I did that in the shower as I envisioned what she looks like beneath the paint-stained dress.

Does she wear lace or silk panties? What color are her nipples? Is her mound smooth or trimmed?

I jacked off thinking about all of those details and more.

Chasing those thoughts away with a shake of my head, I tug on a pair of pajama bottoms. Striding across my bedroom floor on bare feet, I move toward where I dropped my phone on my bed.

I scoop it into my palm and scan the screen, glancing at all the notifications that have arrived in the past ten minutes.

Owning a business is both a blessing and a curse.

The curse is never-ending small details that have to be taken care of. Every problem that surfaces falls in either Declan’s lap or mine.

Tonight it looks like the bulk of it is directed to me.

I shoot back a few responses to text messages sent by employees looking for direction in the areas of shipping or quality control.

We’re a twenty four hour, seven day a week operation. The sun never goes down on Wells.

I continue scanning my unread texts looking for anything else that requires my immediate attention.

A soft knock on my apartment door sends my gaze toward the hallway.

I toss the phone on my bed and head out in that direction.

Shirtless.

My body is on display in the epicenter of the world. Whoever needs my attention right now has likely already seen it.

I swing open the door to find a stranger.

She’s petite, blonde, and attractive, but I’m at a loss as to who the hell she is.

My arms cross my chest as her gaze slides over me slowly.

“Well, hello, handsome.” Her voice trails as her fingers move to touch my arm.

I step back so I’m just out of her reach. “Can I help you?”

Her blue-eyed gaze wanders behind me. “I know you can. I think I lost an earring in your bed. I need it back.”

A soft sound behind her pulls my eyes in that direction.

Calliope, dressed in those sexy-as-fuck denim cut-off shorts and a pink T-shirt, is standing at her door.

“Ignore me.” She lets out an awkward laugh. “I’m just getting back from the dry cleaner.”

A finger tapping my chest lures my gaze back to the blonde in front of me. I reach forward to grab her hand so she will stop fucking touching me. “Your earring isn’t in my bed.”

I catch one last glimpse of Calliope before she disappears behind her apartment door.

“I was here the other night,” the blonde explains. “I had to lay down for a minute, so I was in your bed. My earring must have fallen off.”

Fucking hell.

Since the door to my bedroom was locked because I don’t want random people screwing in my bed, she has to be talking about the guest room.

It hasn’t been cleaned since then, so I step aside to let her in.

I point at a spot on the floor just inside the entryway. “Stay right here. I’ll go look for it.”

“It’s a gold hoop,” she calls after me. “I wouldn’t mind coming to look with you.”

The trailing giggle that follows is an invitation to fuck her.

A month ago, I would have RSVPed by hauling her over my shoulder and keeping her for the night, but that was before I knew Champ existed.

Scowling, I drop to my ass on the guest bed and start the hunt for the earring.

I snatch it up just as I hear a noise behind me.

I turn to see the pretty blonde with wide eyes and a broad smile on her mouth.

“I couldn’t wait by the door. I’m not patient,” she explains as her hand toys with the strap of the tank top she’s wearing. “I’m not looking for anything serious if you’re in the mood for some fun.”

I slide off the bed, walk toward her and drop the earring in her palm. “I’m in the mood for sleep, so I’ll see you out.”

She’s silent until we reach the door to my apartment. “Has anyone ever told you that your chest and abs look a lot like that beast on the billboard in Times Square?”

I swing open my apartment door. “No, but thanks?”

She chuckles. “Thanks, indeed. I enjoyed whatever this was, and my offer still stands in case you change your mind.”

She has a business card out of her purse before I can get a word in.

She shoves it at me, turns on her heel, and marches out the door.

Without a glance at it, I crush the card into a ball and toss it in the wastebasket in my foyer.

Then, I lock my door and head to my bedroom to watch a movie before calling it a night.

Chapter Seventeen

Callie

As I exit my building to wait for Jurgen, I glance down at my hands.

When I finally got out of the bathtub last night, my fingers were as wrinkled as prunes.

Tags: Deborah Bladon The Buck Boys Heroes Romance
Source: readsnovelonline.net