Hard Checked (Ice Kings #4) - Stacey Lynn Page 0,56

all out the window?”

The room where I’d barely been able to see anything before is now almost spotless.

“You’re going to have to stop giving me so much shit for my housecleaning habits. I’ll find your weakness and won’t let up either.”

She pokes me in the chest, but I’m faster. I grab her finger and kiss the tip. “Deal. But seriously?”

“I do have dressers and a laundry basket. Most of it was dirty. Get in bed. I’ll be right there.”

“Yes, ma’am.” No better words have been spoken to me in a long time.

Chapter Nineteen

Gigi

I am about to climb into bed with Sebastian Hendrix.

I’m still spinning from this wild and crazy turn of events, but dang… what a great life I’m currently leading.

In the bathroom, I make quick work of scrubbing off my makeup and moisturizing. I brush my teeth and forego flossing even though I’m pretty obsessive about clean teeth, odd considering I’m not obsessive about anything non-teeth related.

Although, I can always buy more clothes. My teeth are the only ones I have. Grinning like a maniac into the mirror, I make sure my teeth are pearly white clean.

There’s a high possibility I’m about to turn out of my bathroom, catch sight of Sebastian in my bed, and then collapse onto the floor in the blink of an eye.

He’s staying. And he’s thought of me.

And he kissed me! Kisses that are absolutely delicious, make my body sing like I was at the Opera.

Oh dear. If I don’t get out of the bathroom now, he’s either going to come see if I passed out from sleep or worse, he might already be asleep.

I throw open the door so quick I have to jump back before it scrapes over my toes. It slams against the wall and I throw out my hand so it doesn’t bounce back and smack me in the face.

“Everything okay?”

“Yup.”

Not a freaking chance. Sebastian took to heart me telling him to climb into my bed.

Oh dear sweet baby Jesus in a manger, he’s here. Sprawled out on top of the covers with nothing but a pair of skintight and short boxer briefs in sight except for the muscles. A beautiful light fan of hair over his pecs that thins to one trail down his belly and beyond. His arms are thrown behind his head giving me the best display possible of his arms and that beard of his. His whole face turned in my direction, one brow arched while I stand in my doorway like a freaking fool, totally checking him out.

“Nervous?”

“Nope.” Hell yes. He’s too much. Too kind. Too hot. Too sweet. Too grouchy.

His lips lift, top one disappears beneath his mustache and his teeth are just as white as mine. I’d happily bet some serious money some are fake, but they’re still pretty.

“Georgia.”

Him using my real name snaps me out of my lustful viewing and I glare at him. “Gigi. I’m coming, you just surprised me. I wasn’t expecting to see… so much of you.” I throw out my arm to gesture all that’s him and earn a deep, throaty chuckle in response.

It makes my knees wobble. To prevent having my fear come true and collapsing to the floor, I hurry to the bed, lift the sheets and dive under them. Like a complete idiot, I tuck them close to my sides and flap down my arms.

“Nothing’s going to happen tonight,” Sebastian says, and I can feel him moving on the bed and hear him getting closer.

I blink and then he’s there, looming over me, propped up on one arm, his palm to his cheek, and that beard is so close.

I want to tug on it. Bring him closer. Throw inhibitions out the window.

It’s not so easy. Over the last couple of months, Sebastian has become a good friend to me.

“Why not?”

He glances down at my mouth, smile turning up the edges of his lips. His free hand slides over my arm that’s plastered to my bed like I’ve been poured in quick-set cement.

“Because you’re lying here like you’ve been frozen and I told you, I want us well-rested. You seem nervous and I am too.”

“You… you… you’re nervous?”

He chuckles and leans down and that brush of his beard over my cheek does crazy things to the synapses in my brain. Pretty sure if I had an MRI I’d be lit up like a Christmas Tree extravaganza.

“Gigi. I started dating Madison when we were fifteen. She’s the only woman I’ve ever been with and you might not