The Trade(41)

Shirtless.

Full-on bare torso.

Nipples, abs, that V thing in the pelvis, it was all there, and oh God, did it make me break out with sweat on my upper lip.

How I contained my composure during our friend-trip conversation, I have no idea, but watching him sit across from me, arm draped over the back of the bench seat, casually eating shrimp as if it’s an everyday activity for him . . . Hell, I had a really hard time not staring.

It’s why I stayed at the front of the boat in the beginning, looking toward the ocean, because I knew at some point the tank top he was wearing that showed off his perfectly sculpted shoulders would be coming off and I’d catch a glimpse of what the man looked like under the uniform.

He did not disappoint.

Dare I say, it was almost Adonis like? We’re talking thick pecs with perfectly proportioned nipples, flat and tight from the breeze. Zero chest hair. None, zilch, all smooth skin. Abs. Boy, does he have abs. Divots in his stomach, perfectly defined divots that were begging, practically barking at me to touch them. And then the taper of his waist, the sculpted path in his hips, the flat base of his waistline that barely filled out his trunks, making me wonder if they were yanked, would his trunks fall completely off, exposing the goods? I would be the first to clap and cheer for that to happen.

Halfway through our conversation, I realized, I’m a horndog.

I was ogling the poor man while he was trying to make amends. He was blissfully unaware of how I acted like I was looking off to the side, but when I lowered my sunglasses back down, I was searching every last inch of his freshly tanned skin.

Did you know ribs have muscles on them that can be defined by shredding and working out like a maniac? Neither did I until I saw Cory’s side.

No wonder he’s one of the absolute best in the game, his name already stamped and ready to be voted on when it comes to the Baseball Hall of Fame. He’s a first-round pick for sure, and it’s because of his consistent hard work, which was showing this afternoon.

After we joked around some more and he winked at me—oh God, he winked—I made an excuse to run to the bathroom and escape the magnificent view that is Cory Fucking Potter.

Leaning forward, I splash some water on my face and then dry my skin with the hand towel, taking a few deep breaths. The entire day has been an emotional roller coaster and we still have some time left on this boat, some cruising with booze, and all I can think about is even after we’re done here, I have to go back to a hotel room with him.

Staring into the mirror, I whisper, “You got this. He’s hot, yes, but hot means nothing. You’ve seen hot people before.”

But hot and kind? That’s a deadly combination, one I’m not sure I can handle.

“No,” I say. “You can handle this. You are to treat him as a friend and when you get back to the hotel, you’re going to find a man to make out with because you need to loosen up.” I shake my shoulders and blow out a long breath. “Loosen up. Loosen up.”

It’s been a while since I’ve had sex . . . like a really long fucking time thanks to Ansel’s cheating—and you can bet I got tested immediately after I found out. Thankfully I’m clean. But now as I’m stuck on an island with probably the hottest guy I’ve ever laid eyes on, it’s doing funny things to my lady parts—like getting them inappropriately excited while playing cards, aching when he holds my hand under water, or twinging with need when he throws his head back and laughs.

See, I need to get laid.

Fluffing my hair, I take a deep breath, dig up some courage, and walk back to the top deck to join the girls where I sit next to Dottie.

“Everything okay?” she asks.

“Oh yup, everything is great. Just wonderful,” I say, my voice more high-pitched than I would prefer.

And Dottie detects it.

“Cory with his shirt off giving you some feelings?”

I glance quickly at Milly who’s talking to Emory, both of them lost in their conversation. “Can you please keep your voice down? I really don’t need anyone knowing I find him attractive.”

“Please, everyone on this boat, including the men, find Cory Potter attractive. No one would be surprised.”

“Still, keep your voice down.”

“Sure, now tell me what you two were talking about up on the top deck. We could hear you laughing from the ocean.”

“Nothing much. Just that we’re going to treat this vacation as a friend-trip.”

“What?” Dottie hisses. “You’re putting yourself in the friend zone?”

“Firmly,” I say with a nod.

“Why the hell would you do that? Have you lost your mind?”

I shake my head. “No, I’m thinking clearly. This is not up for discussion because I have a plan.”

“You have a plan?” Dottie asks with cynicism. “What kind of a plan?”

“A get Natalie laid plan.”

“You want to get laid?” Dottie asks, louder than I appreciate, drawing the attention from Milly and Emory.

“What’s this?” Emory asks, her cute belly starting to show. Not sure when she’s due, but what I do know is she’s one of the cutest pregnant ladies I’ve ever seen. “You want to get laid?”

I feel my cheeks redden in embarrassment.

“She does,” Dottie answers for me. “Apparently, she’s ready to shuck her pants on this vacation.”