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“You are helping,” I admit. “You create here, and I’ll create there.”
Her lips part slightly.
“I fucked up those ornaments when I ran into you.” I pat my chest. “My ego apologizes for being a raging asshole that night.”
She laughs. “You admit it was your fault?”
“No.” I laugh too. “I admit that I wasn’t a nice guy after it happened. I trust this shows how much I regret that.”
“It does.”
I’m grateful for that. It’s important to me that she knows that if I could change the way I acted that night, I would.
“So, I’ll work on the ornaments while you work on the sculpture?”
“Unless you want to pack it all up and take it home.” I raise a brow. “I can’t promise that you won’t run into another guy who isn’t paying attention to where he’s walking.”
“Are you admitting that…”
I stop her on the second try to get me to admit. “I’m admitting that I’d like you to stay, but the decision is on you.”
She runs the tip of her tongue over her bottom lip.
My cock thanks her by rising to attention.
“I think I’ll stay.” She jerks her thumb over her shoulder. “The lights you set up are better than what I have to work with at Dexie’s place.”
We both know that’s not the reason she’s staying, but I’ll take it.
All I want is more time with her.Chapter 16RaelynPainting ornaments, while a shirtless Calder Frost is behind you, is not easy.
An hour into his work, Calder yanked the sweater he was wearing over his head, complaining that he was too hot.
He has no idea how hot he is.
It’s been two hours since his sweater was dropped on the floor, and I’ve spent at least half of that time stealing glimpses of his body.
I’ve seen attractive men shirtless before, but Calder takes it to another level.
“Do you need anything, Raelyn?”
His voice surges through me, sending goose bumps pebbling up my arms.
I stand and face him.
I should have remained sitting because this is almost too much.
His hands are on his hips. His hair is even messier than earlier, and sweat is beading on his forehead and muscular chest.
I have to be dreaming this.
A small voice somewhere deep inside of me wants me to blurt out the word, you, but I can’t.
“Water?” I mumble.
He rakes his hand through his hair. I stare in awe at his bulging bicep.
“Water it is.” He nods before he starts on a sprint toward the staircase.
All I need to do is follow him. I could drop my sweater, my T-shirt, and my jeans on the way so that the only thing between us would be his jeans and my bra and panties.
I’ve never done anything like that, but I’ve never met a man like him.
This palpable desire I feel for him is overwhelming and unrelenting.
I hear him coming back down the stairs before I see him.
He stalks across his studio with an open bottle of water. When he reaches my workstation, he shoves it into my hand. “For you.”
I take a swallow and then another, but it does nothing to take an edge off the heat.
“It’s hot as hell in here, isn’t it?” He skims his palm over his toned stomach.
“I’d be nude if you weren’t here.”
I choke on the mouthful of water I’m trying to swallow.
“Are you all right?” He asks with a grin. “Did I say something wrong?”
“You work in the nude?”
His hand drops to cover the front of his jeans. “Not when I’m welding.”
My gaze follows the path of his hand. When he moves it, I can see the outline of his erection through the denim.
“Are you welding now?” I ask without thinking.
He chuckles. “Is that a request for me to drop my pants?”
I shake my head. “No. Oh, no. I didn’t mean that.”
“Or you did.” His fingers find the buckle of his jeans. He unfastens it.
“You’re not going to get naked right now, are you?”
I hear the hint of excitement mixed in with apprehension in my tone. He must hear it too, because he smirks. “Not unless you are.”
I take another drink from the water bottle. This is way too intense. I need to lighten the mood now. “We haven’t even kissed yet.”
Why the hell did I say that?
His gaze drops to my lips. “Kiss me.”
I take a step back. My ass hits the side of the workstation and the lone ornament I painted rolls off the edge, shattering on the concrete floor.
“Fuck me,” I mutter under my breath.
“That would be my pleasure,” he quips.
“I worked hard on that.” I point at the broken glass. “I can’t believe I broke it.”
He looks down at the floor. “It was beautiful, Raelyn. You’re very talented.”
That surprises me enough that I look up and into his face.
“I mean it.” He exhales. “From what I saw, you’re gifted.”
“You’re just saying that,” I accuse. “You didn’t even get a good look at it.”
