Work For It

by Ashley Bostock

  She was tiny. She was gorgeous.

  He would like to see how she felt in his arms.

  Why was he even thinking about that? One, he was pretty fucking sure she wasn’t even thinking about that. Two, flirting with her or doing that thing he’d skimmed from her book, would complicate their two weeks together.

  What if it didn’t work and it created that much more animosity between them?

  The devil in him touted though, what if it did? Two weeks to enjoy one another in the peace and quiet of this mountain town – away from social media. Away from his job. She wouldn’t have to know he was Dylan Truex the fitness celebrity.

  She turned her head toward him, and he didn’t have the decency to pretend he wasn’t already watching her, but she didn’t seem to notice as she was too preoccupied with her own thoughts. “I’m not a writer. This is the first thing I’ve written. I had a different job in my old life.”

  “Which was?”

  “Nothing important.” She sighed.

  Suddenly the two of them were shrouded into darkness. The lights above their heads shut down completely. The fridge beeped, signaling its loss of electricity. The furnace’s fan whirred as it came to a stop. It was just the two of them left in the gray light from what was coming through from the windows and the orange from the fireplace as it crackled.

  “Great. Just one more thing to deal with.” Lina stood from the floor, and Dylan moved to the window.

  “It should come back on soon. They probably have generators or something. Estes has got to be used to storms of this caliber. It’s a mountain town.”

  “But now what are we going to do? Sit in the dark? I can’t drain my computer battery. What if it doesn’t come back on for a few days?” Lina protruded her bottom lip.

  Dylan glanced around the condo, noticing the hallway closet, he walked over and pulled it open. Yes. Board games. He pulled Monopoly off the shelf, scanning the rest of the games as he did. All the greats—Scrabble, Sorry, Twister, Connect Four—and then more adult-like games he’d never heard of—Dirty Deeds, Sex Dice and Let’s Play Doctor. That would be interesting for a couple’s honeymoon or something. He glanced over at Lina, who was watching him, and his dick stirred. Huh.

  He shut the door before his mind could go any further with that thought.

  “Monopoly.” Dylan raised the game in his hands. “You down for that? There’s enough light for now with the big windows.”

  Lina smiled. “Oh, you’re ready to be beat by the master? Yes, bring it on.”

  “On second thought, let’s play in front of the fire. If no electricity comes on for a while, at least it’ll keep us warm.”

  Dylan unpacked all the contents from the box, and they began to play. She was true to her word that she was good at Monopoly. He wouldn’t call her a master—at least not yet—because right now, she was about to Go To Jail.

  “Ha ha. Jail for you, baby.” Dylan rubbed his hands together. He stretched his arms above his head, dying from heat. Acknowledging for about the fifth time that maybe playing in front of the fireplace wasn’t such a great idea. He whipped his shirt off over his head in a swift movement, looking for relief.

  “Damn. Much better,” he said just as he met Lina’s gaze.

  Were her eyes twinkling or was that from the fire? It was hard to tell because he could actually see the flames from the fire reflecting in her blue eyes. “Um, is that necessary?” she asked. She got this look about her when she was turned on or at least thinking of him in that way. It was like she was fighting a smile and didn’t want him to see her attraction. As if she herself wasn’t sure what to do with it.

  “Yeah, I’m roasting. It’s your turn,” he said. When she glanced down at her top, he clarified, “The game.”

  “No. I went when you were taking your clothes off,” Lina’s voice slipped into a whisper as she motioned that her hat was sitting in jail.

  “Oh, sorry. Okay. My turn.” He rolled the dice and focused on the board. Boardwalk was going to be his. He’d already managed to snag Park Place. The fire crackled next to him, reminding him that he should add more logs to keep it lit. He looked up. Lina had a dreamy expression on her face as she stared at him, but she wasn’t looking at his face. Her gaze was set on his torso. The idea of getting her hot and bothered thrilled him.

  “You liking what you’re looking at, Lina?” Dylan couldn’t help the arousal in his loins. She could lie all she wanted. She was busted.

