Stripped Bare (Stripped #1)(65)

And he didn’t need to know why. Even if he thought he owned me. That he couldn’t resist me.

He didn’t need to know I was falling for his tender, blue eyes, his rough grip, his powerful presence, and his dirty mouth. He didn’t need to know I was falling for him.

“I know you’re not.” His voice was quieter now, the same volume as mine. “Because you’re the first woman I’ve f*cked without her putting a single dollar in my pants in years.”

“Should I be flattered by that?”

“I don’t know. Does it sound flattering? I meant it to, but I’m not sure it came out that way.” He looked so thoughtful, so confused, that I had to bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from breaking out into a massive smile. “It didn’t come out that way, did it?”

I grimaced, still fighting my amusement, and shook my head.

“Shit.” He stepped back and folded his arms across his chest. “I probably could have worded it better?”

“Or not said it at all,” I offered as a better solution.

“Yes... That’s probably the preferable option.”

“You think?”

“I’m blaming you for this.” He unfolded his arms and touched his finger to the end of my nose.

“Me?” My jaw dropped. “How is it even close to being my fault?”

“Because you’re so damn cute when you get mad.” He cupped my chin and pulled my mouth toward his. “Combine that with the fact that it’s hard to think straight around you at all and nothing I want to say is going to come out right.”

I leaned back. “So, literally everything you’ve said to me today has come out wrong?”

“No. Just the dollar thing.”

“You’re a dork.” I smiled.

“So, will you have dinner with me?”

I mock gasped. “You’re asking?”

“Don’t get used to it, angel. I’ll be back demanding unless you answer me soon.”

“You’re a double dork.”

“One... two...”

“Yes,” I said, breaking through his counting. “I’ll have dinner with you. As long as you keep these”—I grabbed his hands—“to yourself during it.”

He slid his hand down the curve of my back and grabbed my ass yet again—the other cheek this time. I was going to have imprints of his fingertips permanently sealed onto my skin at this rate.

“You got it, angel.”



He’d told me to dress comfortably, so dress comfortably I had. Even as I was on the phone with my best friend, who had a last-minute freak-out over her flowers before demanding we move onto West.

“So, he’s coming with you?”

I sighed. “Yes.”

“Even though you’re not actually sleeping together anymore,” Allie confirmed.

“Yes.”

“Riiiiiiight.”

“What does that mean?”

She laughed. “It means I think you’re crazy. You’re probably in Vegas for another seven full days, max, and you’re worrying about this now? Just screw him, Mia.”

“You know, it’s getting ever more worrying that you, my virgin best friend, are giving me an increasing amount of advice about sex.”

“And I keep telling you. Just because I haven’t done it doesn’t mean I can’t tell you to do it.”

“Yeah, all right. Whatever.”

“Mia, obviously, you like this guy.”

“And that’s why I’m not having sex with him. It makes me like him more.” So did his laying me down and dancing on top of me, but that was beside the point.

“I just think you need to stop worrying. I know you’re the queen of all dating disasters, but honestly, I think part of your problem is that you take it too seriously.”

This from the one about to get married.

“I told you last week. If you’re really this attracted to each other, trying to ignore it is only going to make things worse.”

“They can’t get much worse.”

“You could be pregnant. That would be worse.”

“Why would you do that to me? You know I’m on birth control. And you know I don’t want babies yet. You’re the worst best friend ever.”

“I know. That’s exactly why I think you should go over there, thank him for dinner, and then get your nasty on.”

“I thought you were the sensible one in this friendship. If you start being the crazy one, I have no idea how I’m going to end up. You’re my voice of reason, and without the reason, you’re just...”

“Telling you exactly what you want to do?”

“Exactly. And I can’t. I told him I can’t. I told myself I can’t. I won’t do it, Allie. I am not going to take my panties off for that man tonight.” And he’s not slipping them to the side, either.

“Call me if that happens. If not, I’ll sleep well knowing you’ll sleep well, and I’ll see you on Friday morning.”



I pulled into West’s driveway. Despite his insistence to get me after my agreement, I’d put my foot down and told him in no uncertain terms that I would be driving myself.