Page 32 of Tempting Me

“Is that why you’re so kind to me these days? To watch out for me?”

He grunts but doesn't say anything.

So I just roll my eyes as usual and get back to my computer.

Maybe five minutes pass. It was a glorious five minutes.

“What were you and Linc talking about this morning?”

I ignore him. I know, I know. It’s not mature, but I need more work and less small talk.

“Shay.”

“Luca.”

“So you can hear me?”

“Of course I hear you. Everyone can always hear you.”

“I’m going to let that slide on account of I think something is bothering you and you don’t want to tell me.”

I sit up and spin in my chair to face him. “If I were upset about something, why would you be the one that I come to?”

He shrugs.

“Because I’m a third party. It wouldn't have anything to do with me, so maybe I could help.”

“Riiiiight. Because you’re a true gentleman.”

His gaze narrows before he takes a deep breath and gets back to work.

Again, maybe five minutes pass.

“You know,” Luca starts, and I groan. “I actually am a gentleman, and that would be something nice for you to tell Grace.”

I hold my pen in the air without looking at him.

“Noted.”

The sigh that follows is so loud, I turn to tell him so but stop when I find him squatting, rearranging boards so that hecan carry them to a new spot. He stands, the muscles in his legs pressing against his jeans and his flexing biceps so pronounced that I’m positive I'm about to see his sleeves rip apart.

He takes focused steps to the other side of the room.

“Can you come over here and move this box?” he asks over his shoulder.

“Okay,” I say, moving quickly. Although I’m convinced that my body moved toward him before my mind deemed an answer.

I move the box then just stand there watching him.

Ogling him in a brightly lit room as he works.

Thinking about his legs and arms once more. Is the rest of his body as firm as they are? How much does that wood weigh? He carried it as if it were nothing.

A deep chuckle snaps me back to attention.

He caught me staring.

Shit.

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