Page 28 of Comeback
At first glance, the living room is also empty but then a grunt of noise catches my attention. I peer over the couch to see Archer on the floor doing sit-ups. Shirtless.
“Holy mother of—” I slap a hand over my mouth in time to keep whatever inside thoughts were about to slip out. But I can’t seem to stop myself from gawking at his chiseled torso. His abs ripple with the movement, showing off every one of the six—nope make that eight—packs of muscle.
He slows when he sees me but doesn’t stop until he finishes a few more. Archer wipes his brow with the back of his wrist and then rests his elbows on his bent knees.
I am still gawking.
With only a pair of black shorts on, he somehow looks bigger than normal. I think it’s all that broad muscle on display. It’s intimidating, but not so much so that I’m not imagining what it’d be like to run my palms down his chest and stomach like he’s my own personal plaything.
“Everything okay?” he asks. A slow smile tips up the corner of his lips.
“Yep!” I chirp too fast and too high-pitched, finally tearing my gaze away from him. My cheeks flame. I don’t think there’s any playing off the fact I was just very much checking him out. I think it must be a reaction to him saying I was hot last night. Which is what I will claim if interrogated. He brought it up and now I can’t look at him and not think about it.
Turning on my heel, I head into the kitchen to make myself a sandwich before work. I pull out the bread and peanut butter in a haze.
How are his ab muscles real? I’ve been an athlete my entire life and my stomach doesn’t look like that. I also don’t do sit-ups basically ever so there’s that.
I’m opening the refrigerator and searching for the jelly when I hear him moving behind me. Then I feel his presence.
Hand still on the door of the fridge, I glance back. He’s standing a foot away, sweaty and still shirtless. And unfortunately, still hot.
“Did you need something?” I ask. I’m very proud of myself when I manage to hold eye contact. I cannot give him the satisfaction of checking him out again.
He points into the fridge, and when I just stand there, he steps forward. Instinctively, I move out of his way, but there’s not a lot of room, so he’s still all up in my space as he digs in the refrigerator. His back has muscles that I didn’t realize existed and I’m eye-level with the tattoo on his left shoulder. The flowers are roses. I’m also able to pick out a football, the number eighteen, and a bow and arrow.
I also notice another tattoo on the inside of his right arm that I hadn’t before. There are five circles and only the fourth one is colored in with black ink. I’ve seen it before. Brogan has something similar in the same spot.
Archer steps back and holds up the Gatorade as if showing me proof he really needed something. And then extends his other hand toward me with the jelly I’d been searching for.
“Thanks.”
He nods and moves out of the way.
Archer takes a seat on one of the stools in front of the island. I can feel his eyes on me as I make my peanut butter and jellysandwich. There isn’t a sexy way to eat a sandwich. Not that I care about being sexy for Archer.
“How was the hangover this morning?” he asks as the front door opens.
I glance over in time to see Brogan and London walk into the apartment.
“Hey!” I smile at my brother and his fiancée, relieved to see them. Archer and I alone together is painful. Which reminds me I didn’t answer him. I look back to Archer. “It was rough. I’m thankful I took some Advil before bed.”
“Hey.” Brogan slides onto a chair next to Archer, but looks to me as he says, “I heard you tried to keep up with Tripp last night at the bar.”
“Tried and failed.” I take a bite out of my sandwich.
My brother laughs softly. “Someone should have warned you. The guy can drink.”
“I did warn her. She didn’t listen.” Archer’s gaze burns into me.
“I was celebrating,” I say defensively and then smile as I glance to Brogan. “I found a place for my studio yesterday.”
“No way!” Brogan’s excitement is exactly what I expected. His mouth pulls into a big smile and his eyes light up. He gets to his feet and holds out his long arms, walking toward me.
I walk into his hug and he wraps me up, bouncing a little before he lets me go.
“That’s incredible news. I wish I’d known.” He turns a very pointed glare at Archer.
“He didn’t know,” I tell Brogan.
