#Junkie (GearShark #1)

He had good taste in underwear.

I forced my eyes up to his face, taking in his long, defined torso. True, he wasn’t as big as me, but he was muscular. Drew had a lean, strong build, and his shoulders were wide. His chest was smooth and hairless, and his nipples were a distraction for the eye.

“Sure, man, go ahead.”

“You need in first?” he asked.

I cleared my throat. “No, I’m good.”

He shut himself in the bathroom, and a few seconds later, I heard the shower turn on. I lay on the bed, listening to the sound of the water and Drew moving around in the bathroom.

My skin started to feel warm and my shirt felt restrictive. With a curse, I got up and kicked off my shoes and yanked the fleece over my head. The T-shirt I wore came with it, and I didn’t bother to put it back on. The air felt good against my suddenly flushed skin.

I went out to the mini bar and looked around. It was fully stocked. I didn’t take anything out, though. That shit was overpriced. Instead, I poured some tap water in a glass and dropped on the sofa to watch the sports channel Drew had on.

I was staring at the TV, trying to pay attention to what the announcers were talking about, when Drew walked in.

The scent of soap tingled my nose, and I glanced over. His chest was still on display, and there was a white towel wrapped around his waist. Droplets of water clung to the ends of his hair, and when he turned to riffle through his duffle, there was more water on his lower back.

I picked up my glass and took a sip. Suddenly, I was parched.

“Room’s all yours,” he said.

“Sure you don’t want the bed?” I asked.

Still turned away, he pulled on a pair of gym shorts and slid them up under the towel. I glanced away, and I heard the movement of fabric. Seconds later, he dropped down on the end of the sofa, in nothing but the shorts.

He wasn’t wearing underwear.

“I’m good. I’ll just snag a pillow off the bed and call downstairs for some blankets.”

I got up, picked up the phone by the wet bar, and called down for the blankets. Since I was getting the bed, it was the least I could do. I grabbed a pillow off the bed. When I came back, Drew was at the wet bar with a glass of water in his hand.

I stopped in the doorway, unable to not look at him.

I liked the way he looked.

There. I said it.

I really fucking did. Just admitting it to myself seemed to make me feel lighter. As if carrying around the burden of trying not to admit I found him visually appealing weighed me down.

I wondered how much lighter I would feel if I admitted some of the other things I tried to hide.

Drew lowered the glass. It made a low thump on the stone countertop. He turned his head so our eyes met.

Have I mentioned how blue his are? The color of a sky on a perfect summer day. The kind of day that didn’t come around very often. Perfection rarely does.

Currents of electricity passed between us. It was unmistakable. It was like he knew I was checking him out. He knew and he liked it.

Drew’s body pivoted toward mine. I watched his ab muscles contract with the twist of his torso. One hand rested on the countertop and the other flexed at his side.

Embarrassed I was basically checking him out, I forced my eyes up, only to see his were no longer on mine either.

He was staring at my chest.

I had an insane urge to puff it out. But I didn’t. I held myself back.

Suddenly, I felt itchy all over. My skin was vibrating and tingly.

“T…” he said.

He was the only one that called me that.

There was a knock on the door. Drew stiffened and went to answer. When he was gone, I deflated like a balloon with a giant hole.

I expected him to get an armful of sheets and close the door.

That wasn’t what happened.

Drew’s deep voice spoke and was followed by a light giggle. The kind of giggle that made me roll my eyes.

I hung in the doorway (totally like a creeper) and watched as one of the hotel staff came into the room, carrying a large stack of white bedding.

“I’ll just set it down in here for you,” the woman said. She was likely in her early twenties, with blond hair, a big rack, and green eyes. I would bet money she was wearing colored contacts. No way her eyes were naturally that green.

If they were, then her hair was naturally blond, too.

Ha.

“Thank you,” Drew said, still over by the door.

She turned, giving me a view of her profile. It was enough to see she was totally checking out him and his basic nakedness. It was also very clear she liked what she saw.

“Do you want me to make up the couch for you? It pulls out into a sleeper.”

“I think I can handle it.” He smiled at her. I wanted to kick him. “Besides, I’m sure you have lots of work to do.”

“Actually,” she purred, prowling across the room toward him. “I get off in just a few minutes.”

“Sweet.”

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