Page 83 of Bria and the Tiger

Chapter Eleven

“Would you like a drink? I have wine or beer.”

Bria set her purse on the table as Jace opened the fridge. “A beer is good.”

He pulled two bottles out and opened them before handing one to her. “Cheers.”

“Cheers.” She clinked her bottle against his before taking a swallow of the cold liquid. She was feeling nervous and tense and she wanted to drain the bottle fast. Maybe it would make her stop feeling so anxious. Instead, she took a second, smaller sip. She had to drive home and if she drank it too quickly, she’d be too tipsy to drive.

You could spend the night.

She shut that thought down real damn quick. “So, um, if you get the salve, I’ll put it on your back.”

“Sure.” He left and returned a few minutes later. “Here you go.”

She took the jar of salve as he pulled his shirt over his head and dropped it next to her purse. She took another swallow of beer. His chest was healed, and she was itching to trace her fingers over all that smooth, hard flesh.

“Turn around.” God, even she could hear the need in her voice.

This was such a bad fucking idea.

He turned, and she studied the healing slashes on his back with a mixture of relief and guilt. He inhaled before looking over his shoulder. “I told you they were better. Stop feeling so guilty, Bria.”

“Right.” She unscrewed the lid and scooped out some salve.

Be professional, Bria.

Professional. Yep, she could be professional. No problem.

Ignoring her tiger’s excited chirps and meows, she rubbed salve into each of the slashes on his back. He didn’t say anything, but she could smell his need for her coming off of him in slow waves. It sent her tiger into a frenzy of excitement and she could barely think past its loud purring.

Shut up, you idiot!

Her tiger growled at her as she stepped away. “All done.”

“Thank you.” He turned and grabbed his beer, taking a long drink. She stared at his throat, at the way his Adam’s apple worked as he swallowed, and took another step back. She sipped at her beer as he set his bottle on the table and stared silently at her. God, why wasn’t he putting his shirt back on?

“Um, okay, well I guess I should go.”

“You’re not finished your drink.”

She stared at the bottle in her hand. “Oh, uh, right.”

She studied the cabinets, the fridge, the apples in the fruit bowl – anything but his broad naked chest. “Do you think you could put your shirt back on now?”

He grinned at her and crossed his arms over his chest. “You don’t like the view?”

She scowled at him and pulled self-consciously at her own shirt. “Do you always walk around half-naked in your kitchen?”

He laughed. “I can’t help it if I’m comfortable in my own skin. Besides, I work out a lot to look this good. Might as well show it off, right?”

“You’ve been hanging out with Lincoln too much. You’re becoming as arrogant as him.”

“Impossible.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right.” She cocked her head at him. “It’s weird that you two are friends. You’re very different.”

He just shrugged. “Lincoln is a good guy. Don’t let the arrogance and raging sex addiction fool you.”

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