Page 22 of Phillip

“Pull it together,” she silently ordered then searched for a few good reasons to forget what she’d just seen. The human body was nothing new, Ashley reminded herself. But no amount of pep talk or lecture calmed her rush of excitement and memories. The more she tried to ignore the crackling awareness that hung in the air, the more she pictured Phillip’s bare chest and that towel that hung dangerously low.

College Phillip had been hot. But this Phillip?

The door clicked open. Her breath caught once again, and she flushed, hot with her wandering thoughts.

“Safely dressed.” Phillip stepped into the hall, wearing a well-fitted shirt and casual shorts.

Dressed, not dressed. She didn’t care because she could see a maturity and hunger in his dark eyes. Passing time and lessons learned the hard way seemed to have hardened him. Her heart fluttered when his reserved gaze held her captive.

“Better now?” he asked.

“Much. All’s forgotten.”Lies!Nothing would erase the permanent image of a half-naked Phillip ready to catch her.

He shoved his hands into his pockets, keeping his taunting amusement and sarcasm at bay. “Great.”

Ashley fumbled for what to say, worried that if she said too much, he would know the truth: He was now officially fodder for her daydreams.

“Let’s get to work.” He was as cool as an ice-cold Moxie and gave her a wide berth as he walked around her then lifted a hand toward the stairs she’d come up. “We can sit down in the living room.”

That seemed safe enough. She would have no choice but to focus on work. “Okay.”

“Though if Nana walks in and challenges you to a drinking game, just say no.”

Ashley blanched. “Okay.”

Phillip seemed to consider additional interruptions. “Or if Devlin and Hannah come by again, don’t listen to anything they say.”

“Meaning what?”

“Never mind.” He turned toward his bedroom, maybe considering their privacy, but shook his head. “We can talk and walk on the beach.”

The beach would work. She couldn’t go near his bedroom, but Ashley paused and lifted her high-heel-clad foot. “I left my walking shoes at home.”

He grinned. “Good thing you stumbled my way.”

“Why?”

“If you don’t know how to take your shoes off and walk along the beach, then you’re worse off than I’d guessed.”

She laughed, rolling her eyes. “I can take my shoes off.”

“Then let’s go, beautiful.”

Her heart skipped. “Now?”

“We can stand here in the hall for a few minutes if it’d make you feel more comfortable.”

She rolled her eyes.

“Watch.” He kicked off his leather sandals and nudged his head toward the stairs. “That’s how it’s done.”

“Ha, ha, funny guy. I’ll take them off downstairs, by the door.”

He raised a shoulder. “Suit yourself.”

There was nothing intimate about shedding her shoes, yet doing so outside his bedroom door made her feel too exposed, which filled her to the brim with wild butterflies. “Thank you.”

She fell into stride with him as they moved down the stairs. Their elbows brushed, and her giddy butterflies flipped along with her stomach. But as much as she enjoyed the unintentional touch, she hated her reaction to the man. They needed distance and boundaries, or she would lose her mind.

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