Briggs (Carolina Reapers 7)

I chuckled, a shiver raising chills on my skin with the cold bite to the wind that just kicked up. I rubbed my arms to chase the chills away, and Cormac tucked me under his arm.

“Come on,” he said, tugging me toward the master bathroom hours later. “I still have a couple hours before I have to be on the road. You start the bath, I’ll build a fire.”

“Build a fire,” I mimicked him. “What a handy man I’ve ensnared.” I echoed his line from earlier, heaving a happy sigh after the long day. The shoot had gone amazing, Cormac ever the professional as he posed for photo after photo without a hint of complaint. The GQ staff were thrilled with how it went and were currently occupying the other wing of the cabin, winding down after the long day.

Cormac laughed, cocking a brow at me. “Don’t go stealing my lines.”

“Or what?” I teased, heading toward the master bedroom.

“You know what,” he challenged.

“Maybe that’s why I do it,” I called over my shoulder, turning into the bedroom.

Thirty minutes later, my muscles sighed with the warmth of the steaming water as I sank into the deep clawfoot tub. Lavender-scented bubbles threatened to spill over the tub’s porcelain lip when Cormac stepped in on the other end.

My heartrate kicked up a few notches watching his powerful body twist to step into the water—the muscles so defined under his skin, the ink decorating it in pops of color, and those eyes…dark, rich, and locked onto my gaze as I tracked his every movement.

Candles flickered on the wooden table next to the tub, casting us in a golden light.

“Good God, Duchess,” he said as he finally settled into the tub. His massive legs stretched out on either side of me, my fingers easily finding his knees and resting there. “Hot enough?”

I grinned at him. “I actually made it a few degrees colder than I usually do,” I said. “Didn’t want to burn your tender skin.”

He sent a playful splash my way. “Smartass,” he said, shaking his head before leaning it back to rest on the lip of the tub. “After having to climb onto some of those gnarly tree branches in a ten-thousand-dollar suit, this is nice.” He glanced at me, the tub, then the wall of windows that allowed us to see the night sky.

“It’s so much clearer here,” I said, marveling at the setting sun dipping below the skyline. I spent so much time in the city, I almost forgot how beautiful the sky looked free of the skyscrapers and lights I loved so much.

“Yeah,” he said, his fingers dipping beneath the steaming water to smooth over my calf. “The city robs you of this kind of quiet.”

I started my own gentle exploring of his legs, relishing the way the water felt over our skin. “Do you…not like the city?” I asked, apprehension blooming in my chest.

He tilted his head. “I don’t mind it,” he said. “It has certain…perks.” His eyes dropped to my breasts hiding beneath the bubbles, and I swear they tightened with just his look.

“So,” I said, continuing to graze my fingers over his legs. “You wouldn’t be opposed to staying in the city for a few weeks at a time?”

He lifted his head fully from where he’d rested it, eyes now alight with something new. “What are you asking me, Duchess?” His tone was equal parts excited and wary.

I paused my motions, swallowing hard. “I was just thinking about the offseason,” I admitted, my heart in my throat.

“Were you now?” His hands slid farther down my calf, grazing the inside of my thigh before he retraced the path back to my ankle, the water swishing around his with his movements. I trembled under his touch, my breaths coming out a bit faster.

“Yes,” I said. “Does that scare you?” I asked honestly.

Cormac cocked a brow at me, shifting to sit up, drawing closer to me. He had to adjust my legs, gently tugging one on either side of his hips. “Terrifies me,” he said, hauling me up until I fully straddled him in the water.

I gasped at the contact, at the contrast of the warm water and the hot, slick parts of his strong body.

“Why?” I whispered, though I had a good idea.

He smoothed his hand over my wet hair, his nose practically touching mine. “Because I want to spend the offseason with you,” he said with a harsh breath. “Because the idea of being separated from you through the rest of the playoffs literally feels like a physical blow. Because I’ve fallen for you so completely, Duchess, and I know what the distance is going to do to us, and I’m powerless to stop it.”

I slid my hands up his chest, gently gripping his shoulders. “I can’t wait to prove you wrong,” I said, gasping when I shifted and felt him rock hard beneath me.