He shrugged. “Well, you weren’t going out with him, so I had to say something. But I need to shower first.”
Did he have to tell her that? As the bathroom door closed behind him, she sank onto the bed. A minute later, the water started running in the bathroom. Was he in the shower, soaping up that long, lean body…?
She kicked off her sandals and fell backward so she lay staring up at the canopy. Of its own accord, her hand drifted across her breasts, and her nipples hardened to little peaks beneath the soft cotton of her shirt. She rubbed her fingertip over one, and it tightened further, sending a dart of pleasure zinging down to settle between her thighs. She shifted her hand lower, pressing the heel of her palm against her sex. It would only take her a minute.
The water shut off, and she snatched her hand away, sat up, and eyed the bathroom door guiltily. It opened a second later, and out he popped, naked but for an inadequately small white towel around his hips.
Was he crazy?
Did he not realize the dangers of parading his nearly naked, totally hot body in front of the sex-crazed woman she was rapidly degenerating into?
Look away, Lexi.
Good advice, but somehow she couldn’t tear her gaze from him. The towel hung low on his hips. So low she could see that lovely V formed by his muscles of his abdomen, the line of golden hair that disappeared beneath the towel, the ridged muscles. And if she stared really hard, she could make out the bulge of his penis.
He wandered around the room, taking no notice as she positively drooled over him, pulling clothes out of the closet, bending down to get underwear from the drawers, legs parted.
If she hadn’t been completely convinced he wanted nothing to do with her sexually—and she knew that because he had told her so, in no uncertain terms—she’d think he was purposefully, and with evil intent, trying to tempt her.
Nah.
He just didn’t realize how hot he was. Or how fragile her hold on her self-control was becoming. Because if he did, if he could see the X-rated thoughts passing through her mind right now, he’d probably leap headfirst out the window.
Be afraid. Be very afraid.
He turned to look at her, clothes in his hand. Was he going to drop the towel now, or try and pull up his boxers—
“Lexi?”
She jumped. “Sorry? What? Did you say something?”
“Are you going to shower?”
Was she? She gave herself a little shake. “No. Later. I just came back to change my shoes.”
It was the monthly pets-in-the-park session, and she always liked to go along. It was a regular event she had organized with the local vets after seeing something similar on the TV. Once a month, a number of them would set up in the park about half a mile away and offer their services for free. Anyone could bring their animals along, and they would be seen and treated. She tended to get very hands-on, so there was no point in showering first when she was bound to get dirty. But perhaps staying for Josh’s reverse striptease was not a good idea.
She pushed herself up, gave him a last pathetic look, and headed for the bathroom. “I’ll go…wash my hands or…” Once inside, she locked the door and banged her head against the mirror.
Get. A. Grip.
When she was sure she’d given him enough time to be decently covered, she went back into the bedroom. He was dressed. It wasn’t exactly an improvement, but she could breathe easier. She found a pair of sneakers and slipped them on, then shoved her hands in her pockets. “Well, I have to go out.”
“We’ll go together,” he said
Of course. In case Harry was watching.
As they passed the kitchen, Harry was sitting at the table, talking to Jean as she cooked something on the stove. He glanced around, caught sight of them, and a disgruntled expression crossed his face. At least he seemed convinced. So the act was worth it.
She expected Josh to leave once they were outside the gate. Instead, he turned to her. “Where are you going?”
“There’s this thing I help organize. Some vets work for free. People can come along and get their pets treated if they can’t afford to go the vet. Mostly homeless people. I like to help out.”
“Because you don’t have enough animals to look after at home.”
“Yes.”
“I’ll come along.”
“Why?” She didn’t think Harry would follow them outside the house.
He just shrugged. “Why not?” They walked side by side but not touching. “So tell me about this thing.”
“I set it up a few years ago. Some of the homeless people have pets, and honestly, they feed them before they feed themselves, but there’s no way they can afford the services of a vet.”
“Maybe they shouldn’t have animals then.”