  “Ahh.” Her mouth formed into a wide smile, and she laughed. “Yeah. Yeah I do. Why lie?”

  Surprising him with her forthright answer, Dylan chuckled. “I get it a lot. I’m used to it.”

  Lina rolled her eyes. “Whatever. God, you’re so conceited.”

  “I’m not conceited. It’s a fact. You gotta work for it to look this good. Women love it.”

  “Oh my gosh. You did not just say that!”

  Dylan chuckled. She liked it. Why was she so bent on hiding it?

  “It’s true. Do you wanna touch it?” His eyebrow rose in challenge.

  “Touch what?” Lina’s voice came out all breathy.

  He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he simply took her in. Her high cheekbones and plump lips. Her thin, perfectly arched eyebrows and her golden hair that brightened against the flames. The fire flickered in her eyes as he met her gaze and smile with one of his own. He knew what he wanted her to touch. He was going to keep that to himself though. For now.

  “My abs. What else were you thinking?” Dylan asked all innocence.

  Her cheeks flushed with color, and Dylan didn’t know Lina, didn’t know where the hell she came from or what she was running away from, but he was going to do whatever he could to make sure they fell into bed together once his bet was up. Eight more days.

  Thank God.

  “I wasn’t thinking of touching anything else. I was only asking for clarification. Maybe you were meaning your arms.”

  He glanced down at his flexed arm. “Touching my arms wouldn’t be as exciting as you touching my abs,” he said in a low voice.

  Lina leaned forward. “For whom? You or me?”

  Dylan leaned forward just enough that their faces were mere inches apart. The fireplace crackled and coated his skin with warmth. Lina’s chest rose and fell. Her tongue came out and swiped at her lips. His dick hardened uncomfortably sitting in his current position.

  “For both of us.” He reached out and captured her hand in his. Unclenching her fist, he systematically straightened one finger at a time so that her palm was out and her fingertips were facing him.

  “You’re serious right now?” she asked in a whimper that was filled with half-dread and half-desire.

  Fuck yeah, I’m serious right now. What started as simple teasing had taken a turn to pure arousal. Blame it on the lack of light. However, there was no lack of electricity. Dylan propped himself up on his knees, stretching so his torso was directly in front of her. His cock breathed a sigh of relief at the width of room he’d given it by kneeling.

  “Fuck yeah,” he grumbled.

  He only had to guide her hand to his chest before she took over. Her fingers flitted through the thick patch of hair that covered his chest. His nipples hardened beneath her fingertips. She moved over and outlined part of his tattoo on the inside of his left bicep. Then her hand traveled south, and he sucked in a breath as her touch tickled his skin. There wasn’t as much hair along the path to his belly button, but it didn’t stop her fingers from grazing his skin as if there were. He glanced up finding her intent and focused solely on him.

  Why was he taunting her?

  Ahh, actually, who was taunting whom here?

  His head fell back as her hands slid slowly along the curves of his abs. Light touches that skimmed across him like a feather. He was raging hard now. She brushed her fingers along the thick trail of hair below his belly button and he wished she would go lower still. Would she know what to do with it if she did?

  She cleared
her throat. “It’s alright. Not bad.” She swung her hair away from her now placid face.

  “Not bad? You’re seriously gonna play that with me?” Dylan asked, his tone laced with challenge.

  “What? I said it’s not bad. I’m not going to grovel all over you.” Her shoulder came up. “It’s okay. I’ve seen better.”

  “Liar.” Dylan smirked. He opened his mouth to give his standard spiel about his Dirty Gains athletic wear, his fitness programs that have helped millions around the world, but something inside him made him stop.

  “I’m not lying. Is that what you do? Show women your body and hope they fall in love?” Lina settled back on her haunches and folded her arms.

  Dylan sat back down in contemplation. Was that what he did? No. He didn’t have to do that. They just always fell for him. “Women always fall for me. I’m not saying that to be cocky. It’s just a fact.”

