Sexy Jerk(23)

The doorknob is broken, and therefore the door could not be locked. I'd completely forgotten about that, but it's just Max, and I although I want to hurry to grab a towel, I'm afraid I'll slip and fall, so I step carefully, but swiftly. "That sounds like so much fun. I'll be down as soon as I get dressed," I tell him softly.

"Max," Nick yells coming to an instant stop in the doorway.

Now I'm like a deer in the headlights. I have no idea what to cover first. My breasts? My sex? Like one of those dumb movies, I place one arm across my small breasts, the other going down allowing my hand to shield my sex.

Nick's gaze simmers over me for the longest time, and then a smile curves his lips. "Ummm . . . sorry about this. I tried to stop him from coming up, but he was too excited about the campout. I had no idea you were bathing."

My eyes widen. I consider waving him away, but I'll expose myself even more if I use my hands. I consider yelling for him to go already, but that will scare Max. So I do neither. Instead I remain calm. I saw him naked. Now he saw me. No big deal. Right? "Yes, I thought I'd clean up before dinner. How about you two boys go downstairs and finish setting up?" I suggest.

Nick seems to be enjoying himself. Staring at me. At what he can see, which isn't much.

"Nick," I prod.

He scratches his messy hair, shifts his eyes back and forth, and then absently says, "Yeah, Max, come on buddy, Tess could use from privacy."

"Privacy?" Max asks, "What's that?"

Nick's gaze is practically sizzling now as his eyes travel over me. "Well, it's when someone, well . . ." As Nick struggles to try to explain the word to Max, he takes his hand and leads him away, leaving the door open behind him, and looking back one last time before disappearing out of the bedroom.

Temptation is clear in his gaze, as I'm sure it must be in mine. And just like that, my little pep talk seems irrelevant.

It's now very apparent-we are both in so much trouble.





Nick

ETHAN IS A cheap bastard.

It's true.

Fact in point, I have repeatedly offered to personally assist him with the renovations of his old house, and yet he keeps saying no. He says he has a budget. A plan. A schedule.

Did I mention a budget?

Since he hates to spend money, he hasn't been in a huge hurry to update or fix anything. And after more than three years, the majority of repairs are still left undone. Of course the one thing he did take care of is converting the old gas heater to a new electric one.

Go figure.

The power had been flickering on and off before going out completely thirty minutes ago, and leaving this old house with a brutal chill.

Thank fuck the wood-burning fireplace is roaring in front of the three of us, and keeping us warm. It's eight o'clock at night and Max is out cold.

When Max and I decided to have a campout, I had set up three piles of blankets and pillows in the shape of a triangle, so no one was stuck in the middle. Max's words, not mine. Anyway, it's a good thing I set up camp because it looks like until the power goes back on, we'll all be sleeping here on the living room floor.

Lying back on the pillow with my hands behind my head, I glance down to see Tess's messy bun moving on top of her head. The same way she was wearing her hair when I saw her naked mere hours ago. Something I wouldn't mind seeing again, sometime very soon by the way. "You awake?" I whisper.



       
         
       
        

She twists onto her side to look up at me. "I am."

My voice is low. "Listen. I want you to know I'm sorry about earlier. I honestly had no idea you were taking a bath."

The flush on her cheeks could be from the fire, but I highly doubt it. "It's not a big deal. I saw you naked, now you've seen me."

Trying not to remember how turned on I was by the sight of her and her beautiful backside that I know I shouldn't have been staring at in the mirror, I make light of her comment. "Yeah, I guess that makes us even."

She laughs that soft laugh that does something to my gut I can't explain. "Well, not quite."

Speechless, I give her a quizzical look wondering if she busted me for the sideways glances in the mirror when I thought I was being so sly.

"Don't you remember?" she asks, "You mooned me at Ethan and Fiona's barbeque last year."

Okay, time to fess up. "About that. I know you think I was mooning you because I heard you call me a jerk, but it honestly had nothing to do with you."

"Right," she scuffs.

"It wasn't you I was mooning. I swear."

Confusion clouds her features.

"It's true. You just happened to walk outside right after Jace dared me to flash your Andy."