Work In Progress (Red Lipstick Coalition #3) - Staci Hart Page 0,106
pumping slower, slower still.
Our breaths mingled, his lips so close to mine that I could feel them, feel the tingle of anticipation just before they met. He kissed me with a depth that went beyond the reach of his tongue. He kissed me with more love and adoration than I’d thought could be relayed in a press of lips.
And I did my best to return every feeling.
Chemosignals Are Sexy
Tommy
That vein in my forehead pulsed with every curl of the weights, my breath hissing as Mos Def rapped on about smashing Ms. Fat Booty’s ass like an Idaho potato.
Theo watched on while I finished my reps, his arms folded, biceps fanned out. The suits he preferred masked some of his bulk. You’d never know he was so cut. Broad and big, sure. But Theo was more obsessed than I was, and his body showed it. Dude had like six percent body fat. I could see the ripples in his shoulders through his T-shirt. It was sick, really.
Truth was, Teddy never did anything halfway. He went all the way and made sure he was the best. I didn’t even fight it. To be honest, the competition in the gym pushed me harder than I would have gone on my own.
I finished my reps and racked the weights, trading places with my brother.
“I can’t believe you’re dragging me to a jazz club tonight,” he said as he picked up the weights, spending a second getting his posture just right before starting his set.
“Oh, come on. When’d you get to be such a killjoy?”
He side-eyed me rather than answer.
“Right. Always.” I undid my hair and twisted it into a fresh knot. “Everyone will have a date but Katherine, so thanks for showing up. Plus, it’ll be fun. A live band and swing dancing? Nobody can be unamused at a place like that, even a humorless suit like you.”
He gave me a look in the mirror that said, It’s like you don’t even know me.
I huffed a laugh. “Honestly, it’ll be nice to go out with Melia without the dog and pony show for once. Dance with her, get all dressed up.”
He grunted, and I didn’t know if it was some sort of a response or from the effort. Two curls ended his reps, and he set the bar back on the rack with a clink.
“You guys have gotten serious pretty fast.”
I frowned at his tone. “Well, we are married.”
He rolled his eyes, but one corner of his mouth lifted. “I wasn’t judging. Just noting.”
I relaxed as we switched places again. “I can’t help it. She’s…she’s a wish I didn’t know I had. I didn’t know what I’d been missing.”
“I don’t think you woulda found it with anyone but her. She’s the last person I would have chosen for you, but she’s the closest thing to perfect that I’ve ever seen. I’ve never witnessed anything like it, Tommy. The two of you float a little higher than the rest of us mortals.”
“It feels like that,” I admitted. “Like my entire universe has shrunk to her and me. I can’t stand to do anything without her. Even this sucks.” I picked up the bar, shooting my brother a smirk.
“Yeah, I miss you too, asshole.”
I shut up for a second as Nas told us to get up off our asses like our seats were hot.
“I’m not surprised, not after seeing you two get together. I’m more surprised it took you so long.”
My jaw clenched, muscles burning as I pounded out the rest of my reps, thinking about her, about how the last few weeks had changed everything. My life had been rearranged, and all the pieces had come back together with Amelia in the middle.
I racked the weights, huffing. “Took her longer than me.”
“Can you blame her? You’re a fucking mess.”
“Nah, I couldn’t blame her at all. Even now, I’m not sure what she’s doing with me.”
Theo laughed. “Me neither.”
I sneered at him comically and chucked him in the shoulder harder than was necessary. “Ha-ha.”
He took the hit without losing his smile. “Don’t be modest, Tommy. It doesn’t suit you.”
“I mean it. I don’t deserve someone so good, so kind. I don’t deserve her. I don’t deserve to be the one to corrupt something that innocent.”
“Corruption implies you’re tarnishing her, debasing her. You’re not. You care too much about her to treat her with anything but reverence and respect.” He picked up the weights, looking back to his reflection.