Priceless (Forbidden Men #8)(105)

With a grin, he shook his head. Then pulled his face back. “I will. But not tonight.”

“What? No! I—” I gripped his face in my hands, desperate not to lose him again.

But he only shook his head and grasped my wrists. “Shh. No, I’m not turning you down. Not ever again, I swear. I’m just asking for a raincheck. It’s only been a few weeks, and I’m still spooked as hell. Let’s give it a little more time, okay? And then...”

“Then you’ll try?” I asked, holding my breath.

After a noisy swallow, he nodded. “Yeah. Then we’ll try it.”

I blew out a breath, relieved he wasn’t saying no, but still a little scared because he was still holding back. “So...what now?”

His chuckle was full of hot sensuality. “How about making out until we fall asleep wrapped in each other’s arms?”

Oh, God. That sounded just as good as sex. It’d been forever since I’d gotten to cuddle and sleep with him And more kissing? Yeah, I could handle that.

“Sold,” I whispered, grabbing his shirt so he’d follow me toward the pillows so we could lie down and get more comfortable.

His eyes heated as he followed me. “I’ve missed this too.”





SARAH




“Oh my God! Quinn’s taking off his shirt!”

At Caroline’s excited prattle, I looked up from the supply list I was studying at the picnic table in Noel and Aspen’s backyard to find the guys on the lawn were starting a game of touch football, and they were dividing the teams shirts against skins.

Quinn had just gotten chosen to the skins’ side, where he was being forced to remove his T-shirt.

Next to me, Reese lifted her face only to spike her eyebrows high. “Oh,” she said, adding in a little hum of interest.

When Aspen twisted on the bench where she was sitting to check out the guys as well, Zoey made an exasperated sound in her throat. “Why is everyone staring at my husband?”

“Because Dr. Modest never removes clothing,” Reese murmured, going as far as to shade her eyes against the sunlight to get a better view. “It’s about time we got a peek. Damn! Mason was chosen for the shirts team.” She dropped her hand, pouting.

“Well, Ten was chosen to play with the shirtless side,” Zoey argued. “Why can’t you all look at him?”

“Meh. Seen it.” Reese returned her attention to the list we’d been compiling, only to steal the pen and paper from me and add caterer to the bottom.

She totally missed the way Caroline scowled at her. “And my man has an awesome chest, thank you very much.”

Reese merely waved out a hand without bothering to look up. “But he strips all the time. It’s no longer new and fascinating to see him half naked.”

“Uh...yes, it is.” Caroline started to argue, only to blow out a relieved breath. “Oh, thank God, Noel and Colton ended up with shirts.”

“Hey!” Aspen whirled back, clearly offended on her husband’s behalf. But she must’ve realized she was talking to the man’s sister because her shoulders slumped. “Well, I guess you have to say that.”

Caroline’s third brother didn’t get chosen for the shirt side, though. As Brandt joined Quinn and Ten’s team, he shed his shirt and tucked it into his back pocket so most of it hung out down the rear of his jeans.

It made a mouthwateringly fetching sight, if I did say so myself, especially with the sunlight gleaming off his toned chest and his dark hair a little messy from removing his shirt.

“I think someone’s happy one of your brothers was chosen for the skin side,” Zoey murmured to Caroline.

Realizing all the ladies had turned their attention to me, I flushed hard. “What?” I hadn’t seen Brandt naked in weeks. It was killing me.

Reese smirked and bumped her shoulder into mine. “You got a little drool,” she said. “Right there.”

“Shit.” I immediately wiped the back of my hand over my mouth, but it was dry.

“Oh my God!” my sister-in-law gasped, her face turning beet red with embarrassment. “I didn’t mean...literally. I’m sorry. You were just... From the way you were staring at him...”

Realizing she’d been trying to tease me, not point out actual drool, I relaxed. “Oh.”

She smacked her hand against her face. “I’m an idiot.”

The horror on her face made me laugh. She knew how self-conscious I was about the drooling aspect of my life, so I knew she’d never make fun of me on purpose, which was why I found her faux pas so hilarious.

Around me, Caroline and Aspen, then Zoey joined in, all of them giggling.

Finally, Reese blew out a breath and laughed too. We got to laughing so hard, the guys paused in preparation of their first play to glance our way.

“What’s so funny?” Noel called.

We women answered, “Nothing,” in unison, which set off a whole new round of laughter.

The guys finally gave up and shook their heads before returning to their game, while all the kiddos continued to play unawares in the small wading pool by the ramp to the back door.

“Now, where were we?” Reese asked, once we’d settled down enough to concentrate on the task at hand, to plan a graduation party for me, Brandt, and even Colton, since he’d be finishing high school a week after Brandt and I ended our term.