His grin turns playful, maybe even a bit cocky, and it teases all my girly parts. Kayley was right. This guy is a player, on and off the ice, and I’d be wise to remember that. “I told her you splashed me, and that Miss Mabel knocked you to the ground and ate your bear claw.” What I didn’t tell her was that Brody Tucker was the hottest guy on the face of the earth, and he damn well knows it, and I damn well like it.
“Hi Kayley,” he says, acknowledging my assistant as she comes from the back, which is kind of nice. But I guess he’s a guy who knows how to keep his fans happy. They do, after all, pay his salary, so to speak. I turn to see Kayley go still, her jaw practically on the counter.
“Hi,” she squeaks out. “You know my name.”
Miss Mabel barks from upstairs, like she knows Brody is in the house and she wants her time with him too.
“Josie told me.”
“Get over here,” I say, and Kayley takes off her apron, smooths her hand over her hair, and steps up to us. She extends her hand and Brody shakes it. My God, my assistant is practically vibrating, not to mention drooling, but I get it. Brody has that effect on people, and I’m no exception. Kayley pulls her phone out.
“Do you mind?”
“Not at all.” He takes her phone, and looks at me. “Do you want to make it a threesome?” He shakes his head and laughs. “I mean…”
“I know what you mean and no, I’m good. Thanks.” I stand back as Brody takes a selfie of the two of them. Kayley is a giggling mess as she walks back to the counter and puts her coat on.
“We’re just closing up,” I tell him. “Were you here to get something?” He grins at me, and that’s when I realize the mistake in my words. “I mean, do you want some chocolate?”
“I know what you mean,” he says, and I hate that my cheeks are warming, a dead giveaway that I’m thinking about sex. From his threesome comment and the way he quickly corrected himself, I’m not the only one entertaining inappropriate thoughts here.
“See you later,” Kayley says, the bell jingling as she leaves the store, and now, with the two of us standing there, a little nervous quiver moves through me. I search my brain for something to say. My God, I’m usually a great conversationalist, but now I’m tongue-tied. Upstairs, Miss Mabel continues to bark, and it seems to break some of the tension arcing between us. My brain finally kicks into gear.
“Oh, are you here for Mabel?” I ask.
“Actually no, I came to see you.”
He rocks toward me and I’m suddenly aware of the little nervous quiver in my stomach. I search my brain for something to say.
“What did you need, Brody?” My body warms all over, thinking about what I want…what I need. I haven’t had this kind of attention from a hot guy in…well since I lost my husband. At that reminder, I straighten my shoulders and quickly pull myself together. Brody angles his head, like he can sense the change in me.
“I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“I’m okay,” I say. It’s a lie. I’ve not been okay in a long time. “Thanks again for helping me out with Patrick.”
“You know there’s a big problem, right?” I shake my head, having no idea what he’s talking about. He points a finger back and forth between the two of us. “If we’re supposed to be a couple, isn’t Patrick going to be wondering why I’m staying with Declan and not you?”
Blood drains to my toes. Ohmigod, he’s right. I panicked earlier, never thought through the logistics of a fake relationship. Or maybe I did. Maybe on some level, this is what I wanted. God, what has this man done to me?
“I can stay with Declan, although I’m sure he’s going to be spending the bulk of his time between his family and Nikki. His place is really nice, and his folks are great, but we’re adults, Josie. Adults do adult things. Don’t you think Patrick is going to think our sleeping situations are a little off?”
“I’m not sleeping with you,” I blurt out, and the second I do, my traitorous brain takes me down a titillating path where I play out that idea. Brody in my bed. On top of me. His big bear-like hands on my body, awakening things in me that have been dormant for a long time.
“I’m not asking you to.”
His eyes are full of warm sincerity as his gaze moves over my face. Please God, do not give him the ability to read me. I do not want him privy to my secret thoughts, because there is no way I’m sleeping with him, and I don’t want him thinking he has a shot. Yeah, sure my body is saying something entirely different, but I can’t. I won’t.
I give a curt nod. “Good.”
“I’m just pointing out the obvious,” he says, and I blink up at him, waiting to hear more. “I’ll help you out, whatever you want.” I stare at him, hearing nothing but sincerity in his voice. Truthfully, I’m not sensing an ulterior motive here. The guy that sleeps around might not be looking to get into my bed, and I really have no idea why disappointment is careening through my blood, turning me into a sulking teenage girl.
What the hell is wrong with me?
Oh, maybe it’s because it’s been too long since you’ve felt desired, and this guy wants to sleep with everyone but you.
As that truth settles like a stone in my gut—as ridiculous as that is—I take a small step back, giving myself a reprieve from the clean soapy scent of his skin, not to mention the heat emanating from him and warming my coldest corners.
“…so what do you say, want to go free her?”