Read Online Enticing Interlude (Tempest #2) by Michelle Mankin - Free Book Online
Authors: Michelle Mankin
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didn’t call him on it. “And Carter and I deserve a chance to celebrate. A first dive is a big deal. We need to commemorate the occasion with pepperoni.” He raised an auburn brow. “And we need to figure out a good time for me to give Carter those guitar lessons I promised.”
Dammit, I’d forgotten about that. “Ok,” I gave in, muscles tensing into anxious knots as we each took a seat on either side of Justin. Carter immediately pulled a slice of pizza from the box, and Justin handed him a soda after getting a nod of approval from me.
“Relax,” he whispered near my ear like he’d done in the pool earlier. I shivered just the same only this time I didn’t have the water to cover up my response. “What’s the harm in the three of us getting to know each other a little better?”
If that was all this was maybe it would be ok. But the way he watched me with those devilishly lashed emerald eyes said something different. I was afraid it would be too easy to fall prey to him. He had a depth that I’d missed during our first couple of encounters, and it was those glimpses of compassion that I definitely found myself responding to. I’d already given him more personal details than I usually shared with anyone.
He drew out a slice and handed it to me, waiting until I put a bite in my mouth. My eyelids fluttered closed as I chewed. It was delicious. Heavy on the sauce, light on the cheese, thin crust, just the way I liked it. I hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast this morning. I stifled a moan.
When I opened my eyes, Justin was staring even more intently. “You’re beautiful.” His gaze moved over my body, and it was hard not to reach up and pull the robe more tightly closed. “I can’t for the life of me figure out why you hide that gorgeous figure of yours beneath all that loose clothing.” He was very observant, dangerously so.
I started to tell him that what I wore was none of his business, first glancing at Carter to see if he had heard. He hadn’t luckily. He was humming contentedly as he often did whenever he really liked what he was eating.
Somehow I found myself telling him the truth instead. “I don’t want the type of attention tighter clothing might attract.”
He continued to stare at me. It was unnerving. “That been working out for you?”
I nodded.
“Then the guys in Florida must be idiots.”
I smiled. I couldn’t help it. He looked so serious, and he was so very handsome. The attention from him was flattering. “Thank you for saying that.”
“It’s the truth.”
“Hey, Justin.”
“What, buddy?”
“I want a nickname,” Carter informed him. “Miss Lace calls you JJ. You call her Double L. Bryan’s Bullet, and Lace calls Mom Gigi.”
“She does?”
I nodded, pinned in place by those emerald eyes that I’d probably dream about tonight.
His head tilted to the side, studying my face. “It suits you.” Carter pulled on his arm and he shifted his attention to my son, giving me my first real extended opportunity to check him out. And Justin Jones in black and white Volcom board shorts hanging low on his hips was worth the time to check out. He was as lean and toned as I’d imagined. I tracked a droplet of water as it slid down from the hollow of his masculine throat to the center of his wide chest and then it went lower, up and over the ridges of definition on his abdomen. I stared mesmerized at that single droplet until it disappeared inside his waistband.
When I lifted my head, I found him watching me. I froze, finding it difficult to swallow with his heated eyes blazing into mine. I dropped my gaze, again, meticulously arranging discarded crusts in the pizza box.
“Nicknames are tricky,” Justin said. I looked up, relieved to see he’d turned his attention back to Carter. He tapped his sexy lips, the bottom fuller than the top, as if considering. “I’ll need some time to choose just the right one for you.”
“Ok.” Carter nodded and stuffed
Dammit, I’d forgotten about that. “Ok,” I gave in, muscles tensing into anxious knots as we each took a seat on either side of Justin. Carter immediately pulled a slice of pizza from the box, and Justin handed him a soda after getting a nod of approval from me.
“Relax,” he whispered near my ear like he’d done in the pool earlier. I shivered just the same only this time I didn’t have the water to cover up my response. “What’s the harm in the three of us getting to know each other a little better?”
If that was all this was maybe it would be ok. But the way he watched me with those devilishly lashed emerald eyes said something different. I was afraid it would be too easy to fall prey to him. He had a depth that I’d missed during our first couple of encounters, and it was those glimpses of compassion that I definitely found myself responding to. I’d already given him more personal details than I usually shared with anyone.
He drew out a slice and handed it to me, waiting until I put a bite in my mouth. My eyelids fluttered closed as I chewed. It was delicious. Heavy on the sauce, light on the cheese, thin crust, just the way I liked it. I hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast this morning. I stifled a moan.
When I opened my eyes, Justin was staring even more intently. “You’re beautiful.” His gaze moved over my body, and it was hard not to reach up and pull the robe more tightly closed. “I can’t for the life of me figure out why you hide that gorgeous figure of yours beneath all that loose clothing.” He was very observant, dangerously so.
I started to tell him that what I wore was none of his business, first glancing at Carter to see if he had heard. He hadn’t luckily. He was humming contentedly as he often did whenever he really liked what he was eating.
Somehow I found myself telling him the truth instead. “I don’t want the type of attention tighter clothing might attract.”
He continued to stare at me. It was unnerving. “That been working out for you?”
I nodded.
“Then the guys in Florida must be idiots.”
I smiled. I couldn’t help it. He looked so serious, and he was so very handsome. The attention from him was flattering. “Thank you for saying that.”
“It’s the truth.”
“Hey, Justin.”
“What, buddy?”
“I want a nickname,” Carter informed him. “Miss Lace calls you JJ. You call her Double L. Bryan’s Bullet, and Lace calls Mom Gigi.”
“She does?”
I nodded, pinned in place by those emerald eyes that I’d probably dream about tonight.
His head tilted to the side, studying my face. “It suits you.” Carter pulled on his arm and he shifted his attention to my son, giving me my first real extended opportunity to check him out. And Justin Jones in black and white Volcom board shorts hanging low on his hips was worth the time to check out. He was as lean and toned as I’d imagined. I tracked a droplet of water as it slid down from the hollow of his masculine throat to the center of his wide chest and then it went lower, up and over the ridges of definition on his abdomen. I stared mesmerized at that single droplet until it disappeared inside his waistband.
When I lifted my head, I found him watching me. I froze, finding it difficult to swallow with his heated eyes blazing into mine. I dropped my gaze, again, meticulously arranging discarded crusts in the pizza box.
“Nicknames are tricky,” Justin said. I looked up, relieved to see he’d turned his attention back to Carter. He tapped his sexy lips, the bottom fuller than the top, as if considering. “I’ll need some time to choose just the right one for you.”
“Ok.” Carter nodded and stuffed
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