Page 156 of Skate the Line

“What are you doing lingering right outside my door?”

“Nothing.”

I said that too quickly.

His raspy chuckle zips down my spine.

I think fast on my feet. “I was…coming to see if I could borrow some toothpaste.”

Great save—never mind the toothpaste taste in my mouth already.

“Oh?”

Why does his voice have to be so…attractive?

“And I wasn’t lingering.”

Isowas.

Was he watching me? God, he probably was. For how long? Long enough to see me argue with myself, I’m sure.

“I’m beginning to think you enjoy lying to me.” He casually leans his bare shoulder against the wall. The closer he gets, the more I can see: shirtless, too many abs to count without staring, and low-hanging black sweats.

He’s quite possibly the hottest man I have ever seen.

My mouth runs dry, but in between my legs is anything but.

“I’m not lying.” I glance away.

“Toothpaste, was it? That’s what you needed?”

“Mm-hmm.” I nod quickly, still keeping my attention far away from his.

Rhodes has been around me too much. He’s beginning to see right through me. I don’t trust that he won’t spot my lies the second our gazes crash.

He pushes off the wall, and I let out a shaky breath.

“Okay, follow me.”

He believes me.Whew.

I turn and follow behind him. We walk into his dark room, and it takes everything in me not to glance at the bed. The moon shines brightly through the far window, but I keep my back to it and walk over to his bathroom to wait.

The light flicks on, and my heart races. All I can think about is him being nakedin here.

He calls over his shoulder as he rummages for the toothpaste I most definitely don’t need. “Ellie told me she had fun at the studio yesterday.”

I nod while staring at the muscles rippling on his back.Wow.

“Oh, yeah? Good. I had fun too.”

“She wants me to go next time.”

A small smile creeps onto my face. “I’d honestly pay money to watch you spin pottery.” I giggle, and he grimaces at me over his shoulder.

“You don’t think I could do it?”

I shrug. “It’s a lot harder than it looks.”

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