Roped In (Armed & Dangerous, #2)(17)

He rolled his eyes. “You can lift it, not take it off. You won’t be able to reach back there.” Grasping my elbow, he gently pulled me to the couch. “Come on, I’m not going to molest you. I know your boyfriend wouldn’t appreciate it.”

“You mean Nick?” I asked, taking a seat on the couch.

He chuckled. “Yeah, I guess so. Not unless you have more than one. Nick’s the hockey player right?”

Taking a deep breath, I lifted the back of my shirt, trying my best to keep my chest covered. “Yes, but he’s not my boyfriend. He’s my agent’s brother. They thought it would get the stalker off my back if I made it known I was with someone.”

“That worked well. Are you worried about him?”

I nodded. “More than anything. I hated having to leave him.”

“He’ll be all right. I’ve seen him play. He takes down everyone on the rink.”

The thought made me smile. I missed watching him and the guys play. “That’s what gives me hope. I just pray he’ll be able to get back on the ice. Hockey is his life.”

Taking the cream, he squirted some in his hands and rubbed them together. When he touched me, I sucked in a breath. “Is it cold?”

“No,” I breathed. “It’s fine.”

“We should probably take you to get more clothes. Not unless you want to wash the same couple of outfits every day.”

“Not really. But do you think it’s safe to go out in public?”

You’ll be fine. Plus, you have your new identity. No one in this town is going to believe Hadley Rivers is here.”

I glanced at him over my shoulder and didn’t realize he was so close. His fingers stopped on my skin, our lips were only a few inches apart. “Why is it so hard to believe? I like the mountains.”

He lifted a brow. “Do you like hiking them too? I know they’re pretty to gaze at, but there’s so much you can’t see by looking at them from afar. A city girl like you couldn’t hang on the trails.”

“Wanna bet?”

A mischievous gleam sparkled in his eyes. “How about this . . . we take you to get some new clothes tomorrow, then the next day, I take you hiking.”

I loved proving people wrong, especially when they thought I couldn’t do something. “What are we betting?”

He bit his lip. “Dinner every night for the rest of the time you’re here. If you can’t keep up with me on the trails, you cook. Sound fair?”

With a wide grin, I nodded and lifted my hand. I was planning on doing that anyway. “Deal. And if I win, you have to wear a pair of Mexican pointy boots for an evening out on the town.”

He shook my hand. “I guess this would be part of my payback?”

“Some of it. But your boots need to be a pair that I pick out,” I added.

“Oh hell,” he laughed, letting my hand go. “That’s not going to happen.”

I turned back around, hiding my smile. He was going to lose. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and waited for his fingers to touch me. When they did, I didn’t want him to stop. They were warm and gentle as he spread the cream over my skin. Goosebumps fanned out across my body and a deep chuckle vibrated in his chest. My eyes shot open. Fuck, had I moaned out loud? Thankfully, he couldn’t see my flaming cheeks.

“Are you about done?” I asked, feigning impatience.

“Almost,” he replied. I could hear the smile in his tone. “Just a little more.” As soon as he was done, he tapped my side. “You can lower your shirt now.”

I dropped it and quickly moved to the edge of the couch. “Thanks.”

“Want something to drink? After breaking out in hives and demolishing the waffle batter machine, I’d say you need one.”

Groaning, I covered my face. “I will never forget that as long as I live. But a drink would be great. I don’t care what kind.” He tossed me the cream and I applied it to the rest of my body as he rummaged around the kitchen.

He came back into the room with an apple cider beer for each of us.

“Interesting,” I said, taking one of the chilled bottles.

“Not exactly the champagne you’re used to getting, but they’re really good.”

I threw a couch pillow at him and he dodged it, chuckling. “Whatever, jackass. I don’t even drink champagne.” We laughed together and it felt good to joke around. It made the whole situation more endurable.

He finished off his beer and lounged back on the couch, his gray gaze on mine.

“Who’s the girl with you in that picture in your room?”

Jaw tense, he looked away. “Someone from my past.”

“Okay . . . care to elaborate?”

“Not really. But if you must know, she’s the first and last girl I ever gave a damn about.”

“Where is she now?”

“Out in California with someone else. We parted ways a long time ago.”

“Do you miss her?”

“Not in the way you think. We’ve both moved on.” His phone rang and he pulled it out of his pocket. “Robert, what’s going on?”

Heart thundering, I sat up. Blake’s expression hardened and I knew whatever he was hearing wasn’t good.

“Are you f*cking kidding me? That’s ballsy. What the hell is he doing there?”