Page 60 of Liar Byrd
"For fuck's sake. Sit down."
He doesn’t give me a chance to respond. With large hands on my hips, he guides me to the bed I just made and nudges me onto it. He takes the bucket from me, dumps it on the floor beside me, and sinks into a crouch in front of me.
He’s naked.
A trail of water marks his path from the bathroom to the bedroom.
I watch him covertly as he studies my ankle. “You probably twisted it.”
He doesn't seem to care that he's naked, but I care. I have never seen a naked man other than Jeremiah before. Jeremiah was old enough to be my dad. Makhi is more interesting to look at.
Younger, fitter, tanned muscles, washboard abs, but that’s not the only thing that’s caught my eye. When I look at Makhi, I can’t help but remember his promise to fuck me on his bike if he ever caught me cleaning it again.
He looks up suddenly, catches me staring, and smirks. "I know exactly what you're looking at, little mouse."
"I'm not looking at anything." I blush, staring at the wall.
He snorts with amusement. “You can look.”
“No, thanks.”
He laughs. “It looks like a sprain. I know fuck-all about that. Wait a sec.” He gets to his feet, and I glance at him, then quickly away again when I get a face full of tanned ass inches away from me.
He scratches his back as he walks to the door, swings it open, and shouts, “Vonn! Get your ass up here.”
I wrench my eyes away when he turns back to me, nearly catching me staring.
“I felt you staring again, little mouse.”
“I’m not a mouse.”
He continues to stand there, right beside the door, buck naked, and utterly unconcerned about it. “And you’re still not afraid. I thought you might be given I’m naked.”
I should, but I’m not.
I dart a rapid glance at him.
He has his arms crossed, leaning against the wall as he watches me, amused. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”
I bite my lip. “There isn’t anyone like you where I’m from.”
Someone like Makhi wouldn’t willingly walk into Jeremiah’s compound. And if he ever did, he’d punch Jeremiah in the face, turn around, and walk away if he wanted to leave. He’s the version of me I wish I had been before I became a cowering mouse.
“I’m not a mouse,” I repeat, louder now, as much to myself as to him.
His smile slips when the door swings open and Vonn walks in. “What is…” He takes a look at Makhi and releases a tired sigh, scrubbing a hand over his face. “For fuck’s sake. Put some fucking clothes on.”
“She fell when I was in the bath. I was checking she was okay.”
“And the reason youstillhaven’t put clothes on?” Vonn stops a couple of feet from me.
Makhi rolls his eyes and disappears into the bathroom.
Vonn tilts his head. “Are you hurt?”
“I’m okay.”
Makhi walks back in with a towel wrapped around his waist. “She twisted her ankle. Or sprained it. Or, whatever. You can figure it out.”