  “Wow! You are something else. I thought you were conceited before but that takes the cake. You must have a rough life. All these women fall for you and you don’t return their feelings?”

  Dylan sobered. How did he explain how he thought about that? One being, none of the women that fell for him were perfect enough for him. He liked his independence. He couldn’t trust any of them. “I’m honest up front that I’m not looking for a relationship.”

  “Why aren’t you?” Lina asked.

  He shrugged. How did this conversation get so serious? He stood. With the sun setting, the light they’d had was starting to dim. “I better find us flashlights or we’re both going to be groping around in the dark trying to find our beds.”

  “Look in the kitchen. There might be some in that drawer by the oven.”

  He ignored Lina’s rueful gaze as he made his way to the kitchen. Damn, was there alcohol in here somewhere? He needed a drink to cool his wayward thoughts about Lina. He’d die for some whiskey right now.

  He rummaged through a few drawers, haphazardly looking for any flashlights. He’d known her for a few hours and already she was zeroing in on his emotions. He was a dude. Dudes didn’t talk about that stuff. Especially with someone they barely knew.

  He wasn’t looking for a woman to have a long-term relationship with. Besides, any woman he’d ever dated was only after his celebrity status anyway, so it was in his best interest to keep all women at arm’s length. They could never be trusted.

  Bingo! He found a drawer full of matches, three flashlights and a few random phone cords. The first flashlight didn’t work, and he guessed that was going to be the case with the rest. They all probably needed fresh batteries. He tried the last two. Yep. All needed batteries.

  “Did you find some?” Lina’s melodic voice asked from behind him.

  “Nah. Found some flashlights but none of the batteries work.”

  “What kind do they take?”

  “Double A.” He clicked off the last flashlight and threw it on the counter.

  “I have some. I’ll bring a few down.” Lina left him, and he leaned against the counter. Then it occurred to him. What the hell did she have batteries in her room for? His wayward thoughts turned naughty once again as he imagined the things Lina would be using batteries for, when her soft padding down the stairs interrupted his thoughts.

  “Here you go. I brought four. They all hold two, right?” Lina held her hand open for him to take the batteries.

  This part of the condo was shrouded in dusk—almost darkness—making her eyes unreadable in the alcove of the kitchen. But he tried to study her anyway. “Why do you have batteries in your room?”

  She looked away. “I just do. Who cares? Try them and see if they work.”

  “Lina Armstrong. Are these what I think they’re for?” Dylan’s cock waited for her answer like a dog in heat. He wanted to hear that she had a vibrator up there.

  “Just take them, Dylan. Here.” She held her hand out palm up for him to take the batteries.

  He hesitated.

  What is this woman doing to me? To think he’d believed coming up here would help with his bet. Now all he could think about was touching her and tasting her and how good her hands would feel against his dick. Holding her gaze, he held the flashlight upright, exposing the battery well. He gripped her free hand and pushed the flashlight into her palm never looking away from her eyes. He pressed each one of her fingers around the head of the flashlight causing her grip to tighten so the flashlight wouldn’t fall.

  “Tighten your grip on it, Lina.” His voice came out sounding like sandpaper.

  “What are you trying to do to me?” Lina asked in a near whisper.

  She seemed to have no problem reading his thoughts. Dylan swallowed. His gaze never leaving hers, his hands stayed covering her hand as she held onto the flashlight. “Are you going to stick ‘em in or would you like me to?”

  Dylan watched her intake of breath. So sweet. So hot. She fumbled on the first try. Second try she got the batteries in the flashlight, but Dylan didn’t move a muscle. She smelled like a combination of smoke and flowers. He wanted the smoky flavor to play across his tongue as he tasted her throat. He wanted to be engulfed in flowers as he smelled her hair. He wanted to get between her legs and taste her floral scent.

  “What are you trying to do to me?” Dylan whispered as he tilted his head with only one goal in mind.

  His lips against hers.

  Chapter Four

  No. No. No.

