Page 17 of Broken Ice, Mended Hearts

“I’d love to find a setup like this when I buy a place.” His voice was breathy, and when his tongue darted out to lick his lips, I wanted to kiss him. I’d hardly need to move; a slight lean in his direction would have been enough.

I resisted the temptation, though the attraction hung in the air. I’d never kissed a man before, not even Danny, and this wasn’t the moment to change that. My desire for Sven didn’t mean I wanted a romance with him, and kisses were romance in a bottle. I should save them for women since I envisioned a future with kids, a house with a picket fence, and a country club membership. Every man would burn with envy because of the beautiful woman on my arm.Thatwas where I’d find romance.

Sven closed his eyes and laid back in the chaise. A comfortable silence settled between us, accompanied by the soothing melody of water softly lapping the pool’s edge. The hum of distant traffic on Connecticut Avenue was white noise. I followed his lead, leaning back and relaxing as the scents of Sven and some nearby tea roses intertwined.

“We were talking about being lonely before. Have you seen anyone since the divorce?”

Sven’s voice surprised me because I’d thought he might have dozed off, but when I looked at him, his eyes were wide open. I shook my head. “A couple of times last winter, testing the water. I wasn’t ready.”

“Are you now?”

My stomach tightened, and I rolled one shoulder in a light shrug. “Not really. Still too fresh.” After a quick breath, I added, “I miss sex, though.” When his eyes widened, I asked, “What about you? Seeing anyone since the split with your ex?”

“No. It was too traumatic.”

“Understandable. You don’t want to get hurt.”

“True, but it’s difficult being alone. I miss intimacy.”

And there it was. Outside by my pool in the middle of the night, things were quickly becoming more than theoretical. “Tell me about it,” I said. “I miss snuggling up with someone, having a warm body to hold. Someone to talk to.”

“Yep. And more.”

His stare sent a shiver rippling up my spine. “For real. Like I said, I get horny as shit. I miss getting laid.”

His expression didn’t change. “Me too. It makes me crazy, like a toothache. You can’t ignore it, and the more you think about it, the worse it gets.”

Afraid to breathe, I whispered, “It’s hard.”

He glanced at my lap, then back at my face. “Not quite, but it’s getting there.”

I struggled to keep my eyes on his, but I lost the battle and lowered them to his crotch. I gasped. The outline of his hard cock was clear to see. My boner went to full mast, and I moaned, shifting my gaze back to his face.

He glanced down again, and when he raised his head, his cheeks were flushed. “Did you like what you saw down there?”

I cleared my throat. “Yeah, I think so.”

Uncertainty flickered in his eyes, but his lustful gaze quickly returned. “You seemed to like it, Pip. You’re hard as a rock.”

Tabarnak!No more beating around the bush. “I am. So are you.”

He reached over and placed a hand on mine. “I’m very attracted to you, but you already know that. Am I imagining the connection I feel?”

My mouth was so dry I had to clear my throat again. “I think you’re hot as shit.” A nervous chuckle escaped, and I said, “But I told you that last night. And the connection? For sure.”Fuck, why did my voice break? Am I thirteen again?

The uncertainty returned, and he furrowed his brow. After a few seconds, I intertwined our fingers, and he said, “We could help each other out, Pip. It doesn’t need to be weird. Wouldn’t need to mean anything except two friends taking care of each other.”

“Right.”

“I think we’d feel better since we both miss sex so much. We’re adults.”

“Christ, Sven.” My foot was shaking, and my lips joined in. “I like you a lot, but I’m…”

“Have you ever been with a man?” His velvety voice was reassuring.

“Just one, before Ella.”

“I won’t try to force you to do anything, but it seems like you want this. If I’m wrong, or if we try and you need to stop, we can still be friends. No harm, no foul.”

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