Page 13 of The Contractor's Rose
“So,” I said, needingsomething—anything—to distract myself from the ache building in my jeans. “Are you seeing anyone?”
I fucked up.
Why the hell did I just ask that? I was in her space yesterday. I know damn well no one else is there. No trace of another man. No shoes by the door, no jackets that weren’t hers, nothing that wasn’t Rose.
But maybe they were going tohisplace. Maybe he was one of those guys who travels light and leaves no footprint. No, her parents would have mentioned it in passing if she was. They love to speak about their successful daughter whenever they can.
I shouldn’t have said anything.
She looked up, noodles half-twirled on her fork, her eyes curious. “What?”
“Are you dating anyone?” I cleared my throat, trying to sound casual. “Anyone special in your life?”
Fantastic.
I’d lost complete control of my mouth. I think I’d rather take my chances with a steel golf club in the lightning storm brewing over the water than sit in this cab one more second after that question.
Her cheeks flushed pink so fast it was like someone had flipped a switch.
“Oh. Uh.” She glanced down, twisting her fork through her noodles again, but didn’t lift them. Her voice was soft. “Imean … no. Not really. That’s—kind of a personal question, huh?”
I shrugged and set my container down on the dash. “You don’t have to answer.”
She smiled faintly, looking at the floorboards. “Not dating. And there’s no one special.”
Something eased and twisted in me at the same time.
I nodded, then let myself do something that felt reckless even as I did it.
I reached over, resting my hand gently on her knee. Just a light touch. Testing the current between us.
Jesus.
She was soft. So fucking soft. Her skin was warm under my palm, silk stretched over heat. My thumb moved in slow, barely-there circles. I didn’t even think. I just needed tofeelher. My hand itched to travel higher. To touch every inch between this knee and those lips.
My dick throbbed hard behind my jeans, stiff with want. The growing ache was now almost unbearable.
Calm down, Gavin. You do not need a boner in front of your best friend’s daughter.
Because ofmy best friend’s daughter.
But she didn’t pull away.
She didn’t flinch.
Her gaze was locked on my hand like it was something sacred, something dangerous. She licked her lips slowly, and my breath damn near left my body.
“Are … are you seeing anyone?” Then her eyes widened and she shook her head fast, like she wanted to rewind time. “Sorry, that’s—that’s weird. Right? That’s a weird thing to ask my parents’ friend.”
I didn’t answer her with words. Just reached over and picked up her container, placing it next to mine on the dash. Then I turned back, cupping her cheek with my free hand. My thumb brushed her skin, and damn if she didn’tlean into it. Just barely. But enough to make me throw all caution to the wind.
“It’s not weird,” I said quietly. “And no. There’s no one else.”
Her voice came softer than before, like she was afraid the words might break something. “No one else?”
I looked at her mouth, then back to her eyes. Her pupils were wide, her breath coming a little faster. Her entire body still. Waiting.
“There’s no one else on my mind but you right now.”
