The Buy-In (Graham Brothers #1)(80)

“Want to tell us why you’re still resisting this man?” Val asks quietly. “He’s like a dream.”

“Exactly. A dream. And when I wake up, that’s when it’s going to hurt.”

Winnie scoffs. “You know that’s not what she meant. And if you really think Pat would leave you, you’re not right in the head.”

I’m definitely not right in the head.

Val leans her head on my shoulder. “You’re only fighting yourself here, Lindy.”

“Would you look at that,” Winnie says. “The grumpy one might have a heart after all.”

Jo has emerged from the house and is now sitting with James, a chessboard between them. Even out of hearing range, I can tell how carefully James is explaining the rules. Jo nods eagerly, her hands fluttering over the pieces.

“Ow!” Val suddenly bends over at the waist.

“You okay?” Winnie and I turn toward her with concern.

“I think my ovary just exploded.”

It’s Winnie, not me, who shoves Val. “Don’t let yourself get sucked in. That one especially looks like total heartbreak material.”

“Gorgeous heartbreak material,” Val sighs.

This time, Winnie doesn’t even argue. And when I catch Pat grinning at me, I totally know what Val means.





Four Underrated Parts Of The Male Physique





by Birdie Graham



While popular culture screams from the rooftop about men’s butts, abs, and even forearms, there are some gorgeous parts of men that need to have their day in the sun. This is a strictly PG-13 kind of list, folks, and (mostly) safe for family reading.

Caveat #1: Most of these features can be appreciated at different levels of fitness and hairiness, to taste.

Caveat #2: Objectification is not good! This list focuses on appreciating physical attributes, but we should all appreciate people as whole humans, not just for their looks.

And now, let’s get to appreciating!



Four Underrated Parts of The Male Physique



The ankle. Ladies’ ankles were at one time a scandal (and still are in some cultures), but men’s ankles shouldn’t be overlooked. Delicate but strong, there is just something magnetic about this meeting of foot and leg.

The side of the ribs. Not sure what I’m talking about? Watch a shirtless man reach above his head. The muscles are more subtle and way less look at me! than the abdominals. But still very, very wonderful.

The nape of the neck. Sometimes people just refer to this as a nape, which freaks me out. Napes need to be attached to necks, thank you very much. Whether your man has long or short hair, there is something totally sexy about the place where hair ends and the soft, bare skin of the neck begins.

The lower back. So much time is spent ogling abs that we’ve missed the flip side, and it is a thing of beauty riding on top of that waistband.





Stay tuned for Part Two—Four Underrated Parts of the Female Physique!





Chapter Twenty-Five





Lindy





Before Pat, on a typical night, Jo and I would hang out in the family room with her reading and me doing a little writing or research. After Pat, all the relaxation and chill has been sucked out of our nighttime routine. Chill is impossible with a restless—and let’s not forget, completely HOT—man in the house.

Pat has an aversion to stillness, and he doesn’t seem to know what to do with himself. I’m pretty sure having no television is pushing the man to his limits. Even as I’m thinking about his restlessness, Pat shifts, sighing and wiggling as he scrolls through something on his phone. Is it bad I like to watch him squirm? And every time he shifts, I shift, because this couch is woefully small for two people, especially when one of them is Pat’s size.

My poor, little house feels like a shirt we’ve grown out of. Pat towers in every room and fills every doorway. And though I know it’s small and Pat is a big guy, I can almost feel the intention in each touch, however quick. We can’t pass each other in the hall or even in a room without some physical contact. Like when his fingers brush mine as we pass in the kitchen or when his hip lightly bumps mine in the upstairs hallway.

Each tiny touch is like a reminder: Hey! I’m here! Hey! You can’t resist me forever!

I should remind him of the rule about necessary touching, but … I don’t.

What I did do was order a television for him. It feels like such a small thing—literally, it’s a modest 36-inch TV, all I can afford—but the idea of giving Pat a gift makes me feel strangely vulnerable. It’s silly to feel nervous about such a little gift. Pat gives so freely, so constantly, like he’s a stream pouring down an endless supply of fresh mountain water.

Me? I’m a rusty spigot that’s hard to turn. But I’m trying to loosen up without feeling like I’m totally losing control.

I glance down at my laptop, which is open to a page about narwhals, and slam it shut. Even the unicorn of the sea can’t hold my attention tonight. Not with the warmth of Pat’s body so close to mine and my thoughts a thorny tangle.

“What do you think about this one, Jojo?” Pat asks, turning his phone screen toward her.

It takes Jo a moment to climb out of whatever book she’s fallen into. Her eyes light up almost immediately. “I love it.”