Tricks (Take It Off #6)(11)
Author: Cambria Hebert

The almond shape of her eyes was rimmed with gold-colored lashes, long and sweeping, that turned up at the outside corners.

“Do you always greet Max like this when he comes home?” I asked, the words literally falling from my lips before I could even think about what I was saying.

A single drop of water dripped from the end of her cascading hair and splashed on my cheek, instantly rolling down the side of my jaw.

The action seemed to break whatever the hell was happening.

She wrinkled her brow and used her thumb to wipe away the rogue drop of water. “What did you say?” she asked, straightening up when the water was gone.

My eyes slipped down to her chest, where the white towel wrapped around her body was coming loose.

It wasn’t a very big towel.

I stared at her and the blood in my veins began to move faster, began to furiously make its way downward into the controlling force inside my jeans. Her hair was long and damp; it tangled around her face and strands clung to her shoulders like Velcro.

Damn, her skin was smooth. And wet. I watched with apt attention as another drop of water escaped the strands and slid downward, leaving a damp trail over the swell of her breast and disappearing beneath the white cloth.

“Max?” she asked, reminding me that she was waiting for an answer. Her voice was breathless and the raspiness of it brushed over my senses, setting my cock to throbbing.

My hands itched to slide up the inside of her thighs and tug away the towel so I could feast in all her naked glory. I cleared my throat. “I said I wasn’t expecting you to be home,” I finally answered, hoping to God that what I was saying was actually accurate.

I needed to get this woman off me. STAT. The only brain that was operating right now was the one in my pants. Usually, I liked it that way, but this wasn’t a good time.

This was my brother’s woman.

Shit.

“I have a business meeting over dinner and I wanted to change before I met the client.” she replied with a nod.

Wrapping my hands around her narrow waist, I lifted her up, off my lap, and set her aside. Her mouth formed a little O of surprise, and I wondered what the hell I was doing that was so O-worthy.

I smirked. It wasn’t the first time I’d seen that face. All chicks thought I was O-worthy at one time or another.

“You scared the crap out of me!” she said, a relived giggle in her tone.

“I didn’t mean to,” I said, getting up off the floor and turning toward the kitchen. When I went around the island, I discreetly shifted the stiff junk in my jeans and hoped it would go down before she noticed. Keeping my back turned, I went toward the fridge. I needed a beer.

There weren’t any.

Lamps and fridges without beer. Was this the fucking Twilight Zone?

I grabbed a bottled water (It was that or Snapple. What man actually drank Snapple?) and twisted the cap, shooting it into the sink like a basketball. I took a long drink and realized the silence in the room was a little intense.

I looked over, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. She had come closer. What the hell was her name again? She was only gripping the towel closed with one hand, and I thought about telling her to go get dressed. I mean, what the hell kind of woman just parades around wet and practically naked?

A woman who thinks she’s at home with her man.

Her eyes were wide as she took me in, and I realized that I was still wearing my clothes. Clothes I knew Max would likely not be caught dead in.

“Where did you get those clothes?” she asked, starting at my feet, taking in my ratty jeans, T-shirt, and black leather jacket.

Yep. She had to be a lawyer.

“I borrowed them from someone at work.”

Her light-colored eyebrow rose in defiance. “Someone at the office wears jeans and leather?”

I shrugged. It was the best I could do.

“Did you get your hair cut?” she asked, studying me anew.

I set the water on the counter and ran my palm over the top of my head. Of course my hair was shorter than Max’s. Mine had to be short because of the Corps. I was out now so I could let it grow, but it was a habit to keep it short.

“Yeah. I thought it would be easier, you know, with my schedule,” I said, hoping she believed me.

“It looks good on you.” She gave me a small smile. A gentle lift to her full, heart-shaped mouth. Thoroughly kissable lips.

Mentally, I gave myself a slap. Knock it off! This is your brother’s woman! the brain in my head screamed, thankfully taking over the situation.

“Thanks,” I rasped, giving all the attention to the icy-cold water bottle on the counter.

“Did you get any sleep last night at all?”

Where did she think I was all night? She didn’t seem worried, not at all. It kind of ticked me off. She should be worried, frantic even, that Max hadn’t come home last night. I mean, shit, it was late afternoon and she’d still heard nothing from him. Yet here she was, taking a shower and getting ready to go out to dinner. I snatched the water up and took a long sip, hoping to clamp down on my irritation. I knew for sure that Max wasn’t the kind to get irritated easily. I was the hothead, not him.

Behind me I heard her move into the kitchen, her bare feet barely making a sound against the tile. I turned as she reached out and took the bottle of water I had just been drinking out of. I watched her heart-shaped lips wrap around the bottle as she took a dainty sip.

Just when I thought I was gaining control of the situation, she went and used her lips. On my bottle. “I know sleeping in your office isn’t the most ideal place,” she replied.

So she thought I spent the night at work. She wasn’t surprised either. Was this a normal thing?

I nodded. “I got a couple hours. Then I spilled coffee all over my suit and had to borrow a change of clothes.”

“Do you have to go back in?” She shifted and some light floral scent wafted toward me. She smelled good. Fresh and… calm.

I never knew a person could smell calm. She had this quietness about her; not quiet in a literal sense, but in figurative way. In a stable way. Like if she were an electrical panel, she would be the grounding wire. She would be the wire that would keep the other wires around her from electrocuting everyone they came into contact with.

The irritation I was feeling moments before ebbed away and I was left feeling composed. “No, I’m not going back to work tonight.” I ignored the fact my voice dropped an octave.

Her impossibly wide eyes widened even more. Was she that surprised I wasn’t planning on rushing back to work? Had I already done the wrong thing?