“You’re kinky,” he says, shrugging. “I get it. It’s not my thing, but whatever gets you off.”
Ha. If he only knew. Preston and I have a perfectly fine sex life, but I’m not even sure we have enough spice to be vanilla. In the beginning, I thought maybe sex was supposed to be that way: functional, quick, a tad boring. I was sixteen when I lost my virginity to Pres, and more than a little na?ve about that stuff. It was only when I spoke to girlfriends about my lackluster encounters that I realized sex is supposed to be—imagine this—fun.
When I’d very awkwardly broached the subject with Pres, he’d confessed that he hadn’t wanted to scare me off by being “too passionate.” I told him to feel free to step up his game, and our bedroom activities did get more fun after that. But if I’m being completely honest, it’s been four years now and that passion he’d mentioned still hasn’t made an appearance.
“I shudder to think what’s rattling around in your spank bank,” I say.
“If you’re trying to get me in bed, you can just ask.” Cooper nudges my arm with his elbow. He has this unflappable confidence about him. Arrogant yet charming. Completely self-assured but not overbearing. It’s almost a shame he’s wasting his natural talents on construction. He’d make a hell of a CEO if he had a mind for business.
“This half-assed reverse psychology routine isn’t going to work on me,” I inform him. Because I didn’t make my first million by being easily manipulated. “I’m not going to be goaded into accidentally winding up in bed with some townie stranger because he dared me to.”
Still, his playful smirk and roguish eyes are not lost on me. I’m not immune to broad shoulders and rock-hard abs. Moreover, he’s a bit of a conundrum. Everything I learn about him makes me wonder if what he portrays—the tattoos, the attitude—is all clever camouflage. Hiding what, though? My brain loves puzzles.
“I wouldn’t be caught dead sleeping around with some Garnet clone. I do have an image to protect.”
“Right, of course. Wouldn’t want anyone confusing you for a man of taste.”
He bites back a smile, and in that fleeting look, I see all sorts of bad intentions. I see blurry nights and wild regrets. Heavy breathing. It’s enough to make my pulse spike and my toes go numb.
This guy is dangerous.
“Coop!” someone calls from the jobsite. “You coming to the bar or what?”
He glances over his shoulder. “Go on without me.”
Knowing laughter tickles our backs. I’m glad Cooper’s coworkers can’t see my face because I’m fairly certain I’m blushing.
“Why’d you have to do that?” I grumble.
“Do what? Tell them I’m not going to the bar?”
“Yeah. Now they’re going to think you stayed behind to bang me on the beach or something.”
He gives a deep chuckle. “I guarantee they weren’t thinking that. But now I am. Would you like to bang here, or should we go under the pier?”
“Go to the bar with your little friends, Coop. You’ll have a better shot of getting laid there than here.”
“Nah. I’m good where I am.” He lifts one hand and rakes it through his dark hair, and I can’t help but stare at his flexing biceps.
“So you guys are fixing up that restaurant?” I force myself to stop gawking at his very sexy muscles. “It looks like a huge job.”
“It is. And once we’re done this one, we have about, oh, half a dozen more buildings to renovate.” He waves that sculpted arm toward the boardwalk, highlighting the destruction left by the hurricane.
“Do you like working in construction?”
He nods slowly. “I do, yeah. Evan and I work for our uncle’s company, so we don’t have to deal with some jackass boss who tries to rip us off or does shoddy work to cut costs. Levi is a good man, fair. And I’ve always been good with my hands.”
I gulp. There’s no overt innuendo in his tone, but I’ll be damned if my gaze doesn’t shift to his hands. They’re strong, big, with long fingers and callused palms. No dirt under his nails, even after a day of manual labor.
“What about you, princess?” He tips his head, curious.
“What about me?”
“This is the second time I’ve walked up to you and seen that look on your face.”
“What look?” Apparently, I just repeat everything he says now. But the intensity in his eyes has triggered a rush of anxiety.