Page 47 of Play With Me

My eyes drop to his crotch, but his…situation has abated. Except now he’s lifting his arms, tying his hair up as he stands there. It’s a particularly Adonis-like pose, his arms up and on display, his rigid chest and stomach flexed.

He still plays tennis all day long at the resort, getting in there with his staff and guests, playing a lower-key version of those moves that brought home all those trophies.

His quads, I notice inanely, are paler than the rest of his legs. I have the strangest urge to draw my tongue up that particular stretch of skin…

“No,” I say weakly, unable to deny it. “He doesn’t.”

“Everything okay?” Jude asks, his hair loosely in place.

“Even his bedhead is sexy,” Sasha whispers.

Jude takes a step toward us.

“No!” I say quickly, holding a hand up. “I mean yes, just…uh, I’ll be right back. Give us a minute?”

Jude furrows his brow but nods. “Okay. Hey, Sasha.” He gives a polite smile, but it makes his damn dimples pop, and Sasha sighs. “Hi, Jude.”

When he disappears inside my door, Sasha grabs me by the collar, suddenly intensely serious. “Nora, you listen to me, and you listen good. I know you guys are just friends, or whatever.”

“We’re not even really friends any—”

“Right, perfect. So you’re not even friends anymore, which means you need to tap that man immediately.”

“Excuse me?!”

“You heard me! You need some action. You have probably the world’s most beautiful, kindest, funniest man nearly naked in your room now, and you get to spend a whole week in close quarters with him.”

“Why don’t you ask him out if you like him so much?”

I’m being difficult, I know. Sasha doesn’t even give me an eye roll. “Nora, you’ve been in love with him for years.”

“I’m not in—”

“Come on. I know you think he’s not going to be like that with you, and maybe you won’t. But I saw you two last night. There was so much chemistry I was getting hot under the collar! Even before then when we met on the stairs.”

“Is this why you didn’t invite your brother?” I ask suspiciously.

A look crosses Sasha’s face that I can’t read. “No, he had to help out our other brother with something he’s dealing with back home.” Her brother turning around and flying home when he just got here seems like a big deal. But before I can grasp onto the change of subject, she brightens again quickly. “Anyway, it worked out for the best, right? No one to get in the way of you and your hot God future fuck buddy.”

“Oh my God, Sasha.” I’m slightly dizzy and have to brace myself against the doorframe.

“All I’m saying is a little forced proximity with Jude wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, would it? You said you’re not really friends anymore, so what do you have to lose? Nothing! And you get to spend time with Cap, too, who I know you love just as much as his dad.”

“It’ll be so awkward,” I say, feeling defeat slipping in at the edges. “Cap’s mom—”

“You said yourself there’s nothing between her and Jude, right?”

“Nothing at all. She just wants a chance to spend time with Cap.”

“Right, so you’re giving them the gift of time together. You know Jude would be breathing down her neck—this way they can bond while you and Jude…you know.”

My heart skips. “Follow the trail of Eleanor Cleary.”

“Right. And fuck.”

I gasp. “What? No.”

“What, yes! Ever hear of friends with benefits, Nora? Besides, you can finally put that IUD to use!”

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