Page 59 of Under Pressure

“The woman who was here watching Bodi? Yes,” she snips.

“Did she leave?”

“Hours ago. Bodi didn’t seem all that difficult to watch, and she apparently had other plans. You might want to look intothat, actually. Who knows if she leaves him alone when she’s supposed to be watching him.”

“Good point. I’ll talk to her about it.”

My cheeks ache with the effort it’s taking not to grin. I made a misstep here with Logan and Bodi, and I’m smart enough not to push my luck any further. I’ve got a feeling that showing her how pleased I am with her blatant jealousy would have me sleeping on the rooftop terrace tonight.

“Yeah, you do that.”

“Have you eaten yet?” I extract my wrist from Bodi’s mouth and enter the kitchen, slipping behind the island. “We could order something, or I could cook.”

The thick stack of takeout menus in the junk drawer is pretty impressive, if I do say so myself. When I flip through them, I listen for any sign of movement. It’s dead silent besides the rustle of paper, so I risk a look in Quinn’s direction. There’s no stopping my grin now.

The grouchy look on her face is even worse now. I know she could use her glare to light the menus on fire if I handed them over. Her throat has gotten just as red as her cheeks now, and my fingers twitch, desperately wanting to feel the heat of her skin. I bet her pulse is racing . . . I’d be able to feel it thumping.

Her leggings have to be one of my favourite things she wears. The black fabric clings to her in a way that has me constantly battling a hard-on. She has thighs I want to wear as earmuffs and grip in my hands until I’ve got the feel of them memorized. Not to mention her ass, which, honest to God, is the most perfect ass I’ve ever seen. It would look really fucking good with my teeth marks all over both cheeks and maybe a handprint or two.

I trail my eyes up to her waist and the arms she’s still got crossed beneath her chest. The position of them has her boobs lifted beneath the heavy material of her tee. I swallow the excess spit in my mouth and try not to think about whether her nipples are hard, rubbing against the arms smooshing them down. Thecentre of her throat moves with a swallow, and I force myself not to get fixated on the slow movement.

Her round jaw is as soft as the rest of her, and I inhale a strained breath when I find her lips parted, no longer pressed into a tight line. The bottom one is just slightly bigger than the top, giving them a pouty look. I bet they taste as good as they look—like my absolute ruin. Kissing her would be what sends me flying off the cliff I’ve been straddling for months with this woman.

The blue-grey eyes I’ve grown enamoured with are darker than usual when I finally stare into them. The black circle in the centre of them has expanded, and her lashes are drooping, obscuring my full view.

“I’m not hungry,” she says, sounding winded.

I trap a growl in my chest when I finally recognize that glassy look in her eyes. “I am.”

The menus in my hands are crinkling, and I immediately release them before gripping the edge of the island. My heart is racing so fucking fast it might very well shoot out of my chest. I’d risk it if it meant she’d pick it up for me and hold it in those perfect hands.

“I’d appreciate it if, while I’m staying here, you give me notice when there will be other people around.”

“Does that stand for everyone who comes over or just women, Quinny?”

Her top lip twitches, as if it might very well curl in a snarl before it stiffens. “How many women are you planning on having around while I’m staying?”

“None.”

“Don’t placate me. I don’t expect you to stop seeing women just because I’m crashing.”

“Then neither of us has anything to worry about because I’m not seeing anyone. Logan’s been my dog sitter for a few months now, and she’s only ever here when I’m gone. I’m away for long stretches of time, and I used to have Bodi stay at a kennel, but hedidn’t like it much. This way, he can stay with someone while I’m not home. That’s all our relationship is.”

“You don’t have to explain that to me. It’s none of my business. I just didn’t enjoy being accosted by a stranger when I got here earlier.”

Concern floods me. “Is that what happened?”

“No,” she retreats with a sigh. “It was fine. Though she’s clearly got the hots for you. In case you missed that.”

“I’ve given her no reason to.”

“You’re such a guy, Beck,” she scolds, giving her head a shake. Her arms finally fall from their crossed position. “You don’thaveto give her a reason. Look at yourself in the mirror. It isn’t hard to believe she’s got a crush on you.”

“Are you complimenting my looks?”

“Of course you latch onto that.”

“Hell fucking yeah, I am. For a while there, I was afraid you weren’t attracted to me.”