  “Let’s see if the others work,” Lina said in a rush as she pulled away from Dylan’s heated…ah, heated everything. His eyes. His body. The gigantic bulge in his pants. Why was he trying to seduce her? That was the last thing she needed right now. They didn’t even know each other. Her mind was barely letting go of her past. She certainly didn’t need Dylan complicating anything. Not to mention how excited she was at seeing the black handwriting from his tattoo on the inside of his arm. We The People. Like The Declaration. He was proud to be an American. She liked that more than she should.

  She pushed the other two batteries into one of the random flashlights still on the counter. She flipped the little switch. Still no light. Dang it. She untwisted the cap and tried the last one, completely ignoring Dylan. She could feel him behind her as she tried the third flashlight. Still nothing. She knew these batteries worked. They were brand new, just out of the package.

  “Here. You can take mine.” Dylan offered from behind her. The sun was completely down now, and they’d wasted precious time in the kitchen. They were going to have to share the sole flashlight.

  She sighed. “Thanks, but I can’t leave you with nothing. Let’s go back into the living room where there’s some light. Maybe there’s enough to finish our game.”

  Lina turned around, purposefully blinding him in the eyes with the flashlight.

  “Jesus, woman. What are you doing?” Dylan stepped back, and Lina bit her lip to stop from laughing.

  “Oh sorry! Did that blind you?” she asked innocently.

  “Seeing stars!”

  “Oh no. It’s just temporary. Here. Let me guide you into the living room.” Lina grabbed Dylan’s bicep—couldn’t he put a shirt on?—and the two of them walked back to the fireplace.

  The fire needed a few more logs, and as if Dylan was reading her mind, he was at the hearth pulling out logs to throw into the flames. His back muscles flexed as he moved, highlighting all his delicious assets. Muscles filled every inch of his torso. His shoulder blades were defined with solid ripples that extended along his sides. His low-riding jeans covered his tight ass, and she had the urge to sink her teeth into what she could see was a perfectly shaped butt beneath his boxer briefs.

  Heat ricocheted around the room as the flames engulfed the logs, enveloping them into a hellish fury. It’d been how long since Lina had sex? Ugh, two years, but she was acting like it’d been five. Dylan had the sexual prowess of some kind of romantic hero, so she imagined that he had it all the time. Especially if females were throwing themselves at him like he said.

&
nbsp; Which would explain why he was so comfortable with his sexuality and trying to seduce her. As Dylan stoked the fire with the prod, she briefly fantasized about what it would have been like had she let him kiss her. He had been going in for the kill, and she’d wanted it. But knew it was dangerous territory and had turned at the final second.

  Oh, but that body that she pretended to ignore. What would it feel like to have the weight of him above her as he feasted on her? Wasn’t there some sexy pick up line about that? She saw it on a shirt before. I don’t mind the extra weight – as long as it’s your body on top of mine.

  Dylan straightened from the fireplace and turned to Lina; that devilish smirk of his glowed in the dim firelight. Her stomach clenched with a strange mixture of desire and challenge. Fight or flight response. His eyes gleamed with determination and her body told her to stay. Old Lina told her to run for the hills.

  “It’s only nine. Too early for bed. Should we finish our game?” Dylan asked, much too innocently.

  She flickered the flashlight off and on against the dining room wall where all the empty shelves were in contemplation. Why wouldn’t someone put books up there anyway? Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Dylan. If she stayed down here with him and finished their game, was there a chance he might try to kiss her again? Would he take her kitchen rejection as a final answer and not try anything with her again? She flicked the light off. Was that what she wanted?

  She didn’t know. Yes, it was flattering that he—Greek God and all—was even interested in her. She couldn’t deny that at all. But this wasn’t the right time. His timing—or whoever sent him here while she was here—was the wrong time. She came to this place to let go of her old job and the pressure of her friends and family who never seemed to let up. She had a story in her to tell. She wanted the quietness to write that book. She deserved to have this time. She’d spent the last five years of her life immersed in counseling women and trying to convince them to take their children and get out of their abusive relationships. Sixty-hour work weeks for the past three years in a row, and she’d finally managed to break free.