Yeah, I decided she must've thought Val was hot---jeez, what woman didn't?---and now she was embarrassed by that fact. Even Ruth Norris, a seventy-something grandmother, made no attempt to conceal her appreciation for Val's body. Val had been a model after he retired from football, so yeah, nobody could deny he had the looks women loved. He was also smart and a nice guy, but that was never the first thing anybody noticed about him.
He worked out. A lot. I worked out too, but not like he did. Compared to Val Silva, I looked like a puny geek.
Peter Severins all but dragged his wife outside, winking at me and Mara as they passed by us. "I trust you to take care of my daughter."
"Yes, sir, I will."
He closed the door behind himself and his wife.
Mara sucked in a big breath and blew it out. "Wow, that was totally not fun in any sense of the word."
I shrugged one shoulder, trying not to laugh. "I don't know. That was kinda fun for me."
She slugged my shoulder. "Hey! My boyfriend isn't supposed to laugh at me."
"Come on, I wouldn't do that." I grinned. "Now your mom's reaction is another story. I think she was drooling. Definitely devouring Val with her eyes, even while they seemed like they might pop out of her skull any second."
Mara's lips puckered like she was trying really hard not to smile. "Yeah, Mom was ogling him for sure. I don't think she's ever seen a naked man before. I always kind of assumed she and Dad have sex in total darkness. I wouldn't be surprised if she has no idea what a man's penis looks like."
"Well, she does now."
Mara held a hand to her mouth while half-suppressed laughter snorted out of her. "I shouldn't be laughing. Mom was horrified."
"Yeah, but your dad thought it was hilarious."
"He knows how to handle Mom, but today is the first time I've ever heard him disagree with her."
I cupped her face in my hands and kissed her forehead. "Maybe he's finally realizing how much your mom's 'this is not proper' stuff has affected you. I bet things will change a lot after this."
"Don't hold your breath for the day when Mom becomes a nudist."
"Yeah, that'll never happen." I chuckled. "But your mom might not mind being around naturists now that Val has come home."
"He is hot. Can't say I blame Mom for being flustered by him."
God, I hoped she wasn't about to call me her gay best friend. I knew Mara liked me, but she hadn't met Val until today. The guy was a god, according to every straight woman on the planet. Okay, maybe Eve was the only one I'd actually heard say that. I inferred the rest.
"What's wrong?" Mara asked. "You're scrunching up your face."
Shit. I didn't realize I'd been doing that.
"It's nothing," I said, totally lying to her.
Mara set her hands on her hips. "That's baloney. What's bothering you, Ollie?"
This time I knew I scrunched up my face, and I bowed my head to scratch the back of it. "It's dumb. And it's doesn't matter."
"Anything that bothers you matters to me." She rested her palms on my chest. "You matter to me."
I raised my head, stunned by her statement, though it really shouldn't have surprised me. Other good-looking men had visited the resort while she'd been here, and she had never paid much attention to them. She liked me, not them. So why was I worried she might get turned on by Val's ripped body?
Letting out a long sigh, I told her the truth. "Val is a sex god. He works out like crazy, and he used to be a model, had his picture in magazines and on billboards. Before that, he was an international football star. That means soccer, by the way. His team won the freaking Olympics, mostly because of him. He also made a sex tape that everybody saw."
"Not me. I never saw it. And I've never heard of Val Silva, never laid eyes on him before today, not even in a magazine."
"But he's to die for, according to Eve."
Mara laughed, the sound soft and gentle. "Eve is in love with him. Of course she thinks he's the hottest thing since the ghost pepper."
"What's a ghost pepper?"
She laughed again, and her delight tickled my senses. "It's the hottest chili pepper on the planet. At least it used to be. Not sure if it still is."
"Oh." I tried to grumble, but it came out a little whiny. "Well then, every woman who sees Val thinks he's a ghost pepper. Even the senior citizens drool over him."
"Are you jealous of Val? I thought he was your friend."
"He is. Val's an awesome friend and a great boss." I scrubbed my face with both hands, groaning. "I swear I'm not jealous of him. Not until today." I hunched my shoulders. "Not until you met him."
A radiant smile carved out dimples in her cheeks. "You are so incredibly adorable. How can you not realize how ghost-pepper hot you are? I'd much rather ogle your naked body than Val's."
"Seriously? You claim his ginormous muscles don't do anything for you."
"Of course I think he's gorgeous, but I don't want to sleep with him. Or go hiking with him. Or swim naked in the hot spring with him."
"We haven't done that yet. You did it by yourself."
She snuggled up to me, sliding her arms around my waist. "We could do that right now."
"Your parents are waiting outside."
"Dad can take care of Mom." She nuzzled my neck. "Take me to the hot spring, Oliver."
"You know how I get when you call me that."
She nibbled on my chin. "Yes, I know. Oliver."
I swept her up in my arms. "Let's sneak out the back way."
Mara grinned.
Damn, I was one
