Page 64 of The Cask

Grinning, I rolled my eyes. “Come with me,” I told him, ushering him to the guest bathroom. “You rescued me by the side of the road, I can handle your wet socks sloshing down this hallway.”

“See, you’re already talking shit.” He looked behind him to see the streaks. “Oh shit, I’m sorry.”

I snickered. “Don’t worry about it! Just get dry! You’ve been in wet clothes for an hour.”

He laughed right along with me. “Okay, okay, you’re right.”

I grabbed another towel and a washcloth from the closet and handed them to him. “If you take your clothes off, I’ll throw them in the dryer.”

He froze momentarily. “I mean, yeah, okay. Yeah, I guess that’ll work. I just… I don’t have anything to put on while I wait for them to dry.”

“I have something you can put on,” I assured him.

He swallowed hard. “Okay.”

Once the bathroom door was closed, I hustled to my bedroom and located an old pair of shorts and a t-shirt. When I returned to the bathroom, I knocked.

“I’ll take your wet clothes now.”

Gahhhhhhhhdamn!

He opened the door wearing just a towel around his waist.

I openly gawked.

With his smooth, toffee colored skin spread over his broad shoulders, muscular chest, and six-pack abs, he was perfection personified. The towel was tucked low on his hips and showcased a rather large print in front. His face and body were enough to capture my full attention, but it was the rest of him that left me speechless. Without trying, Omari had changed my entire game plan.

“Um”—I snapped my eyes back to his, hoping he didn’t notice I was checking him out— “shouldn’t take more than thirty minutes. You can put these on in the meantime.”

I was already halfway down the hallway when I heard him say thank you.

You are supposed to be using this time to ensure he fires Kim,I reminded myself as I entered the laundry room. I stared at myself in the glass of the washing machine.Don’t lose sight of the plan just because he looks like he would blow your back out.

“This is about revenge,” I hissed as goosebumps covered my skin at the thought of Omari having his way with me. “Focus. Stay in the game.”

Oh, and there’s Olivia,I thought as I started the dryer.

The mental picture of Omari and Olivia on their date caused the dull ache between my thighs to fade away. With a satisfied smile, I turned and left the laundry room.

Crisis averted.

My eyes opened widely.Crisis not averted!

“Did the um… did the clothes not fit?” I asked as I found him looking at photos in the living room.

“The shirt fit, but the shorts were too small. I didn’t want to put the shirt on without the shorts and walk around your place like Winnie the Pooh.”

I laughed so hard I snorted. The visual image of him walking around pantless was funny at first and then the ache came back.

Shit…My eyes darted across the room.He can’t be trusted. Don’t forget that. Stay strong.

Despite my best efforts, I felt my nipples getting hard. I crossed my arms over my chest. “That makes sense, I suppose. I don’t have any other shorts, but you’re welcome to stay like that if you’d like. Whatever you’re comfortable with.”

“Whatever you’re comfortable with. It’s your place. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

I met his gaze. “I’m comfortable.”

A little too comfortable.

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