Page 14 of Protecting Vera

“Hey, what’s up?”

She shielded her eyes, making sure he was really calling to her. He’d taken off his shirt, which should have been illegal. His body was honed to perfection. He had a light dusting of dark hair across his pecs that ran down the center of his body then got real dark right above the waistband of his shorts. She was staring. Not good. As an afterthought, she raised her hand holding the broken flip flop and waved it. “It broke.”

“Stay there.”

He jogged over and pulled on his shirt just before he got to her. She wasn’t sure she could take her eyes off the broad expanse of his chest if he hadn’t put on his shirt. After a quick shake of her head, she met his gaze, forcing herself not to rake her gaze down his body. He was way too good-looking. She’d done okay for the most part, ignoring how hot he was, but she was starting to have difficulty not noticing.

“Let me see.”

She handed him her flip flops, and he shook his head. “Yeah. That’s blown out. Maybe we can fix it.” He shoved the flip flops into his pocket then turned. “Jump on, and I’ll carry you.”

The gasp that escaped her lips made him turn back around with his eyebrows raised.

“I’m too heavy.”

He threw back his head, laughter spilling out. “I have to carry those guys with my pack on. Trust me, you are not heavy.”

“Are you sure?”

He tilted his head and gave her a look that spoke volumes. She shrugged and circled her finger in the air, telling him to turn around.

When he bent, she jumped up, and he caught her around her thighs, lifting her up so she could hold on around his neck.

“You good?”

She nodded then spoke. Her voice came out low and breathy. “Yeah, I’m good.” But she wasn’t sure she would ever be good again after being pressed up against him, almost skin to skin.

The masculine scent of his skin mixed with the fresh salt air made her want to lick up the column of his neck just to taste him. She forced herself to think of something else as he jogged back across the lot and over to the beach umbrella, where everyone was milling around.

Heat rose up her neck to her face. What would these guys and Ellis think of her? She really wasn’t trying to hit on Ben and make him carry her so that her body was pressed so close against his that she would never forget what he felt like. Her shoe had broken, but she feared this looked like a setup. The last thing she wanted was for them to think she was trying to force Ben into a relationship.

If she didn’t tame her reactions to him, she would end up on the streets. Her living in his house was just a favor for his sister, and she needed to respect that. Though the skin-to-skin contact with him was driving her insane with need. She was only here because of that favor and not because he wanted her. She needed to keep that in mind, and not his ridiculously sexy body or the super sweet way he treated her.

CHAPTER NINE

Having Vera on his back, her breasts pressing against him, her legs wrapped around him, was near maddening. If she wasn’t his sister’s friend, he would have already hit on her. But she wasn’t living with him for that. She needed help because some jerk had decided it was open season on her, and she didn’t need his lust, too.

Once they were back with the group, he set her down close to the umbrella, and she stepped into the shade. He caught the way her eyes flew to his face and then away. He’d messed up. She was going through some bad shit, and he’d pushed too hard. The last thing she needed was another guy trying things with her.

He pulled her flip flops out of his pocket and held them up. “Anyone have anything to fix these?”

Q held out his hand, taking the shoes from him. “I have duct tape. It won’t look pretty, but it will hold for the rest of the day.”

“Thank you, Q. That will help so much.”

Q flashed a wide grin and took off to his car. Vera chatted with Ellis while Q took care of her shoe. Hop was next to Q, helping hold the shoe. The two times Vera glanced over at him, she jerked her gaze away so fast he wondered if she was mad at him.

This was why he didn’t date, and he needed to remember this feeling. Vera was here because she needed help, not him.

He could fight this and win. There was no reason for Vera to feel awkward around him. He wasn’t some hormonal teenager, and he could handle his shit, even if it meant he walked away from her after she moved out.

Vera enjoyed spendingtime at the beach with Ben and his friends. Since they’d called him Hop all day, she was getting used to thinking of him as Hop and not Ben.

They had both showered and were sitting at the table, eating leftovers from something he’d cooked earlier in the week. “How did you get the nickname Hop?”

His lips curved up slightly, and he shook his head. “You really want to know?”

She rolled her eyes and sighed. “Of course. I wouldn’t have asked otherwise. I know why you gave Caroline the name Frizz. That’s obvious. But Hop, what is that about?”

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