, anyway,” I say, looking around the room, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand, artfully changing the subject like a seasoned professional. “What do you want to talk about for the next…?” I look down at my watch, and then glance back up again at the pretty brunette with the enormous green eyes. “Forty-five minutes and thirty-eight seconds?”
“For fuck’s sake,”she mutters.
Brinley
It’s impossible to concentrate with a wall of solid muscle hovering so close beside me. Reed takes up too much space in my apartment, and I’m ashamed to admit it, but also in my head.
My attention is drawn to nothing else in the room, he’s all I see and all I can hear, and it’s driving me crazy.
Reed Devlin’s body is a work of art.
Both his arms are fully sleeved, and his chest and back are also covered in mostly black and white artwork, but there are some splashes of color in there as well.
I try and take them all in at once without him noticing. Not that that’s possible, because he seems to notice everything I do and say, often before I’ve even said or done it.
He’s looking out the front window, and my heart skips a beat as my eyes roam over his bare back. There’s an enormous skull tattooed on one shoulder, the rest of his back covered with a woman’s face and numbers, swirling patterns, musical notes, and words that don’t make a whole lot of sense.
His impressive body narrows slightly at the waist, naturally forcing my eyes down into territory I don’t even want to think about.
But I do think about it.
Because Reed Devlin also has a really great ass.
It looks firm, and my fingers twitch slightly at the thought of sinking my nails deep into his backside and seeing how hard I can go before he tells me to stop.
“They’re still out there,” he says.
He turns around, and I swear he catches me gazing at him.
“You like the view, Tink?”
His stupid sexy half-grin appears, and it’s all kinds of crooked and all kinds of panty-dropping. In the short time I’ve known him, I’ve come to realize he’s also a wicked flirt and way too full of his own importance. He’s obviously used to getting attention.
“The view,” he reiterates, pointing through the broken blinds of my living room. “Outside the window. Look, you can see straight into that creepy old guy’s kitchen across the street. He’s making spaghetti for lunch, and I can see his ass crack when he bends over. What’s not to like about that?”
“I am indeed very blessed.”
His smile kicks up a notch, and little wrinkles appear beside his eyes. Despite the way I really despise him, for obvious reasons, there’s something about the way he’s so comfortable in his own skin that really appeals to me.
Under all the bravado and the‘look at me ‘cause I’m a rock star’bullshit, of course.
I feel really bad that I’m wearing a sweatshirt, and Reed has nothing to wear, but what’s the point in offering him anything of mine to wear, because he’s literally six sizes bigger than me, and nothing of mine would even come close to fitting him.
I toss him a blanket from the couch, and he wraps it around his shoulders.
“Thanks,” he tells me.
“Just so you know,” I say, downing the last mouthful of my soda. “I messaged my sister while I was in the bedroom earlier and told her you were here. If I don’t get back to her in an hour, she’s calling the police.”
“If I was going to murder you, I’d have done it by now. Seriously, it would have happened like, the minute we walked through the front door. You’re a little yappy for my liking.”
“Yappy?”
“Yeah, you’re like one of those little ankle-biting dogs you see on the street.”
“Rude,” I snort.
“Maybe we should just stop talking altogether. You’re obviously not capable of an adult conversation. I just wanted to ask you a couple of questions. I’m not going to use anything against you. I’m just trying to get to know you better?”