he did—more to protect than he did.
Erika had already spent most of her adult life keeping Scott sheltered from the harsh realities that existed. She didn’t need to start adding to his worries.
She turned on the shower and waited for the room to steam up before she even hopped in. No wonder she always stayed in the buddy zone with men. It was exhausting taking that next step.
But it had felt so right last night.
Erika lathered up a washcloth and slid it along her body. She was rinsing off the suds when Slade entered the bathroom. He had a sheet wrapped around his waist, and his bare chest made her mind go right back to last night as she rested on top of him, feeling the beating of his heart.
“I can’t let you be in here all alone.” He walked over to the shower as she peered through the glass at him.
“I’m okay,” Erika lied. This was yet another reason being one of the guys was so much easier. She wasn’t a very good liar. Simple interactions always led to truthful ones.
“I know last night kind of changes the trajectory of our relationship.” Slade rested his forehead against the glass, and Erika smiled.
“It doesn’t have to.”
“But I want it to.” His eyes ran up and down her naked body. “I don’t want to go back to how things were. We’d be missing out on a lot.”
She laughed and tilted her head back as the water rinsed the conditioner out of her hair.
Erika wished it would be that easy, but logistics would have to play a part.
Sure, she could fly out there now and again, but how sustainable was that?
“Can you get out of your head or at least let me in it?” Slade asked.
Erika turned off the water and nodded as she dried off her body.
“I’ve always managed to maintain friendships, and friendships only, with any male I’ve met.” She wrapped her hair in the towel and walked out of the shower.
Slade’s eyes darkened as his gaze ran along her naked body, and she couldn’t help but feel empowered. She had something that Slade Tenison wanted.
She smiled to herself and walked by him on her way to dress.
He followed her into the other room. “You’re saying I’m irresistible.”
“I’m saying that I shouldn’t have let myself succumb. I never have before.” She pulled on a pink sweatshirt.
Slade smiled as he walked toward her. She quickly worked up a pair of panties and jeans.
She shook her head. “I don’t think this is a good idea.”
He closed his arms around her waist and slowly brought her in. “You’re telling me that you are attracted to me, and yet you don’t think we should continue?”
She nodded. “The friendship we share is too important.”
“Then maybe that’s how incredible romantic relationships start.” He smiled. “We’ve both been attracted to each other since we met.”
Her brows rose. “We have?”
She certainly wasn’t going to reveal that she’d been salivating over him from the moment she saw him walk into the bar with his shades pulled down.
“I know I have,” he confessed.
He bit his bottom lip, and all she wanted to do was kiss him again.
She let out a little groan of confusion as her hands rested on his chest. “You’re incredible. We can share anything in the world with each other, and there’s no judgment.” Erika laughed and added. “Well, very little judgment.”
“You’re saying you’ve judged me?” Slade let out a low laugh, and she soaked up the sound.
“A little. I mean, the Penny thing seemed odd, and I know your type—”
“My type?” he asked.
“You know, the jock thing.”
Slade laughed. “It has been so long since I’ve been in high school. I’d like to think my interests back then are not going to haunt me for the rest of my life.”
He gave her a squeeze, and she let out a sigh.
“I’m just confused.” Erika took a step back. “You live in Colorado, and I live in a small mountain town in Washington. That right there should be the only red flag we need.”
“Red flags are only excuses,” Slade said matter-of-factly.
“Excuses?” she asked.
“Yeah. If you’re busy being scared of anything that could have a little turbulence in the trajectory, you don’t ever have to grow. You can just wall your world off from experiences of many kinds because there are always red flags.”
“I’m not worried about growing.” Erika shook her head. “I’m worried about regret. The only reason I don’t have regret over Scott’s dad is because I have