Page 184 of The Best Shot

Hale pressed his mouth to the side of my throat and left it there, breathing.

“Hi,” I said.

“Hey,” he said against my skin.

“You never answered me,” I said.

“Mm.”

“Earlier. What you get out of it.” The drop cloth was rough under my shoulders and I did not care even slightly. “You gave me a line and I let you have it because I was ahead.”

“You were not ahead.”

“You were on the defensive.”

He rolled onto his back and took me with him, and I ended up against his chest listening to his heartbeat. Above us the molding hung off the ceiling at an angle, still half attached, exactly where I’d left it.

“So?” I poked a finger in his side.

“I gave you the answer. You decided it was a line.”

I lifted my head off his chest. “Making me feel good.”

“Mm.”

“Hale.”

“I like it because you like it.” His voice had gone lazy, but the answer came without hesitation.

I squinted at him. “Fine, don’t tell me.”

I started to push up, but his hand curled around me and tugged me back.

“I did.” He stroked the side of my neck, tipping my head back until I met his eyes. “You want it plainer?”

“Yes, please.”

“You get loud. You stop thinking. You get wet and you stay wet, and you say things you’d call me a liar for repeating later.” He shrugged underneath me. “I like you like that. I like being why.”

I blinked at him.

“Really?”

“Really.”

“That’s it?”

“Never done any of it with anybody else, if that’s worth something to you.” He said it without ceremony. “Didn’t come up before. Came up with you.”

A silly smile stretched my mouth before I could stop it.

His hand settled on my ass. “Like that, huh?”

“I do,” I said, and put my head back down on his chest.

His mouth moved against my hair. “I’m a simple guy, darlin’.”

“Apparently.” I snuggled in closer. “The molding’s still coming down.”