Bachelor Swap by Lacey Black (best ebook reader under 100 .TXT) 📗

wall, his arm thrown over my shoulder protectively. He mumbles a quick thank-you to the man who was escorting me before the door closes, leaving us alone. “What happened back there?”

“Nothing,” I insist, a little too quickly.

He turns me and catches my eye, his gaze intense and serious. “Did one of those guys say something to you?” he asks, seeing right through me.

I shrug. “They just had a few inappropriate comments.”

He continues to study me. “About what?” he asks, his jaw tight with tension.

A blush creeps up my neck. “About…my ass.”

He seems slightly taken aback by my words, but his shock is quickly replaced by a wolfish grin. He turns me, his eyes cast downward, devouring my rear in the black leggings I threw on after my shower. “Were they talking about how amazing it looks in those pants?”

The corner of my mouth turns upward. “Umm, actually, yes, it was something along those lines.” The door opens and we step out together. When we reach his door, I turn to see what’s taking him so long to unlock the door, and find his eyes still locked on my backside. Smiling, I ask, “You done?”

His laughing eyes finally look up, meeting mine. Matthew pulls a key from his pocket and lets us into the apartment. As I step through the doorway, he glances down once more. “Nope, not even close.”

I kick off my flats and follow my nose to the kitchen. “Wow, it smells amazing in here.”

“Thanks. I was going to order something, but found a chuck roast in the freezer, so I thought I’d throw together some Italian beef. There’s this bakery down the block that makes fresh bread and when I saw the mini French loaves, I thought they’d be perfect.”

I’m smiling as he crosses behind the island and stirs the contents of the slow cooker. “Sounds delicious.”

“And I made baked mac and cheese too. It’s one of my personal favorites,” he says, pulling a foil-covered pan from the oven.

I sit down on the island stool. “I didn’t think you knew how to cook.”

Something crosses his face as he carefully sets the pan on the trivet. “Well, I guess I’ve always known, but choose not to do it.” He chuckles awkwardly, grabbing a bread knife, and cutting sandwich openings into the fresh bread.

“Well, I think you should do it more often,” I reply, taking in the spread he’s prepared. “Can I help?”

He nods toward the wine fridge. “Why don’t you pick out something that’s good with beef and cheese,” he says with a wink.

I open the fancy refrigerator and retrieve a sweet white wine. Before I can set it on the counter, Matthew takes the bottle, pulls the opener from the drawer, and removes the cork. “Well, look at you. Much smoother than last time,” I reply, grabbing two glasses from the cabinet and referring to the first time he tried to open a bottle and couldn’t find the corkscrew remover.

As I pour the glasses, he cages me against the counter and kisses my neck. “Much smoother. Silky smooth, like your skin.”

A shiver sweeps through my body, which is suddenly very alive with need. Warmth from his body filters through my clothes, heating my skin with his closeness. “You know, you keep that up and the food will get cold.”

His tongue slips out, tasting my skin. “But you’d be very warm.”

I mumble a noise and gasp as he nuzzles my ear with his nose.

Suddenly, he pulls back, taking a glass of wine with him as he goes. “But I guess you’ll just have to wait until later.” Matthew takes a sip from the glass. “That’s good.”

I swirl my wine before bringing the glass to my lips. “It is, and what happens later?”

He waggles his eyebrows suggestively, making me laugh. “A movie, actually. Get your mind out of the gutter.” Matthew sets his glass on the counter and starts making me a plate. When he’s piled a sandwich with meat and mozzarella cheese and adds a healthy pile of his baked macaroni and cheese, he hands me the plate and points to the counter.

We sit side by side and eat the delicious food he prepared. It’s amazing, actually. One of the best home-cooked meals I’ve ever had. At first, I didn’t think I’d be able to eat all the mac and cheese, but once I started, I couldn’t stop until what was on my plate was completely gone.

“Leave your dishes in the sink,” he says, coming up behind me as I rinse the remnants off my plate.

“It wouldn’t take very long to just wash them now,” I reply, reaching for the dish soap.

He turns off the water and takes the soap dispenser from my hand. “True, but it would cut into the time I’ve set aside for the movie and delay my groping during the scary parts.”

I snort out a laugh and turn to face him. “What kind of movie did you get?”

“Scary one. One that’ll ensure you curl up at my side and hide against my chest all night.”

With an eye-roll, I tell him, “I don’t like scary movies.”

He gives me another wolfish grin that causes warmth to flood my panties. “I know.”

I hit his hard chest playfully.

“Actually, I have a few different ones to choose from. I’ll even let you pick.”

“Very generous of you, kind sir.”

“Come on,” he says, taking my hand and pulling me into the living room. It’s completely different than it was last week, all warm and cozy, and no longer looks like a simple model home. “This room is stunning.”

“It’s okay,” he replies, taking a seat on the end of the sofa and kicking his feet up on the coffee table. He removed his boots and his feet are bare as he casually relaxes on the couch, and it actually might be my favorite look on him.

“Do you not like it?” I ask, sitting in the middle of the sofa, close to him, but still keeping a respectable distance.

He looks around, taking it in.