"Why would you be checking me out?"
He spins to face me, dropping his gaze to my arms. "Have you looked in a mirror? You're hot. These guns"—he skims a finger over my bicep, leaving a trail of goose bumps in his wake—"are insane. You’re not just attractive, Buzz, you're stupid hot."
My mouth falls open.
The words sound so strange coming from Court. We've never called each other hot before. Or stupid hot.
Court looks uncomfortable, scratching his arm as his brows bunch together tightly, his face still red.
"Yeah, well, you're hot, too."
"You don't have to say that just because I did."
"No, I mean it. You are. You have a great body, you dress super stylishly, and your facial expression never gives anything away. See? Totally hot. In an uptight way."
That draws a small smile out of him. "Thanks."
I cock my head. "Why were you checking me out?"
"Something about you in overalls. Think I just discovered a new turn-on."
"Is that why you told me not to put on a shirt? To see these better?" I lift my arms, clench my fists, and give my bestie a gun show.
He sucks in an audible breath and mutters, "Jesus Christ."
"Wow. Who knew?" I chuckle.
His eyes flutter shut. "And that voice," he murmurs.
"My voice?"
"Yeah," he huffs. "So fucking deep."
I take a step toward him, closing the distance between us, and hook my thumb under his chin.
His eyes drift open. "Buzz? What are you doing?"
Something I've fantasized about doing for so many years but have never had the balls to try.
As if pulled by an invisible force, my head tilts forward. A storm is brewing in his green eyes, darkened by…desire? Concern? Wanting me to stop?… Wanting me to keep going?
"Good news. My agent says I can— Whoa. Shit, sorry."
Howie barrels back into the room, and we tear apart. I run a hand through my hair. "You're fine. We were just looking at paint samples for the other rooms."
Howie grins, lifting his chin. "Uh, Buzz?" He points to the corner of the room. "The paint samples are over there."
28
Courtland
Tension has been simmering in the air between Buzz and me ever since we almost kissed in Howie's bedroom a few days ago.
It’s not bad, per se, and it thankfully hasn't made things awkward living with each other.
It's just…different.
Like when we hug goodbye in the morning, he holds on to me a little longer, the smell of my body wash on his body infiltrating my nose.
