“By the size of your hot water tank.”
After a confused second, he threw his head back and laughed. “Not where I thought that was going.”
Her heart twisted; she loved his laugh. She leaned into him, her arms going around his waist as she beamed up at him, smiling at the light in his dark eyes. The vibration of his humor ran through her.
Pulling her tighter against him, a reflexive response to her move, he answered her, “Electric tank; it can run all day.” He wagged his eyebrows suggestively, causing her to laugh.
“Very impressive,” she repeated. “I’d say the same for the other, as well, but you already know that, and again, this room is too small for the three of us.”
“Three, huh?” He looked down at his penis proudly.
Cassidy laughed and slapped him on the chest. “I meant your ego!” And then she gave him a slight shove backward.
Chuckling, he quipped, “Easily confused.” He grabbed her back and kissed her on the forehead before looking down to admire his view. “Gotta say, Day, you do have the best tits.”
Rolling her eyes, she tried to turn away from his appreciative gaze. “I’ll bet you say that to all the girls.”
A frown creased his brow. “I don’t waste words. I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it.”
She pointed out, “I didn’t say you didn’t mean it.” Attempting to preempt the disappointment she knew was coming to create emotional distance, she reached for the shampoo and asked, “Mind if, while I’m in here…?”
Mac took the bottle from her hands. “Allow me.”
Cassidy turned her back to him, allowed him to work the lather gently through her hair, allowed him to trace the bubbles down her back, over her buttocks, in long caresses over her skin, igniting and thrilling her again. But he kept to his task, his smile telling her he knew he affected her.
And then he handed her out of the shower, refusing to let her return the favor. Here was the let-down, the moment where he drew the line. Whatever desire she had for lingering tender touches ended as he removed her from the space and he remained.
Cassidy wanted to argue, to press her own needy agenda, but relented, taking up a towel and wrapping it around herself as she watched him lather his short hair. This had been the point where it had all gone wrong last time; her touching his back. Even now, he was standing so she didn’t have a good view of his scars.
He confused her, shifting from gentle, carefree, and intimate to gruff, hard, and distant.
Wrapped in the towel, she picked up her sodden clothes from the floor and left the bathroom.
By the time he reappeared in the door frame, naked, short hair spiky-wet, she was sitting at the kitchen table sipping the now-cooled cup of coffee, still wrapped in the towel. He leaned against the frame and folded his arms, dark eyes revealing nothing as he looked at her, her hair falling in wet strands over her shoulder.
At his continued silence, Cassidy experienced the familiar tightness in her chest—testimony of her constant apprehension over what type of response she would get from him. But he was merely looking back. She wasn’t sure that was any better. She craved a hint of affection, but it wasn’t there. Nor was there coldness. He was just Mac; cocky, confident, and silent.
Shifting the towel around herself, she pointed out the obvious, “Yep, she’s still here. One reason: my clothes are wet; they’re outside.”
His jaw tensed with amusement. “You know, my neighbor has a full washer-dryer. Never been kind enough to extend the use of them, save me a trip to town every week.”
Cassidy raised an eyebrow at him and parried, “Well, in her defense, her neighbor can be a real ass.”
He chuckled.
“And also, I can’t get into my house because my keys are at the bar with everything else.” She indicated the corner. “Except Fred. Who we’ve probably traumatized again.”
Mac shifted off the jamb. “He’s not traumatized.” He walked to the screen door and opened it. “Fred. Out.”
Fred scrambled to his feet, obeying eagerly.
Cassidy watched her dog prance out the door, then gave Mac an ironic look. “Horses, barn door, all of that.”
“Thanks for the comparison.” He flashed a grin, rubbing his tight abdomen as he headed back toward his bedroom. “You coming?”
Cassidy remained in the chair even though she’d turned to watch him. She was afraid to answer him, not sure if he’d meant it as a double entendre.
He stuck his head in the frame. “Don’t mind dragging you into town naked, but if you want something to wear, get your ass in here.”