Handle With Care (Shacking Up 5)

“But she pays me—”

“To keep my ass in line and make sure I look good on social media. Come on, Wren. Let’s be real here. We spend hours upon hours together. You’ve seen me in nothing but briefs multiple times at this point. Half the time you’re here first thing in the morning, putting my outfits together to make sure I’m not dressed in jeans. People who are attracted to each other can’t spend as much time together as we do and not give in to the draw. If anything, it makes sense that we’d end up in bed.”

She seems shocked. “Have you been plotting this?”

“Plotting is my brother’s area of expertise, not mine. Have I pushed a little? Sure. Have I orchestrated situations in which I’d be mostly naked and you’d be forced to pretend you’re not checking out the goods? Definitely. Can’t blame me for creating opportunities where I see them.”

I skim her cheek with my fingers and smile when she shivers. “You and I both know there’s been an attraction from day one. There’s no reason to fight it now that we’ve acknowledged and acted on it, is there? I don’t see any reason not to enjoy each other if that’s what we want to do. We’re adults, making adult decisions, doing adult things that no one needs to know about. As far as I’m concerned, there’s nothing to hide, unless of course we decide office sex is a go, but that’s why doors have locks.”

“While I agree there’s technically nothing to hide, I think we need to be smart about how we approach this, especially since your mother cuts my paychecks, and it’s my job to make you look good, not create gossip. We have this huge event tomorrow night; we don’t need to add more complications.”

It’s my turn to frown. “Dammit, you’re right, which is incredibly annoying.”

She smiles. “So we keep this between us.”

“Fine. But you’re staying the night, and we’re having pre-work sex in the morning, so I can make it through the day without embarrassing myself with uncontrollable, spontaneous hard-ons.”CHAPTER 15TOUCHY, TOUCHYWRENGreat sex has an incredible, stress-relieving effect. It also throws all good decision-making skills and logic right out the window. I wake up the next morning disoriented.

Until I feel the hard-on pressing against my butt cheek and the rough scrape of stubble across my shoulder.

“I wouldn’t be opposed to waking up like this more often,” Linc rasps, lips at my neck.

I shiver at his soft hum.

“You know what’s fantastic?”

“What’s that?” My voice is just as hoarse as his, probably on account of all the loud moaning I did last night, and very, very early this morning.

“We don’t have to be in the office until lunch.”

“You have a meeting this morning,” I remind him. “And we have the event tonight. You still have to practice your speech.”

“I rescheduled the meeting, so now we have all morning to practice my speech.”

I roll over so I’m facing him, and his smile slowly dissolves as his eyes move over my face. His hand comes up, and I have to wonder if my mascara is smeared all over the underside of my eyes like I plan to audition for the role of a raccoon.

He rubs at my bottom lip. “How is this stuff still on?”

“I told you it doesn’t come off.”

“What’s in it that it stays on this long? Is it even safe to put on your skin?”

“Why are you so obsessed with my lipstick?”

“Because it’s the bane of my goddamn existence.” At my raised eyebrow, he continues. “You have this incredible face, and these gorgeous full lips, and you wear this lipstick that’s just … a huge distraction. And it never comes off.”

His irritation makes me smile. “Would you like me to take it off?”

“Yes.”

I push on his chest. “You’ll have to let me up if you want me to do that. I have remover in my purse.”

“You stay right here. I’ll get your purse.” He drops a quick peck on my lips and rolls off me. Popping to his feet, he disappears from the bedroom and returns less than a minute later with my purse in his hands. He’s gloriously naked, all those muscles flexing deliciously as he climbs back up onto the mattress and straddles my hips. He’s also fully hard.

I pat the head and smirk. “Hasn’t anyone ever told you it’s rude to point?”

“He’s saying hi.” He sets my purse between my breasts and gives them a squeeze. “Here you go.”

I flip it open and root around for the remover and a tissue.

Linc grabs both from me. “What do I have to do?”

“Put that on my lips like gloss and use the tissue to wipe it off.”

“That’s it?”

“That’s it.”

He unscrews the cap and carefully applies the gloss. It’s actually quite entertaining since he’s so focused on the task. His tongue peeks out from between his lips as he drags the tissue gently across mine. He inspects the pinky-red smear, then goes back and does it a few more times before he’s satisfied. He tosses the tissue on the floor and plants his fists on his hips. It’s actually pretty comical.