Crush - Kelsie Rae Page 0,58
perfect line, but my stomach bumps into the counter, making me oomph in protest.
Damn giant belly.
I try again and stand on my tiptoes.
Success!
Through the reflection, I catch Ben leaning against the bathroom doorjamb with the softest of smiles painted on his handsome face. I fell asleep in his arms last night. No sex. Just snuggles. It felt nice to be appreciated without putting out first. It felt nice to be appreciated—period. It’s moments like those that really do me in. The ones that don’t feel forced. The ones that feel as natural as breathing.
They give me hope that I’m not the only one falling.
Please don’t let me be the only one.
Pausing my application, I glance over my shoulder at him while praying he can’t read my mind. “Hi.”
“Hi.”
“Can I help you?” I tease.
“Nah. Just enjoying the view. You look beautiful this morning.”
“You don’t look too shabby yourself.” The guy still lacks a shirt, but I’m definitely not complaining. And with gray sweat pants hanging low on his hips? Pretty sure I could die right here a happy girl.
“Seems like you’re enjoying the view too,” he notes with a devilish smirk. “You brought your camera, right?”
I scoff. “Sweet, naive Ben. Do you know me at all?”
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
“And you’d be correct. But are we talking about using my camera for today's activities, or are you offering to model for me right here and right now? Because I’m pretty sure I could sell photos of you without your shirt on and make a million bucks.”
“A million bucks? Would we be splitting this fifty-fifty or…?”
“Seventy-thirty, obviously. I mean, I’m the one doing all the legwork. You just get to sit there and look pretty.”
Chuckling, he moves behind me and wraps his strong arms around my chest, pulling me against him until my back is pressed to his front. The mirror frames us perfectly and fans the flames licking at my skin.
Is it hot in here?
His lips brush against my cheek as I stare at the handsome man behind me. He closes his eyes and smiles.
“I think you’re the pretty one, but deal. Seventy-thirty it is. On one condition.”
“And what’s that?”
“You asked if I know you at all, and I think that I know you quite well.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah, which is why I planned the entire day to cater to you.”
My eyes narrow in suspicion. “Is that right?”
“Damn straight.”
“Is this a trick?”
He laughs. “No trick. Just a chance to prove that I see the real you. So I’m going to ask you this one more time. Did you bring your camera?”
“And I’m going to answer with the same six words. Do you know me at all?”
Pressing his lips against my cheek a second time, he smiles against me. “Damn straight. Now finish getting ready. We got shit to do.”
He smacks my butt for good measure then drops his gray sweatpants to the floor to give me a mouthwatering view before hopping in the shower. I freeze while carving the image into my memory like Moses chiseled the Ten Commandments into rock. Because a naked Ben deserves to be worshipped.
“I said, hurry up,” he bosses me through the shower curtain. I can hear the smile in his voice. He acts like he didn’t just give me an up-close and personal shot of his package before ripping it away like a heartless bastard.
“Who says I’m not hurrying?” I challenge.
“You haven’t moved a muscle since I just gave you a little sneak peek of my junk.”
I snort. “Cocky much?”
“You tell me. Did I look very cock-y to you?”
Rolling my eyes, I try to contain my grin, but it’s no use. “I’m going to go get dressed.”
“You sure you don’t want to watch me rub soap all over my body? Give you a longer show?” he calls out as I walk out of the bathroom. By some miracle, I maintain a small semblance of self-control and keep moving forward even though a little voice inside of me is begging me to turn around and finally give in to the sexual tension we’ve both been drowning in.
And if I weren’t a coward, I would.
“So, did I win, or did I win?” Ben asks as we sit on the top of a mountain peak.
Snapping another picture of the bright red and gold leaves surrounding us, I answer, “You definitely won. Where did you even come up with this idea?”
“Well, call it a hunch, but I had a feeling you were into hiking. You’re pregnant, though, which means you