5. Cleo

5

CLEO

S omeone’s in my shower. Not that it’s technically my shower, but as it’s the shower in the ensuite attached to the bedroom I’m staying in, that makes it mine.

I pull the duvet off my head and sit up, suddenly wide awake. Over the noise of running water is a baritone voice singing. Kray’s actually fucking singing in my shower.

The door to the bathroom is closed, luckily, but the door to the living room is wide open, which means Kray must have strolled on in here while I was asleep to get to the shower.

The ensuite is the only bathroom in the apartment, and now a big, bearded biker is washing himself in there.

An image of Kray covered in soapy suds fills my brain, and a sudden heat courses through my body. There’s a tug in my core, and I squeeze my thighs together.

It’s infuriating how goddamn gorgeous Ethan’s brother is. It made it extremely difficult to throw him out yesterday.

After he turned up unexpectedly on the doorstep, I spent the rest of the day squirrelled away in the bedroom.

I thought about emailing Ethan, but I hate to bother him on holiday unless it’s urgent. When he’s here, he gives the company a hundred percent, so I like to leave him to get a proper break while he’s away.

Besides, there’s not a lot he could do from Barbados. And it sounds petty, complaining that his brother has turned up. He might suggest I’m not needed to house sit, but I can’t go back to my apartment yet. I can’t throw Lisa out.

Also, I don’t want to cause bad feelings between the brothers if Kray isn’t supposed to be here. With their parents gone, they only have each other. Well, I guess Ethan has Craig and Kray has his MC. But blood must count for something.

The shower stops, and I hear the shower door open, then close. Kray hums to himself as he dries himself off. I’m about to get up and throw some clothes on before he comes into the room when the bathroom door opens.

Kray is wrapped in nothing but a fluffy bath towel that hangs off his hips. Droplets of water slide down his muscular chest and bead in the dark line of hair at the base of his stomach.

Dark tattoos snake over his thick arms, making me want to trace my fingers over the patterns and explore his ink.

My core tightens and there’s a rush of dampness between my legs. My mouth must be hanging open, but I can’t look away.

“Morning,” he says cheerily. “Did I wake you?”

I drag my eyes away from the bulge that’s visible under the fluffy towel and up to his eyes. They’ve got a dangerous sparkle to them, and I get the feeling that if I peeled back my duvet and invited him in, he wouldn’t say no.

“No.” I lie because I don’t want him to think he has any effect on me, even though my core is inflamed and my nipples are hard.

“Thought I’d grab a shower first thing, then get out of your way.”

He reaches a hand up and tussles his wet hair, sending droplets of water into the air.

“Ah-hum.”

I clamp my jaw shut and manage to drag my eyes away from his body. Pretending to be disinterested, I pick up my phone and pretend to check my emails because if I look at Kray for too long, I don’t trust myself not to lick the water off his hard chest.

Kray saunters through my room and into the living room, still humming. He doesn’t close the door behind him, and I have to employ all my self-restraint not to crawl over the bed to get an eyeful of him getting dressed.

Alongside the heat that’s spreading through my body, I also feel irritated. How dare he come in here and strut about like he owns the place? Walking around in just a towel and showing off his goods…

While I’m annoyed, I’m also glad for the show.

Damn, this guy’s got me all flustered.

Striding to the door, I slam it shut, cutting him off mid-hum.

I lean my back on the door, breathing heavily. My body is inflamed, and I slide my hand over my aching breasts, trailing my fingertips over my hard nipples, imagining what it would feel like to have Kray’s hands running over my body.

My eyes flutter closed as my hand snakes lower, slipping between my legs to feel the damp patch of my panties.

My core sparks to life under my touch, but my hands are too soft. I want Kray’s callused hands on me, the rough ridges scraping against my skin.

There’s a knock at the door behind me and my eyes fly open, my hand coming up from between my legs.

“What is it?” I call out sharply.

“I need to brush my teeth.”

Fuck. I rest my head against the wall and take a deep breath before opening the door, hoping Kray doesn’t notice my pointy nipples and inflamed pussy.

This is going to be a hard couple of days.

It’s a few hours later and my work for the day is done. I spent most of the day in the bedroom working on my laptop while propped up by pillows in the bed. It didn’t take me long to do all my tasks for the day, so I pulled out my reading app and downloaded a dirty, sweet, short romance—my favorite genre.

It’s done nothing to ease the pressure that’s been building in my pussy ever since Kray turned up on the doorstep.

I only came out to get lunch and he wasn’t there, which is fine by me.

Now as I come out of the bedroom, Kray’s on the couch with his feet up and a book in his hand. I try not to act surprised to see him reading, but I do note it’s a thriller. No dirty romances for him.

The gray clouds hang thick and low, but they still haven’t broken.

I took my time getting ready to go out, and I tell myself it’s because I always like to put my persona on, but I’m pleased to see the way Kray’s eyes rake over me, taking in my black skirt and figure-hugging sweater.

“Where you off to?” he asks as his eyes rest on my breasts.

“None of your business.”

I grab my car keys from the kitchen counter and head for the door.

“You’re right. It’s none of my business, but I wondered if you want to have dinner with me later, since we’re in the same house.”

I narrow my eyes at him, not sure if he’s asking me out of politeness alone.

“Here, I mean,” he says. “It’s too cold to go out.”

He says it pointedly, and he’s right. I want nothing more than to stay here where its warm and cozy. But there are people relying on me.

“I’m going to the MUEVE office.”

He cocks his head, waiting for me to explain what the hell that is. I think about walking out without an explanation. I usually don’t tell people I do volunteer work. It leads to questions I don’t want to answer. But Kray’s looking at me with those warm brown eyes of his that make me want to crawl inside him and curl up.

“It’s a charity for people who grew up in foster care, to transition them back into the community.”

He looks genuinely surprised. “You volunteer there?”

I nod. “We’re organizing a Christmas lunch for local foster kids and their caretakers. I’m helping organize it.”

I wait for the questions. Why that charity? Did I grow up in foster care?

But they don’t come. Instead, Kray looks impressed, and the smirk he’s had on his face the entire time he’s been here is gone for once.

“That’s great work you’re doing,” he says softly. “Do you need some extra help?”

“No,” I say firmly. The last thing I need is Kray hanging about and distracting me when there’s still so much to do.

“Okay.” He holds his hands up. “But I’ll have dinner ready for you when you get home.”

He says it firmly like there’s no argument.

I know it will be an intense few hours with no time to grab anything to eat, and the thought of coming home to a cooked meal is tempting.

“Fine.” I snatch my keys up before I remember my manners. “Thank you.”

He smiles, but I head out the door before he can say anything else.

If Kray wants to cook me a meal, I won’t say no, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to sleep with him.