sordid idea back into bad idea territory. And there was no way out. Except…she wasn’t sure what had prompted her little confession about her ex, but if things between her and Sawyer did reach that inevitable end, at least she could ask him for tips. Not. Awkward. At. All. But something, at least.
Something like a mood killer. Which made it a better idea by the minute.
Sawyer pushed a hand through his hair, wrecking it to perfection, and smiled down at her. “Hungry?”
Despite what that smile did to her, she was glad to see it again. The immediate aftermath of their encounter had left him brooding, but he’d clearly worked out whatever was bothering him on the rock wall. He’d scaled the rocks to the ceiling, freestyle, while the guy he’d left to spot her glared and muttered something about not using a rope and breaking the rules and breaking his neck. She got the part where he was a stubborn ass, but that didn’t stop her awe. She now knew firsthand how much agility and muscle mass was required to climb those walls, and the idea of those arms around her made her ache now more than ever.
By the time he made it back down, jumping the last few feet, he wore the cocky smirk that made her feel all was right with the world.
Even when it wasn’t.
Nevertheless, Sawyer hadn’t quit grinning at her since they’d left the gym. He looked relaxed and happy, and the ease with which he’d traversed those crags had upped his hotness factor from a perfect ten to surface of the sun. She was past the point of regret for toying with him. She’d hoped it would ease the tension between them, but instead it had multiplied. Tenfold. But sex with him couldn’t happen—and not just because she didn’t want to be the latest notch on his headboard, but because there’s no way she’d ever forget it.
Hungry. Sure she was. But for once, he was talking about food, and it was she who had her mind in the gutter.
“Grimaldi’s?” she asked.
“You’re speaking my language, babe.” They grabbed a cab for the short ride, then joined the long line that was a fixture outside the pizza joint. Fortunately the place was used to the traffic, and they were inside in minutes, but the wait had given her plenty of time to study him. After he’d left the employee lounge to buy a clean shirt, he hadn’t mentioned what happened between them. He hadn’t even alluded to it, which made her think, despite the smiles she credited to his happy ending, he wasn’t the least bit affected by it. At least not on an emotional level. It was a harsh reminder to keep things platonic, but the logic of it didn’t exactly take away the temptation. She’d bet he was amazing in bed. Too bad the thing had a revolving turnstile at its foot.
After sharing a pepperoni pizza with him, she wasn’t ready for the afternoon to be over. But she didn’t know what to say. Would a part two to the day make it date four? Or had that happened with the pizza? Although, he hadn’t given her any of his tips, so she could argue that point, but why would she? She just wanted this thing with him over with…preferably with a date on the other end. She had to give him credit—she had definitely spoken to more men since her agreement with Sawyer than she had in the months since her ex dumped her. But if he kept swooping in and declaring every single one unfit… Well, wait. He’d declared the guy at the gym nice. And then she had ditched the literal Mr. Nice Guy to give a hand job to Mr. Disaster Waiting to Happen. Apparently she was a glutton for punishment.
But at least she owned it.
“Want to walk the bridge?” she asked. The Brooklyn Bridge had a great walking trail, and the views were fantastic.
But Sawyer turned white. And then she vaguely remembered he’d done the same thing when she’d told him about her sister’s wedding, which had nothing to do with bridges.
Before he responded, she asked, “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” he said, albeit a bit unsteadily, “but I’m not walking across the bridge.”
At first she thought he was joking, but there was no trace of humor in his expression. “You can’t be afraid of heights. We just left a rock climbing gym, where you broke half the posted rules by