Voyeur - Lacey Alexander [58]
Laura pulled in her breath, weighing the invitation. Part of her was thrilled, and dying to accept. She hadn’t skied in ages and knew she’d enjoy spending a snowy day with Braden, even if he had to give her a refresher course on the finer points of the sport.
“Fresh powder coming down,” he said, motioning toward the window in an attempt to sway her.
And she was just about to say yes—when she stopped herself. “I can’t, Braden.”
He looked sincerely disappointed. “Really?”
“I’ve backed myself into a corner with this book,” she explained. Which was the truth. “I have a looming deadline, and if I stay on my current pace, I might be able to keep paying my rent. But if I stop writing now, even for a day, there’s a chance I’ll lose my rhythm—I’ll get too far away from the story and won’t be able to get back into it with the same speed.” She pressed her palms to his sexy, muscular chest. “I would love to ski with you, but I really can’t. Forgive me?”
She couldn’t quite read his eyes when he stayed silent for a minute, but he finally said, “Make it up to me later?”
“Any way you want.” She dropped her hands to his ass and squeezed.
Of course, she’d left out all the other practical reasons she was turning him down. Besides having a book to write and bills to pay, she also had a heart to protect. This was all about sex, her and him, and if she let it become about anything more, she feared she’d start getting too attached to him. Hell, maybe she already was—she doubted she could share such intense intimacy and not feel a sense of loss when it ended.
But she could at least try to keep from making it worse. She’d gotten her wish of getting to know him a little last night, and it was just enough to worry her, to make her feel that pang of warmth in her heart that went beyond the connection of their bodies. Just seeing his smile now affected her a bit deeper. And Lord, how she’d let go of her inhibitions last night in a way she never had before! All because of him, because he’d willed it, wanted it.
So turning down a day of fun in the snow with him was torturous—but wise.
“Guess I’ll have to fall back on Tommy again. I’ll let you get back to work, and I’ll be out of your hair soon, snowflake.” He said it all very dramatically, as if he were greatly put upon, and she tossed him a playful smirk just before he disappeared back up the stairs.
Twenty minutes later, as Riley was making up lies to Sloane about why she’d denied their involvement even when his aunt had figured it out, Braden came trotting back down, looking rugged and hot in blue jeans and a gray cable-knit sweater with the sleeves pushed up. “I’m gonna hang at Tom’s for awhile, then head down the mountain to pick up a few more groceries. Any special requests?”
“Just a kiss good-bye.” She wanted to smack herself as soon as the words left her—it sounded romantic, like something a girlfriend would say.
She relaxed, though, when he strode easily to the desk and bent to give her a soft, sweet kiss that curled her toes.
“So, your friend,” she said, “what does he do that he can just ski or hang out whenever he feels like it?”
“He designs computer games. Sets his own schedule. Which reminds me,” he added with a tilt of his handsome head, “would you mind if I invited Tommy to dinner tonight?”
Laura hoped the surprise didn’t show on her face. She couldn’t help suffering some disappointment that he’d want dinner with a friend to interrupt their hot and heavy sex, since—as last night had proven—even dinner could be foreplay. But she said, “Sure, that’s fine.”
“Tommy didn’t seem quite himself yesterday. Apparently he had an ugly breakup last fall and hasn’t really recovered. I figure maybe he could use the company, a change in routine or something.”
“Oh.” Guilt for her selfishness instantly reamed her. “Well, yes, definitely invite him.” She supposed, now that it was sinking in a little, she was also touched that Braden would allow her into his personal life this way, since having his friend over to dinner with them made her feel almost relevant in his life,