Stripped Bare (Stripped #1)(40)

“Well...” I paused and thought back. Been there, done that. “I’m protected and I’ve had three, but those were less scares and more that I’m really bad at remembering dates.”

Beck snorted. “See? That’s one thing. But she literally had no idea. I wasn’t into having kids then. Still ain’t. Tell you what though—I used a damn condom every time after that.”

“Your condom bill was bigger than your tuition,” West said dryly. “You’re the only reason we made so much money stripping. They all came to see you again.”

“You mean after you’d stopped spilling drinks on the patrons, right?” I teased him, a grin on my face.

He snapped his gaze to me. “I can think of one person I wouldn’t mind spilling a drink over.”

“You just want an excuse to lick me all over.”

Beck roared with laughter as West gave me his dirty smirk. “She’s got you f*ckin’ pegged, pal. How long’s she staying?”

“As long as it takes to get your marketing finished,” I answered, sipping from my glass and trying to ignore the hot look West was giving me. “And I get a hell of a lot more work done with you around. I’ve done more work today than we have all week.”

“Reeeeeaaaaally.” Beck stared at West. “And why’s that, West?”

“Not a clue,” he answered, still staring at me.

I squirmed under his heated scrutiny of me. Like he really was imagining licking me all over.

Damn it. Now, I was imagining him licking me all over. I didn’t need to be imagining that. Not at his house with his bedroom in it.

“Excuse me,” I said, looking to West. “Where’s your bathroom?”

“Upstairs, straight at the end of the hall.”

“Thanks.” I got up, feeling his eyes hot on me the entire time, and went upstairs in search of the bathroom. I found myself moving slowly as I looked at the photos that adorned the walls of the staircase.

There were a couple of West and Beck, both younger and recently, judging by the distinct lack of stubble and muscle in the younger photo. One photo had West in the middle of an older man and woman, and the man had a distinct resemblance to him, so I guessed these were his grandparents. Next to that hung a larger photo of a much younger West in a graduation gown and hat, between another man and woman, these two much younger than the other couple. The man was his mirror image, and both he and the woman wore the kind of proud smiles only parents could.

I smiled a little. Another side of West I hadn’t known existed. He obviously loved his family very much, and my heart warmed at it.

I found my way into the white-and-ice-blue-decorated bathroom, used the toilet, flushed, and washed my hands. I’d learned more about him and Beck tonight than I’d ever thought I would, and I already knew that resisting West would be even harder now.

He was no longer just a sexy guy who gave killer orgasms and stripped.

He was...a real person. A real guy with feelings and memories, successes and triumphs, low points and mistakes.

That was scary.

Their low voices rumbled through the air as my heels sank into the hallway carpet, and I shouldn’t have stopped to listen, but I did.

“Stop beating yourself up,” Beck said quietly. “It happened, West. You can’t let that one mistake rule the rest of your life. I don’t have to be a f*cking relationship counselor to see that you like this woman.”

I swallowed hard.

“Beck, drop it,” West replied firmly. There was a slight pause where the sound of a glass clinking against the table replaced words. “It doesn’t dictate my life. And this has nothing to with Mia.”

“It has everything to do with her, man. You’ve been staring at her all night. I’ve spent the whole time talking to the side of your damn head.”

“I don’t want to talk about this.”

“You have to move on sooner or later.”

“There’s nothing to move on from because there was nothing to hold on to. Charlotte made sure of that. End of story.”

“Whatever you say. I just think—”

I bit my lower lip and stomped on the bottom step a few times. Beck stopped talking, and I wandered back into the dining room, forcing a smile onto my face.

I shouldn’t have listened to that conversation. It was obviously private, but now, I had a burning desire to know more about the man I’d spent so much time with this week.

Who was Charlotte, and why was it the end of it?

“Get lost on the way to the bathroom?” West quirked an eyebrow, standing and grabbing my bowl from dessert.

“I got delayed on the stairs, staring at the photos. I’m nosy.” I grinned. This time, it was genuine.

“He was an ugly little shit, wasn’t he?” Beck threw in. “I’ve always been the looker.”

“You’ve always been the ego, you mean.” West balanced Beck’s bowl on top of mine and his and lifted them, looking at me. “Another glass of wine?”

“Sure.”

“Beck, beer?”

“Nah, I gotta get going in a minute. You know. For the long walk up the street to my house.” He winked at me.

West shook his head, turning his back to us. He’d barely left the room when Beck’s gaze on me became too intense to ignore.